How much does a beer cost in Southeast Asia?

How much does a beer cost in Southeast Asia?

One of our most frequently asked questions is how much should I budget for a tour? It is something of a how long is a piece of string question as spending on souvenirs can vary considerably as well as taking into account how fancy a restaurant you choose to visit on a free evening and so-on. However, since a lot of the meals are included, as are accommodation, activities and transport then a significant part of costs will be drinks. Soft drinks, juices, coffees and so-on are generally, modestly priced in all destinations so, how much does a beer cost in Southeast Asia. (Or, of course, a G and T, glass of wine etc.)

The region is of course generally hot, and often sticky, and our Southeast Asia group tours include hiking in national parks, city walking tours, exploring ruined temples and so-on so we frequently find guests who claim, ‘not to usually drink beer at home’, welcoming a chilled glass of lager at the end of the day. Ditto after a long minibus drive or boat journey. Our usual question on arrival is…’beer or shower?’, with the most frequently heard reply being ‘cold one first – the shower can wait!’ (Always reminds us of the old classic Ice Cold in Alex.)

We did cover beers of Southeast Asia in an earlier post but that was a while back so here’s an update on what’s commonly available and approximately, how much does a beer cost in Southeast Asia? We’ll concentrate on local brews since while imported beers such as Heineken, Carlsberg and even Guinness are widely available, they’re more expensive and we’d say, having travelled halfway around the globe, try the local offerings first. Possibly at home you might go to a pub or eat in a restaurant once a week for example but bear in mind on a tour you’ll be eating out twice a day for 2 weeks plus post hike or pre-dinner drinks and occasional sundowners so a fortnight’s worth of craft beers and imported wine will tot up.

Locally brewed beers are available pretty much everywhere in Southeast, even in predominantly Muslim countries such as Indonesia and, by Western standards, are usually cheap. Availability of wine and imported spirits such as gin varies considerably as do prices. Since very few locals drink G and Ts, tonic water can be particularly hard to find outside of the more touristy destinations. We recall a tour of off-the-beaten-track Thailand where guests had armed themselves with a bottle of duty free Tanqueray (other brands are available!) with a view to pre-dinner drinks on the terrace but we couldn’t find tonic anywhere. (It took literally 10 convenience stores before we eventually found a few cans of Schweppes. (In this case other brands were not available!)

A brief country by country rundown then on the beer cost in Southeast Asia as well as local drinking habits and what’s found where. Note, overall, most commonly found local beers are lager-style with 4.5 or 5 average percentages. As you’ll see, most destinations in our beer cost in Southeast Asia list also make stronger ales and stouts while the big European groups such as Heineken and Carlsberg are also ubiquitous. Increasingly, local craft and microbreweries are also available alongside imports.

Concerning wine, it is predictably more commonly consumed in the ex French colonies, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam but not generally favoured by locals in  Malaysia, Indonesia or Thailand. Thailand does produce drinkable wines but in small quantities so prices are comparable to imported ones while just about drinkable is probably the best you can say for offerings from Vietnam’s small winery centre of Dalat. The steep, limestone terraces of northwestern Yunnan produce some surprisingly good reds so try a Tibetan Cabernet Sauvignon while you’re there. (Regrettably, the best wine producing region of Southeast Asia we knew was around Myanmar’s Inle Lake.)  A glass of wine as an aperitif is one thing but in local restaurants we often get asked, ‘is the wine ok in here?’ If you’re attempting to pair a Chardonnay with a tom yam soup or Merlot with a green papaya salad, frankly we’re not sure the quality of the wine is relevant.

