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).
Travelling solo? Our Thailand solo travel guide covers the best solo bases, safety tips, and where to meet other travellers.
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).
See also: Thailand vs Bali · Thailand vs Vietnam · Thailand vs Cambodia · Flights to Thailand · Travel insurance for Thailand
A few more costs to factor in: Thailand travel insurance protects against medical costs that can easily exceed the savings from budget travel. A Thailand eSIM (from approximately ฿200–400 for 30 days data) beats paying for airport SIM queues. For activities, browse Thailand tours - booking in advance often secures lower prices.
Plan Your Trip
With a clear budget in mind, the next step is building the route — our two weeks in Thailand itinerary and 1 week Thailand itinerary include per-day cost estimates at backpacker, mid-range, and comfort tiers. The getting around Thailand guide covers transport costs between cities and islands in detail. For comparing Thailand’s value against other destinations in the region, see Thailand vs Vietnam and Thailand vs Cambodia.
Plan Your Trip
- Flights - Find the best fares to Thailand
- Travel Insurance - Get covered before you go
- eSIM - Stay connected from landing
- Car Rental - Compare prices across providers
See also: Budget Thailand itinerary · 1-week Thailand itinerary · Getting around Thailand