For $1500/mth you could comfortably live in Berlin if not eating out restaurants everyday, could even go to some schools there since tuition is free. Here's typical neighborhood rent averages in the form of a metro map https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/jan/08/costs-berlin-...
SE Asia is interesting to visit but staying there half a year in a chaotic country which likely will have persistant flooding during rain seasons, non potable water, random power outages and endemic corruption from taxi drivers to police demanding bribes everytime you drive gets annoying really fast if your goal is studying and not living the tourist-bro party lifestyle. I spent a few months there doing exactly what you are doing, and immediately regretted not going to the Balkans or even Georgia (cheap cost of living) instead since my goal was to study.