Travel Budget for Mandalay Visit Mandalay on a Budget or Travel in Style

Mandalay, Mandalay Division, Myanmar

Mandalay is a cultural destination known for its beauty, culture, food, and exciting activities. In this travel cost guide, we'll cover everything you need to know to plan your travel budget and have an amazing trip without spending too much. This guide includes average trip costs from previous travelers, typical hotel prices, food and dining costs, entertainment and sightseeing prices, and information about transportation.

How much does it cost to travel to Mandalay?

You should plan to spend around $12 (MMK39,793) per day on your vacation in Mandalay. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.

Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:

  • $6.66 (MMK21,625) on meals
  • $11 (MMK36,336) on hotels

A one week trip to Mandalay for two people costs, on average, $172 (MMK557,102). This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.

  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    $12
    MMK39,793
  • One Week Per person
    $86
    MMK278,551
  • 2 Weeks Per person
    $172
    MMK557,102
  • One Month Per person
    $368
    MMK1,193,790
  • One Week For a couple
    $172
    MMK557,102
  • 2 Weeks For a couple
    $343
    MMK1,114,204
  • One Month For a couple
    $735
    MMK2,387,580
This data comes from the travel budgets of real travelers - How it works. Put these numbers on your website.


How much does a one week, two week, or one month trip to Mandalay cost?

A one week trip to Mandalay usually costs around $86 (MMK278,551) for one person and $172 (MMK557,102) for two people. This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

A two week trip to Mandalay on average costs around $172 (MMK557,102) for one person and $343 (MMK1,114,204) for two people. This cost includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

Please note, prices can vary based on your travel style, speed, and other variables. If you're traveling as a family of three or four people, the price per person often goes down because kid's tickets are cheaper and hotel rooms can be shared. If you travel slower over a longer period of time then your daily budget will also go down. Two people traveling together for one month in Mandalay will often have a lower daily budget per person than one person traveling alone for one week.

A one month trip to Mandalay on average costs around $368 (MMK1,193,790) for one person and $735 (MMK2,387,580) for two people. The more places you visit, the higher the daily price will become due to increased transportation costs.




Is Mandalay expensive to visit?

Mandalay is a smaller destination that attracts a range of visitors, each with distinct travel styles, spending habits, and budgetary requirements. You'll find a wide array of accommodation options, such as luxury hotels, mid-range places, or budget-friendly hostels.

Mandalay can certainly rack up expenses, but there are strategies to minimize costs, including looking for discounts and coupons.

On average, budget travelers spend $9 (MMK29,652) per day, mid-range travelers spend $12 (MMK39,793) per day, and luxury travelers spend around $17 (MMK55,201) per day. These costs are calculated from the expenses of previous travelers to Mandalay.

Within Asia, Mandalay is a very affordable destination compared to other places. It is in the top 10% of cities in Asia for its affordability. Very few cities in the region are as affordable as Mandalay.

For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is Mandalay Expensive?

How much money do I need for a trip to Mandalay?

The average Mandalay trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Mandalay travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers. Also, you can see more details at How much does a trip to Mandalay cost?

Mandalay on a Budget
Category Budget Mid-Range Luxury
Accommodation 1
For 1 person in double occupancy
$2
(MMK8,027)
$6
(MMK18,168)
$10
(MMK33,576)
Food 2 $7
(MMK21,625)
$7
(MMK21,625)
$7
(MMK21,625)

Realistic Expectations for Your Travel Budget

When planning your trip to Mandalay, it's important to have realistic expectations about your budget. Many believe they can travel on a shoestring, but that often leads to either uncomfortable travel experiences or some surprisingly high expenses. Consider your vacation style. Do you enjoy staying in hostels, resorts, regular hotels, or vacation rentals? Are attractions and dining experiences a priority? These factors will affect how much you spend and your itinerary.

What Defines a Budget Traveler?

You might think that you're a budget traveler. But unless you're willing to eliminate a lot of comforts from your trip, prepare to spend a lot more than the daily average of $9 that backpackers often get by on.

Young backpackers often get away with this shoestring budget, but it usually involves staying in hostel dorms, eating at the cheapest restaurants or fast food places, taking public transit or walking, and only visiting free attractions.

Luckily, Mandalay offers plenty of hostels, including Ostello Bello Mandalay. Staying at hostels like these means you can enjoy affordable dorm accommodation along with a lively social vibe, though amenities might be minimal.

So, are you average?

Couples and families on a fun trip will likely choose a mid-range hotel, enjoy meals at popular dining spots, and visit significant museums and attractions that have entry fees. When visiting Mandalay, most people will want to check out the major attractions, museums, and iconic landmarks. After all, most activities are not free. So, it's realistic to expect your actual daily budget to be about $12 per person, per day.

Dreaming of a Stylish Getaway?

If a complete vacation with all amenities and a higher level of service is what you want, expect to allocate around $17 per day. To stay in nicer hotels, dine at award-winning establishments, treat yourself to extravagant excursions, and hire taxis or private drivers to navigate the destination, a luxury budget will be necessary. Also, higher-end tours are common with luxury travelers, such as Private Transfer Of Mandalay To Bagan - offered by Viator.

Accommodation Budget in Mandalay

The cost of hotels in Mandalay can be surprisingly wide-ranging. Some hotels charge a lot more because they offer extra luxury and amenities. Prices are also much higher during peak season. Off-season rooms average $0, but the demand in peak season pushes that average to around $0. Budget hotels range from $0 to $0, and hostels provide a cheaper option, especially in dorms. Booking early, traveling off-season, or finding special deals can help save money.

Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

The average price paid in Mandalay for two people for a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $11 (MMK36,336). For one person sharing a room, the average price paid for a hotel room is $5.60 (MMK18,168) per night. These costs are from the reported spending of actual travelers.

  • Accommodation1 Hotel or hostel for one person
    $5.60
    MMK18,168
  • Accommodation1 Typical double-occupancy room
    $11
    MMK36,336

Hotels in Mandalay

Looking for a hotel in Mandalay? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.

Find the best hotel for your travel style.

Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world.

Tips to Save Money on Accommodation in Mandalay

By skipping and traveling during the low or shoulder season, you'll enjoy lower accommodation rates and fewer crowds.


Recommended Properties


Food Budget in Mandalay

Tasting the local cuisine is a key reason for travel, so be sure to sample the unique dishes offered in the area.

Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

  • While restaurant and meal prices in Mandalay can vary significantly, the average cost of food in Mandalay is $6.66 (MMK21,625) per day, per person, based on the spending habits of previous travelers.

  • Food2 Meals for one day
    $6.66
    MMK21,625

When dining out, the average daily cost for food in Mandalay is around $7 (MMK21625) per person, with previous travelers spending from $7 to $7. Generally, breakfast and lunch cost less than dinner, but this will depend on the type of restaurant and what you order.

Typical meal prices in Mandalay are as follows:

  • Breakfast: $1 to $2
  • Lunch: $1 to $3
  • Dinner: $2 to $5
  • Coffee: $1
  • Fast Food or Street Food: $1

Formerly known as Burma, Myanmar has cuisine that is of the Burmese tradition. It is characterized by an extensive use of fish products like fish sauce and ngapi (a paste made from fermented seafood) as well as rice, fresh vegetables, tropical fruits, and condiments like pickled mango and fermented beans. Some typical dishes include a ginger salad with sesame seeds called gyin thohk, a wheat noodle salad with dried shrimps, shredded cabbage and carrots, dressed with fried peanut oil, fish sauce, and lime (khauk swè thoke), and a plate called mohinga which consists of rice vermicelli in fish broth with onions, garlic, ginger, lemon grass, and sliced tender core of banana-stem, served with boiled eggs, fried fish cake (nga hpe) and fritters (akyaw). Due to its geographic location, Myanmar's cuisine has been also been largely influenced by Chinese cuisine, Indian cuisine, and Thai cuisine. Mandalay in particular specializes in cuisine from the Shan State (usually including fermented pastes, vegetables, and meats), as well as a kind of Muslim Chinese noodle dish with lots of spices, and a traditional Burmese dessert called htou moun which is oily and sweet and unique to the city.

Food & Dining Tips

Many establishments feature breakfast in their pricing, although some tack it on as an added expense. The price and quality can fluctuate depending on the hotel. Being aware of this beforehand helps you gauge if you'll need extra cash. The hotel buffet might be a delicious choice, or you could save some cash by heading to a nearby bakery or cafe.

Bring a reusable water bottle instead of purchasing drinks all the time. It's also a great way to help the environment.

Planning a tour? Be sure to confirm in advance which meals are provided. You could find yourself footing the bill for some meals, which can affect your budget.

If you're looking to experience the culinary culture in Mandalay, taking a food tour or cooking class is a terrific way to do it. After all, cuisine is one of the reasons why so many people visit. Some of the best food-related activities here include:

  • Bicycle Food Tour in Mandalay for $45 details
  • Myanmar traditional cooking class with local for $26 details
  • Bamboo Bike Food Tour for $42 details

Recommended


Travel cost data last updated: Dec 28, 2024

Budgeting and Travel Tips for Mandalay

  • Peak season brings higher prices and more people to the destination. To avoid the chaos and save some money, consider a trip during the shoulder or low seasons.
  • Traveling a little slower can help you save money, as you can enjoy a lot of the beauty of the area while you relax. If you pack all of the activities into every day, you'll end up spending lots of money. But if you take it a little slower and enjoy your time, you'll usually end up spending less.

Budgeting Challenges

  • With limited public transportation in Mandalay, it could be wise to arrange for other transportation, such as a tour or private driver. Just keep in mind that this might affect your budget in other areas.
  • Mandalay isn't exactly a hotspot for hostels, so if you're expecting to stay in a cheap dorm to save money, you might want to adjust your plans. Instead, find a cheap hotel or apartment rental.
Traveling in Mandalay
Mandalay Mandalay, Myanmar

Located in Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) on the banks of the Irawaddy River, Mandalay is the nation's second largest city behind Yangon. It is centered on the restored Royal Palace and has a large population of Buddhist monks who frequent the city's many temples and monasteries.



Neighborhoods & Around

Mandalay is a fairly new city compared to its ancient neighbors, having been established in 1857 under King Mindon. It covers a large, flat area and is designed on a grid pattern layout. The downtown is roughly located at the south-west corner of Mandalay Palace moat, near Mandalay railway station. This area and its assorted markets, restaurants, and temples can be easily explored on foot, but further ventures to Mandalay Hill, the Shwenandaw or Shwe In Bin monasteries, or the Mahamuni Temple will require a taxi or other car service. One particular center of interest is Zegyo Market, the biggest and oldest market in the city. Though its main building is modern, the surrounding neighborhood that occupies 86th street is always bustling with a rich atmosphere and vendors selling locally produced goods from fresh food to handicrafts.

We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.



1 Categories averaged on a per-item basis.
2 Categories averaged on a per-day basis.
For example, the Food2 daily average is for all meals for an entire day, while Entertainment1 is for each individual purchase. Thus, the overall daily average cost is not a summation of the individual categories.