Cambodia

Certainly one of Southeast Asia’s warmer destinations but fortuitously also one of the cheapest for a cold brew. The unimaginatively but inevitably named national beer is Angkor but the equally inevitably named Cambodia beer runs it close. Considering the total population stands at around 18 million brewing figures are simply staggering. Angkor for instance – part of the Carlsberg group – produces an extraordinary 1.5 million bottles per day (and that doesn’t include draught or cans), with Khmer Beverages churning out approximately 1.9 million litres of Cambodia beer – in all its formats – daily. These figures are frankly astonishing, bearing in mind those are just the two big boys and additional local brands such as Ganzberg and Krud are also widely found. (The latter’s somewhat unfortunate name means Garuda in Khmer and it’s actually not a bad drop.) Furthermore, Anchor and Tiger – both originally Singaporean and both part of the Heineken group we believe, are also very commonly seen. (Note, while most of these are ultimately foreign owned, they are all locally brewed.) So as to differentiate between Angkor and Anchor, the latter is deliberately mispronounced with a soft ch, so An-chor rather than Ancor.

Consequently, competition is intense, prices very low and roadsides the length and breadth of the country dotted with huge beer hoardings! Despite Angkor’s bottled production, their beer, along with Tiger and Cambodia, is often seen on draught, even in relatively small bars and hotels. Prices of a small glass go from a happy hour rate of 50 cents up to perhaps $2 in a more upmarket restaurant. In a typical bar expect to pay between $1 and $1.25 and for that you’ll likely get frosted glasses and peanuts as well. Canned beers will generally set you back between $1 and $1.50 and a large bottle $1.50 in a local spot and up to $3 in smarter restaurants and bars.

Imported wine is widely found in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh but also in smaller town hotels and restaurants. Except to pay between $2.50 to $3.50 for a reasonable quality glass. G and Ts and cocktails are generally only available in spots frequented by foreign tourists but again happy hour prices (1/2 price or two cocktails for the price of one) in say Siem Reap are ridiculously low. Craft beers are increasingly found and since they’re brewed locally – Kingdom is a popular one – they’re far cheaper than say craft beers in neighbouring Thailand, many of which are actually brewed in Cambodia. You’ll find various micro-breweries in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, conjuring up pokey, US-style IPA’s etc. For stout drinkers, ABC is the go-to brew although beware, it weighs in at 8% proof!

You may get the impression Cambodia is an alcoholic’s paradise but with a $1 beer in a frosted glass with spicy peanuts after a sticky day’s temple exploring, no-one’s complaining.

China

A mention on our beer cost in Southeast Asia survey for our most recently added destination, China, where remarkably beer is literally cheaper than water. (A large local beer and small mineral water being roughly equivalent in price.) Chinese are big beer drinkers although a saving factor for their livers is the relative weakness of most of their brews. There are national beers such as the famous Tsingtao while each region and city tends to have its own signature brew, so Dali Beer in Dali, Shangri La Beer and the Yunnan Lancang Beer. (Lancang is the Chinese name for the Mekong.)

It’s not rare to see locals hitting the beer from mid-morning onwards although most of these are only 2.5 or 3% proof. They may seem rather watery for Western tastes but they are cold, wet and very cheap. In a local cafe a large bottle goes for as low as $1 though you can pay considerably more in a hotel bar. Larger cities such as Kunming and Dali feature many upmarket, speciality beer bars and microbreweries although prices increase correspondingly. Once again, many of the craft IPAs are not really to our personal English tastes so when Tsingtao is available, that’s our go to.

Said fancier bars may be able to offer a G and T – but that’s far from certain  – however wine is widely available in supermarkets, up market restaurants and hotel bars. Local wines are good value and while varying widely in quality, some of the Yunnanese and Tibetan Cabernet Sauvignons are surprisingly good.

Indonesia

The ubiquitous national brewery Bintang produces nearly 1.2 million litres daily which, while paling compared to Cambodia, is a surprising volume for a predominantly Muslim nation. While a large chunk of this is undoubtedly drunk in Bali, there’s no shortage of bars in larger cities such as Yogyakarta and Malang and of course Jakarta. (Needless to say, it is a different case in smaller towns and villages.) Jogja has an expat population and plenty of overseas visitors but is also a big student town and we have seen bars packed to the rafters with locals. As we said things get trickier out in the sticks but most smaller towns and large villages will have one designated store that sells beer so worst case you can stock your minibar up if you’re hoping for a cold end of day one on your balcony.

