Myanmar on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
In the places still visited, a budget trip is possible, with very roughly K125,000 a day per person for a simple room, local food, zone fees and transport. However, the security situation and official advice matter far more than cost when deciding whether to go.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | K60,000 | K130,000 | K300,000 |
| Food & drink | K25,000 | K50,000 | K110,000 |
| Sights & tickets | K20,000 | K35,000 | K60,000 |
| Local transport | K20,000 | K45,000 | K90,000 |
| Per person, per day | K125,000 | K260,000 | K560,000 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Myanmar day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Walking Yangon's colonial downtown and its tea shops
- Sule Pagoda's surroundings and Maha Bandula Park in Yangon
- Watching sunset over Kandawgyi Lake in Yangon
- Market browsing at Bogyoke Aung San Market
- Many smaller pagodas and monasteries (donations welcome)
- Morning almsgiving processions of monks in towns
Cheap eats
- Mohinga fish noodle soup: roughly K2,000–4,000
- Shan noodles: roughly K2,000–4,000
- Tea-leaf salad (lahpet thoke): roughly K2,000–5,000
- Barbecue skewers on 19th Street: a few hundred kyat each
- Curry and rice set at a local restaurant: roughly K4,000–8,000
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers use guesthouses licensed for foreigners in Yangon's downtown, with simple rooms very roughly US$15–30. Options in other towns are limited and change with the security situation.
Getting around cheaply
In Yangon, Grab and buses are cheap. Between cities, established bus companies are cheaper than flights but more exposed to road closures. Check the latest situation before every journey.
A sample budget day
- Morning: tea shop breakfast and downtown Yangon walk, about K5,000
- Lunch: Shan noodles, about K3,000
- Afternoon: Bogyoke Market and Kandawgyi Lake (free)
- Evening: Shwedagon Pagoda at sunset (about K10,000–20,000) and 19th Street barbecue, about K8,000
- Total: very roughly K125,000 including a guesthouse
More ways to save
- Carry clean US dollars; you cannot rely on cards or ATMs.
- Change only what you need, as rates move quickly.
- Ask your guesthouse about current fees and road conditions.
- Use Grab in Yangon to avoid negotiating taxi fares.
- Eat where locals eat, in tea shops and markets.
- Make sure your insurance covers travel; many policies do not if your government advises against it.
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Common questions
How much do I need per day?
Very roughly K125,000 per person: K60,000 for a room, K25,000 for food, K20,000 for sights and K20,000 for transport.
What currency should I bring?
Clean US dollar notes (2017 series or newer, no folds or marks) to exchange at banks or licensed changers.
Is food cheap in Myanmar?
Yes. Tea shops, noodle stalls and curry houses serve meals for a few thousand kyat.