Thailand Budget Guide: How Much Does Thailand Cost?
Daily budget overview
Thailand can be travelled on almost any budget. The following figures represent realistic daily expenditure excluding international flights.
| Budget level | Daily spend | What it gets you |
|---|---|---|
| Budget/backpacker | ฿700–1,500 | Hostel dorm or basic fan guesthouse, street food 3 meals, local transport, no paid activities |
| Mid-range | ฿2,000–5,000 | Private hotel room with A/C, mix of street food and restaurants, occasional Grab, 1 paid activity per day |
| Comfortable | ฿5,000–10,000 | Good hotel with pool, sit-down restaurants, guided tours, comfortable transport |
| Luxury | ฿15,000+ | International hotels, fine dining, private guides, speedboat charters |
Accommodation costs
| Type | Price range |
|---|---|
| Hostel dorm (Bangkok, Chiang Mai) | ฿250–600/night |
| Budget guesthouse (fan room) | ฿400–800/night |
| Budget guesthouse (A/C room) | ฿600–1,200/night |
| Mid-range hotel (Bangkok) | ฿1,500–4,000/night |
| Mid-range beach bungalow | ฿1,000–3,000/night |
| Good boutique hotel | ฿3,000–7,000/night |
| International 5-star | ฿10,000–35,000+/night |
Beach accommodation is generally cheaper than equivalent Bangkok accommodation at the budget end, and significantly more expensive at the luxury end (beachfront resorts command premiums).
Food costs
Street stalls and markets (฿50–150 per dish): The best value eating in Thailand. A full pad thai: ฿60–80. Som tum: ฿50–60. Khao man gai: ฿60–70. A bowl of noodle soup: ฿50–70.
Local restaurants (฿80–200 per dish): Sit-down restaurants serving the same food as street stalls, with air conditioning and table service. A full meal with a drink: ฿150–300.
Tourist restaurants (฿150–400 per dish): Restaurants catering to international menus or with English-language menus in tourist areas. Generally still affordable by Western standards.
Upscale Thai and international restaurants (฿400–1,500+ per person): Chiang Mai and Bangkok both have excellent fine dining. Michelin-starred Thai restaurants (Sorn in Bangkok): ฿4,500–6,000 per person.
Daily food budget: ฿200–350 (street food only), ฿400–700 (mixed street food and local restaurants), ฿800–1,500 (restaurants throughout).
Transport costs
| Journey | Mode | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Bangkok BTS/MRT | Per journey | ฿17–62 |
| Airport rail link (Suvarnabhumi to city) | Train | ฿45 |
| Short Grab (3–5km) | App taxi | ฿60–120 |
| Bangkok to Chiang Mai | Overnight train (1st class sleeper) | ฿1,300–1,600 |
| Bangkok to Chiang Mai | Flight | ฿800–2,000 |
| Bangkok to Phuket | Flight | ฿900–2,500 |
| Ao Nang to Railay | Longtail | ฿150 |
| Koh Samui to Koh Phangan | Ferry | ฿200 |
| Scooter rental (per day) | ฿150–300 |
Activity costs
| Activity | Cost |
|---|---|
| Grand Palace (Bangkok) | ฿500 |
| Elephant Nature Park (Chiang Mai, full day) | ฿2,800–3,200 |
| PADI Open Water course (Koh Tao) | ฿9,000–12,000 |
| Snorkel day trip | ฿500–900 |
| Thai cooking class (half day) | ฿1,000–1,800 |
| Ang Thong Marine Park day trip | ฿1,500–2,000 |
| Rock climbing intro (Railay) | ฿1,200–1,800 |
| Phang Nga Bay sea kayak tour | ฿3,500–4,500 |
| Thai massage (1 hour) | ฿250–500 |
Regional price differences
Bangkok — Accommodation and transport more expensive than the provinces. Street food prices similar nationwide. Tourist areas (Khao San, Sukhumvit) price higher than local neighbourhoods.
Chiang Mai — Generally cheaper than Bangkok for comparable accommodation. Elephant sanctuaries are the major activity cost.
Phuket — The most expensive destination in Thailand. Beach clubs, hotels, and restaurants all price 20–40% higher than comparable venues elsewhere.
Koh Tao — Higher food and accommodation prices than mainland (all supplies are ferried in) but dive costs are among the lowest in the world for the quality of diving.
Isan (northeast) — The cheapest region to travel. Accommodation and food are significantly below Bangkok prices. Very few tourist-oriented businesses.
Money and payment
ATMs are ubiquitous across Thailand. The standard ATM withdrawal fee is ฿200–220 per transaction charged by Thai banks (some charge ฿250) plus whatever your home bank charges. Use ATMs sparingly by withdrawing larger amounts per visit.
Credit cards are accepted at hotels, major restaurants, and tourist businesses. Not accepted at markets, street food stalls, or local transport. Always carry some cash.
The baht (฿) is the currency. Approximate rates: ฿36 = $1 USD, ฿45 = £1 GBP, ฿39 = €1 EUR (check live rates before travel).
Frequently Asked Questions
- How much money do you need per day in Thailand?
- Backpacker (hostel dorm, street food, local transport): ฿800–1,200/day (approximately $22–33 USD). Mid-range (private guesthouse/hotel, mix of restaurants, occasional tour): ฿2,500–5,000/day ($70–140 USD). Comfortable (good hotel, sit-down restaurants, guided activities): ฿6,000–12,000+/day ($165–330+ USD). These are daily averages — activities like elephant sanctuaries (฿2,800) or dive courses (฿10,000) are significant one-off costs.
- Is Thailand cheap to travel?
- By global standards, yes. Thailand offers exceptional value at every budget level. The street food and local restaurants are among the world's best value — a full meal costs ฿60–150. Budget accommodation is plentiful and generally clean. Even mid-range hotels with pools in beach destinations cost ฿1,500–3,000/night. The main costs that surprise travellers are international flights, island ferry connections, and premium activities.