The not bad at all Bintang is generally found in bottle form with a 650cl one setting you back between $1.50 in a local spot and $3 in a hotel bar. Outside of larger hotels catering to foreign visitors you can forget finding wine or spirits until you reach Bali.

Laos

The eponymously named brew, Lao Beer, ships out an impressive 1 million litres daily. It has a much smaller population (8 million) than Cambodia although in this case Lao lacks any serious competitors. The beer’s popularity also means that a part of that production is for export and Beer Lao is regularly seen in Thailand, Vietnam and even Cambodia. (We’ve even heard of it being sold in the UK.) It’s a light. clean taste and justifiably popular although we only drink it in Laos as we suspect the export version is brewed to a different (and to our minds not so good) recipe. The Lao Brewery Company also produces a stout and an IPA.

It’s another cheap destination for beer with prices going from $1 for a 650 cl bottle in a more local style cafe up to $3 in an upmarket eatery or hotel bar. As with Cambodia we possibly have to thank the French influence for the wide availability of imported wines although an average glass will set you back around $3-5. However, outside of smarter bars and restaurants in Luang Prabang, Pakse and Vientiane there’s not much hope of finding a gin and tonic.

Malaysia

Malaysia’s large Chinese community more than compensates for the Muslim majority in terms of beer consumption with Tiger and Anchor, (both Singaporean in origin) being the most popular although made under license Carlsberg and Heineken are equally very popular. Perhaps surprisingly, another of the most commonly drunk beers among locals is locally brewed Guinness. Unlike Indonesia however,  the Muslim majority government makes the Chinese minority  – and tourists –  pay for the privilege of drinking beer and taxes are high. In local cafes expect to pay around $4-5 for a small bottle and perhaps $6-7 for a larger ones. (That goes for Guinness as well as lagers.) Prices do vary considerably though and many bars offer deals if you order several bottles at once. Not so many bars and restaurants offer draught but if they do then ordering a jug is also a saving.

Wine and beer can be found in hotel and resort bars but are also subject to significant taxes. The most expensive destination so far in our beer costs of Southeast Asia survey and comparable with many Western prices but no too bad if you look out for the special deals.

Sri Lanka

Once again a single brewery, Lion, has a near monopoly of local brews although foreign alternatives such as Carlsberg and Tiger are often available. Lion usually goes down well and is another refreshing lager style beer weighing in at 4.8% proof. They also make an 8.8% stout and Lion Strong. As is usually the case in these hot and sticky parts we find cold, light lagers slip down easily at the end of a day’s activities and the more powerful brews aren’t going to rehydrate you much before you keel over. (We don’t usually like watery beers but out here quaffing a 3.5% Dali for instance is ideal. Lion beer makes around 400,000 litres daily fora population of some 243 million so beer drinking, among locals, is far less common than mainland Southeast Asia. We haven’t come across draught either though it may exist, so beer is usually purchased in bottles.

By the way, look out for the excellent. locally made ginger beers – gives you a sometimes needed sugar hit – which refresh without inebriating.

Thailand

A dual monopoly on local beer by Thai Beverages and Boon Rawd Brewery – producing Chang and Singha respectively – has long been an issue in Thailand and highly restrictive licensing laws means any other locally-based company faces a ridiculously uphill task to even produce a beer let alone sell any. (Boon Rawd also brew the third option you see in most bars, Leo.) Most of the expensive Thai craft beers you see on supermarket shelves – they’re too expensive for distribution to most bars and restaurants – aren’t even brewed in Thailand. Chiang Mai craft ale is made in Phnom Penh meaning it’s far cheaper to buy a Chiang Mai beer in Siem Reap than it is in Chiang Mai itself.

