Sabbatical Budget for 2 Weeks in Laos

One of the best ways to travel on a budget is to steer clear of destinations in high tourist demand and go off the beaten path instead. When I took my year-long sabbatical, few places in my travel history had been as off the beaten path as Laos. This Southeast Asian country sandwiched between Thailand and Vietnam has just enough of a tourism industry to ensure some accessibility while keeping the daily cost of travel under $30 per day. See the full breakdown of what I spent below.

Note: This part of my sabbatical took place in 2016. I have made notes wherever possible about how costs compare in 2026.

Transportation $32.58

tuk tuk to Luang Prabang $2.44
tuk tuk to/from Kuang Si Falls $6.17
minibus to Vang Vieng $14.19
bus to Vientiane $6.11
tuk tuk to hostel in Vientiane $3.67

Note: Tuk tuk costs in Laos in 2026 are comparable to what I spent in 2016. I traveled overland from Thailand into Laos via the Mekong River slow boat. The cost of this is noted in my Thailand sabbatical budget.

Accommodations $107.06

1 night at a guest house in Pagbeng $5
9 nights in a four-bed dorm at Kounsavan Guest House in Luang Prabang $74
2 nights in a private room at Pans Place Guesthouse $22.46
1 night in an eight-bed dorm at Backpackers Garden Hostel $5.60

Note: The exact hostels I stayed in may or may not still be open, so my prices are based on current searches and what I would choose to book if I were taking this trip in 2026. An all-female dorm in Luang Prabang is $9 per night. A private room in Vang Vieng is $25-30 per night. An all-female dorm in Vientiane is $7-12 per night. These prices are a bit higher than I spent in 2016. Your total accommodations budget for 2 weeks in Laos today should be more like $150.

Dining $137.62

1 week groceries at Mini Mart $9.63
1 breakfast at Oni Bakery $1.85
1 breakfast at Pans Place $4.89
4 lunches at Joma Bakery $24.46
2 lunches at Luang Prabang day market $5.51
1 lunch at Kuang Si $1.85
1 lunch at Pivana Guest House $2.47
1 dinner in Pagbeng $4.64
1 dinner at Joma Bakery $6.59
1 dinner at Luang Prabang night market $1.83
1 dinner at La Casa Lao $14.63
1 dinner at Silk Road Cafe $4.57
1 dinner at Dao Fa $14.81
1 dinner at Bamboo Tree $7.95
1 dinner at Milan Pizza $7.34
snacks in Pagbeng $3.66
4 snacks at Joma Bakery $18.47
1 snack at Luang Prabang night market $2.47

Note: Dining costs can be difficult to estimate. Cursory searching indicates that 2026 prices are still comparable to what I spent. You can find tasty street food for a couple bucks, sit down in a restaurant for less than $10, or splurge on a fancier Western fusion meal for $15-20.

Entertainment $67.16

weaving class at Ock Pop Tok Living Crafts Centre $59.22
tubing rental in Vang Vieng $6.72
beer at riverside bar in Vang Vieng $1.22

Note: Both the weaving class at Ock Pop Tok and tube rental in Vang Vieng are comparably priced in 2026. 

Miscellaneous $9.38

gifts/souvenirs at Ock Pop Tock Boutique $6.91
gifts/souvenirs at Luang Prabang night market $1.85
bottled water at Kounsavan Guest House $0.62

Total: $353.80
Average Spent Per Day: $27.21

How I Saved

• Taking the slow boat
  Though it’s not listed here since I started and paid for the trip in Thailand, arriving in Laos on the slow boat down the Mekong was probably a third the cost of flying directly from Chiang Mai. More importantly, it was a great experience.
• Restricting my private room stays
  I originally wanted to stay in a private room for the week I was in Luang Prabang. Instead, I decided that notorious party town Vang Vieng would be a better place to have my own space. So I opted for the much cheaper four-bed dorm in Luang Prabang and cut down significantly on my accommodation costs.
• Being willing to wait
  Had I hopped in the first available tuk tuk to Kuang Si Falls from Luang Prabang, I would have paid $20 to $25 for a private tour. When I balked at the price, the driver asked if I’d be willing to come back in an hour and meet him once he had secured more passengers. The wait wound up being more than an hour, as he spent a great deal more time driving around after picking me up to completely fill the back of the tuk tuk, but being patient meant spending about a quarter of the originally quoted price. This trick paid off again in Vang Vieng, where I wound up riding for free by sharing with other tubers.
• Not shying away from street food
  Some travelers get nervous about street food, particularly in “less developed” countries. (I’ll spare you the essay on language like undeveloped or third world countries for now.) Personally, I think this is an unfounded fear. You can see the cooking space at street stalls clear as day. You can’t see the kitchen in a restaurant, so if anything, street food is safer. I got an excellent, hearty baguette sandwich for less than $3 at the day market in Luang Prabang.
• Getting my tube rental back on time
  Tubing in Vang Vieng is a backpacking rite of passage and ever since the government crackdown on illegal drug use and overserving at bars, it’s a much safer, more enjoyable activity than its reputation of yore would suggest. Just don’t get so sunk into riverside beers that you miss the tube return cutoff. Heading back to town after 6pm means forfeiting your deposit. $7 may not sound like much, but in Laos, it’s enough for a pizza and a beer. (Also worth noting: the rental office clock is about 15 minutes fast, so it’s best not to cut it close on your return.)