Including transportation, I have spent $2860 as a result of my Bali trip thus far (18+ days). I have not had to outlay any expenditures for housing. My rent and utilities in Las Vegas during the same span would have been $1482. There is a high likelihood that my discretionary expenses would have been higher in Las Vegas. If I use a conservative estimate of $50 per day, the total opportunity expense in the United States would have been $2412. In a sense, this first leg of the trip has cost me only $448 over 18 days!

I will hit Singapore and Melbourne within the next week, so my expenses will skyrocket. According to a 2011 survey by Employment Conditions Abroad International, Singapore and Melbourne rank as the 36th and 25th most expensive cities worldwide, respectively (Manhattan is 44th).

I have spent more time outdoors here then I ever did in recent years in Las Vegas. While Las Vegas has extreme heat, the weather there is irrelevant because the bulk of my time was spent in people's homes, vehicles, or casinos. The temperatures in Bali are not as extreme, but the humidity is much higher. I am obsessive about avoiding UV radiation, so although I feel much hotter in Bali, I will walk on the beach with a dark long-sleeve shirt, a cap, black sunglasses, a scarf, the highest SPF sunscreen I can find, and on occasion, an umbrella.