Taste Asia on a budget: 5 best street food destinations

Food is an essential part of any tourist's dream trip. So, what's better than getting delectable meals at an affordable price? Here are 5 cities to savour Asia's mouth-watering street foods at the most reasonable rates!

Bangkok, Thailand

Aside from shopping malls and memorable tourist sites, the heart of Bangkok stores a pack of street food stalls that every tourist must visit. Almost every corner of the city is packed with street food locations found anywhere, anytime!

Most Thai foods are spicy and sour, and the best part is they are all affordable. The prices can range from Tk 200 to Tk 250.

Pad Thai is one of Thailand's most iconic street foods. The sweet and sour noodle dish is perfect for anyone looking for a unique taste and costs around Tk 160. Another dish, khai jiao, is a Thai-style omelette, which can be customised to your liking. A crispy, fluffy dish packed with spice and salty flavour; it costs around Tk 200.

You also have a variety of savoury meals that are extremely filling and great for anyone, such as kuay teow reua and also the tom yum soup — a hot, sour, tangy shrimp soup with a strong flavour, making it a popular choice. 

For dessert and fruit lovers, try mango sticky rice, which consists of a mix of different textures and an element of dense sweetness to satisfy anyone with a sweet tooth.

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Almost everyone is familiar with Vietnamese street food. Ho Chi Minh City is the booming site for it, with piping hot food available every second. The prices are extremely affordable, starting from around Tk 100 to Tk 320.

Pho, a popular dish worldwide, is a must-try if you are visiting. Costing around Tk 180, the blend of broth, noodles, herbs and meat along with the spicy kick is an ultimate craving for the active traveller.

Another common dish is goi cuon (Vietnamese spring rolls). They are the perfect snack for anyone looking for a fresh option away from all the fry and oil, with a price of Tk 30 per roll.

A common street food delectable amongst locals is bot chien, which is a fried rice flour cake, served with sweet soy and vinegar dipping sauce, eggs, and vegetables. It costs around Tk 140.

Beverage options are plenty, one of them being ca phe trung, also known as egg coffee. It consists of egg yolk, sugar, condensed milk and coffee. Costing about Tk 220, coffee lovers will love this unique drink. You also have che, a variety of fruity, dairy-free drinks popular amongst locals, consisting of jelly and coconut sauce; they can cost about Tk 70 per drink.

Seoul, South Korea

A popular tourist destination, it's no secret that South Korea harbours some of the most attractive and appetising street foods. Seoul is a city bustling with stalls sizzling and preparing warm, delicious snacks at a reasonable price.

Prices for most foods range from Tk 80 to Tk 420 and vary depending on the location, ingredients, and portion sizes. Try to find local areas rather than major tourist districts to get the most affordable rates.

Tteokbokki is an extremely popular street food choice and for a reason! A snack at around Tk 120, it is a spicy, saucy rice cake with a chewy texture coated in red chilli paste.

Odeng is a bite-sized fish cake served skewered on wooden sticks. They usually cost around Tk 40 per stick but are sometimes also served in bundles ranging from Tk 160 to Tk 420. Dakkochi is another similar one, composed of chicken and scallions covered in thick, spicy sauce.

Warm, sugary dessert options are also present such as hotteok, a sweet pancake with brown sugar and peanut filling giving it a rich, sweet taste, and bingsu, a milk-based shaved ice dish served with sweet toppings.

Delhi, India

The capital of India is home to some of the most flavourful and rich street foods any tourist can taste. For desi food lovers, this place is a dreamland. Almost every dish here is extremely affordable, with restaurants and food stalls stationed at every part of the lively city.

Why not start your trip with the standard yet popular masala chai? At just Tk 25, you can rejuvenate your senses with a fresh cup of tea enriched with herbs and spices. You also have pani puri, with a blast of sour and savoury flavour, which costs around Tk 30.

There are many vegetable-based foods as well such as the samosa chaat, served with yoghurt and chutney, and chole bhature, a combination of chana masala and puri, both of which are very filling.

Delhi conceals some iconic sites with special Indian desserts, such as the kulfi faluda for Tk 100 and kurchan, a creamy dessert made with milk and powdered sugar at Tk 50.

Jakarta, Indonesia

Not only is Indonesia the ideal site for nature and beaches but also has a thriving street food culture. The food here is reasonably priced and comes in tonnes of varieties, so you can tour the attractions the city has to offer and enjoy some delightful snacks!

Satay is an extremely popular one, which is essentially a mix of different meats such as beef, chicken, mutton, etc. served with peanut sauce. Each skewer costs around Tk 10 and is a must-try for anyone with a carnivorous diet.

Gorengan is a family of deep-fried snacks prepared with a variety of ingredients. It is a favourite amongst locals and tourists alike. Another fried dish is nasi goreng (fried rice), an extremely appetising and filling dish that costs around Tk 70.

For desserts and sweets, durian ice cream is a popular dish in Indonesia, with unique combinations and toppings sold at stalls anywhere. Another one is sarabi, a pancake-like snack with a coconut flavour, costing about Tk 30 per piece.