It’s no secret that all of us would love to travel more, but most of us have never worked out what a trip actually costs. A week in Thailand has a specific price tag, and without a budget, you’ve got no savings goal. How do you even start?

The answer isn’t complicated. Financial experts (that’s us!) recommend allocating 30% of your after-tax income to wants, which includes travel. If you earn RM4,500 monthly after EPF and tax deductions, that’s RM1,350 for lifestyle spending. Dedicate half of that (RM675) to a travel fund, and suddenly those destinations aren’t distant dreams anymore. 

Breaking Down Real Trip Costs

*Cost estimates based on RinggitPlus research using current rates from major booking platforms (Agoda, Booking.com, Skyscanner) as of December 2025. Prices assume mid-range accommodation, budget-conscious dining, and advance booking.*

We’ve chosen three destinations that represent different budget tiers: 

Penang for affordable domestic escapes. 

Thailand for mid-range regional travel. 

Sabah for adventure-focused trips. 

These budgets can serve as rough guides for similar destinations: domestic spots like Melaka or Ipoh generally cost about the same as Penang, regional destinations such as Vietnam or Indonesia fall into Thailand’s price range if you book budget flights offpeak, and adventure-focused locations like the Perhentian Islands are closer in cost to Sabah.

Penang Weekend Escape (3 days: RM750)

• Transport: RM80 return bus (KL-Penang, 5 hours) or RM200 flight
• Accommodation: RM150 (budget hotel, RM75/night × 2 nights)
• Food: RM180 (hawker centres RM10-15/meal, RM60/day)
• Activities: RM120 (Penang Hill, temples, street art trail)
• Local transport: RM100 (Grab rides within George Town)

Total: RM750
Savings timeline: Just over 1 month at RM675/month

Skip the flight and take the bus to save RM120. Penang’s hawker centres are the real draw: char kuey teow costs RM8, nasi kandar runs RM10-15. George Town is walkable, but budget for Grab when visiting Penang Hill or Batu Ferringhi.

Thailand Adventure (7 days: RM3,500)

• Flight: RM300 return (KL-Bangkok, book 2-3 months ahead)
• Accommodation: RM1,380 (budget hotels, RM230/night × 6 nights)
• Food: RM630 (RM90/day, mix of street food RM8-15 and restaurants RM30-60)
• Transport: RM500 (airport transfers RM120, Bangkok BTS/Grab RM200, domestic flight to Chiang Mai RM175, Chiang Mai transport RM55)
• Activities: RM600 (temples, cooking class RM250-300, elephant sanctuary RM200-250)

Total: RM3,500
Savings timeline: 5-6 months at RM675/month

Thailand’s strength is flexibility. Street food keeps costs low, but mid-range restaurants won’t break your budget. The domestic flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai costs RM150-200 and saves you 10+ hours on a bus. 

Malaysian passport holders don’t need a visa for stays under 60 days. Just ensure your passport is valid for at least 6 months from your entry date. From 1 May 2025, all visitors must complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online within 3 days before arrival.

Sabah Wildlife And Nature (10 days: RM4,550)

• Flight: RM350 return (KL-Kota Kinabalu, book early to avoid RM400+ peak prices)
• Accommodation: RM1,350 (mix of budget hotels RM80-120 and eco-lodges RM150-250, averaging RM150/night × 9 nights)
• Food: RM1,000 (RM100/day, hawker centres RM12-20 or restaurants RM40-80)
• Transport: RM700 (domestic flights within Sabah RM100-200 each way, boat transfers, car rental)
• Activities: RM1,150 (Kinabatangan River cruise RM300-400, diving in Semporna RM150-300/per dive or location, island hopping RM100-200, wildlife sanctuary visits RM250-350)

Total: RM4,550
Savings timeline: 7 months at RM675/month

Sabah’s transport costs add up fast. Domestic flights to Sandakan or Tawau, boat transfers to islands, and car rentals for reaching nature sites push this budget higher than Peninsular Malaysia trips. The experiences more than justify the cost, from river cruises to spot proboscis monkeys to diving in Semporna and other adventure activities. 

What You Need To Know Before Booking

Travel insurance isn’t mandatory but is highly recommended. Check if your credit card offers complimentary coverage first, as many premium cards provide travel insurance when you book flights with them. 

Basic coverage for a week-long Southeast Asia trip costs RM30-50 and covers medical emergencies, trip cancellations, and lost luggage. Choose policies with at least RM300,000 in medical coverage. Compare options on RinggitPlus’s travel insurance page. Many premium credit cards also offer complimentary travel insurance when you book flights with the card.

Halal and vegetarian food is widely available in Thailand. With nearly 8 million Muslims, Thailand has halal-certified restaurants throughout Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and the southern regions. Look for the halal certification sign displayed at restaurants. Vegetarian options are abundant in Chiang Mai’s trendy cafés and Bangkok’s street food markets.

Travel Hacking Tips To Save More

The difference between paying RM300 for a flight and RM150 is usually timing, not luck.

Book domestic flights 2-3 months ahead. AirAsia and Firefly release their cheapest seats 3-6 months before departure. Waiting until 2 weeks before your trip can double the price.

Fly on weekdays. Thursday and Tuesday flights from KL to Kota Kinabalu can be 15-20% cheaper than Sunday flights. The same applies to Bangkok routes.

Use cashback credit cards for bookings. Cards offering 5-8% cashback on online spending reduce your effective hotel and flight costs. 

Split accommodation costs. Travelling with a friend or partner cuts accommodation expenses nearly in half. A RM150/night hotel room costs RM75 per person, making mid-range comfort affordable on a budget traveller’s daily spend.

Avoid peak season when possible. December-February is high season everywhere. Flights and hotels cost 30-50% more. April-May and September-October offer better weather than monsoon season but cheaper prices than peak months.

Book return flights as two one-ways. Sometimes booking separate one-way tickets on budget airlines beats return fares. Check both options before committing.

When To Travel For The Best Prices

Seasonal pricing makes a massive difference to your travel budget. Here’s when to book for the lowest prices:

Destination	Best Time to Travel	Months to Avoid
Thailand	May-October (monsoon), November (ideal weather before peak)	January (most expensive), December-February
Sabah	March-April, October-November	June-September (30-40% price jump)
Penang	Year-round (minimal fluctuation)	Chinese New Year, major holidays
General rule	April-May, September-October	December-February, school holidays (20-30% more)

Travelling during off-peak months can save you hundreds of ringgit on the same trip. The trade-off is usually weather. Monsoon season means occasional rain, but it rarely ruins entire days.

Your Travel Fund Starts With RM675 This Month

Most Malaysians never book that Thailand trip or Sabah adventure because they don’t know how much to save. Now you do. With RM1,350 in your monthly “wants” budget, dedicating half (RM675) to travel means a weekend in Penang in under two months, or Thailand in four months.

Can’t spare RM675 monthly? Start with RM300. It takes longer: 2.5 months for Penang, 10 months for Thailand. But the principle remains the same. Pick a destination, set a realistic monthly amount, and watch your travel fund grow.

Start with the smallest trip that excites you, hit that savings target, and book it. Do it once, then scale up to bigger adventures.

Looking to maximise your savings while building your travel fund? Compare high-interest savings accounts to make your money work harder, or explore cashback credit cards that can reduce your effective travel costs through rewards and rebates.

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