Although Beer Lao, Bintang and Lion enjoy virtual, de facto monopolies in their respective countries, they are at least decent brews while in our opinion Chang and Singha are at best, drinkable on a hot day.  Lao is light, clean and mild, while to our tastebuds Singha and particularly Chang are yeasty, have slight chemical aftertastes and appear ‘heavy’, even though their 5%s are equivalent to Lao or a Cambodian beer. We find Chang particularly bad and indeed among expats, too much beer the night is said to cause a chang-over. Foreign beers such as Tiger, Heineken are available at slightly higher prices but let’s face it – they’re not much to write home about either.

Draught is far less common than in Cambodia or Vietnam so a large bottle of Singha (pronounced sing), Chang or Leo will set you back a similar 120 or so baht on average, (or $4). A hole in the wall near us sells them for 60 baht ($2) and you can pay a lot more in a fancier bar or restaurant. Small bottle generally go for 80 to 100 anyway so aren’t really worth ordering while we’d tend to avoid establishments that only sell small bottles but charge 120 baht anyway. A common practice blamed on insufficient fridge space. (Yeh right!)

Imported wines and spirits are considered luxury items either for the expat and tourist market or wealthy Thais, and so are taxed accordingly. A bottle of, for argument’s sake standard Bordeaux, will sell at less than $10 in a Lao or Cambodian supermarket while in Thailand you’d be lucky to find one much under $30. Consequently, for a glass of wine in a restaurant or bar (that’s if they have it), you’ll pay between $7 and $10.

We’ve noticed that visitors to the kingdom don’t initially seem to have problems with Chang but the novelty will wear off pretty quickly and it’s a common saying amongst expats that you can spot the tourists in a bar by which ones are drinking Chang. (Nearly forgot to mention, that more than anywhere else in Southeast Asia, Thai’s drink beer on ice. This shocks visitors at first but we’ve found quite a number get used to it very quickly.)

Vietnam

Last but certainly not least on our beer cost in Southeast Asia survey is Vietnam and the Vietnamese do drink huge quantities of beer. Production figures are somewhat skewed by the proliferation of breweries and regional preferences but the most commonly seen ones will be Hanoi Beer (2.2 million litres per day) and Saigon Beer. The producer, SABECO, churns out an impressive 5 million litres daily. The former is obviously popular in the north and Saigon Beer in the south but both are found nationally. Huda and Larue are central Vietnamese beers – Danang, Hue etc – while 333, originally a French creation but now also made by SABECO is another southern one. Halida, part of the Carlsberg group and brewed in Hue, is also popular and a personal favourite. These are all lagers weighing in around the 5% proof mark although you’ll see variations of most of them such as Saigon Export, Hanoi Bold and so-on.

Draught is left to the famous bia hoi – which we’ll come on to – so most of the above are found in bottles or cans. A large bottle goes for around $1.20-$1.50 and cans from 50 cents to $1,20. They are cheaper again in supermarkets but hotel bars and tourist restaurants will charge more. In Southeast Asia bia hoi is unique to Vietnam and ubiquitous in the north and Hanoi. The beer is brewed every morning and shipped to bars in barrels every afternoon. It lacks any additives and preservatives so anything not consumed that evening is tipped away. This draught lager, roughly 3-4% in volume, is found in street stalls and beer gardens, so don’t try ordering it in a fancy restaurant or hotel, and usually costs around 25 to 40 cents a glass. (We can’t find any figures for what is likely to be a huge daily production.)

Needless to say craft beers and microbreweries are increasingly popular while common imported beers such as Heineken, Carlsberg etc are widely found. You’ll also see regional beers from time to time such as Beer Lao, Chang and even Angkor in parts of the south. Apart from the regional brews, imported and craft beers can be expensive and Hanoi and Saigon possess some very fancy bars. We once paid $10 for a small bottle of Heineken in an upmarket Saigon bar. (It was the cheapest beer they had.)

Our beer cost in Southeast Asia post seems to be going on a bit, so, to wrap it up, wine in Vietnam. We mentioned the locally produced Dalat wine earlier and otherwise a glass of relatively expensive, imported wine will set you back $4-5 and upwards. The answer in Vietnam is – stick to the beer, the widely available fresh juices or the huge array of coffees in the ubiquitous coffee shops.