Short answer: On the ground in Thailand, plan on roughly 500–1,100 baht (about $15–33) per person per day on a hostel-and-street-food budget, 3,300–3,900 baht (about $100–115) in a mid-range city hotel shared by two, and from about 6,700 baht (about $200) for upscale resorts and restaurant dinners. A week therefore costs about $105–230 on a tight budget, $690–815 mid-range and from about $1,400 in comfort, before flights, island hops and shopping. For a reality check, international visitors brought Thailand about 46,600 baht each in 2025, according to government figures.
Thailand is one of the best-value trips in the world. Street food, local transport and guesthouses cost a fraction of what they do at home, and many of the best experiences, from night markets to sunset beaches, are free. What moves your budget is where you sleep, how often you fly or take boats between regions, and how many paid tours you book. This guide breaks the costs down with figures from official and reputable sources so you can plan a realistic budget for your trip to Thailand. Dollar amounts are rounded at about 33.6 baht to the US dollar, the Federal Reserve’s rate in early October 2026; use our Money exchange tool for today’s rate.
Thailand daily costs at a glance
These example days are built from the sourced prices further down this page: one person, one day in a big city such as Bangkok or Chiang Mai. They leave out flights, ferries, tours, shopping and nightlife.
| Per person, per day | Budget | Mid-range | Comfort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed | Hostel dorm bed: 250–450 baht | Half of a Bangkok hotel room at about 3,660–4,010 baht: 1,830–2,010 baht | Half of an upscale or luxury resort room from about 6,820 baht: from 3,410 baht |
| Food | Three street-food or simple meals at 60–100 baht: 180–300 baht | Two simple meals plus half of a 1,200-baht dinner for two: about 800 baht | Two café meals plus half of a 3,000-baht dinner for two: about 1,800 baht |
| Local transport | Two or three Skytrain or metro rides: 50–150 baht | Skytrain plus a couple of metered taxis: 200–300 baht | Taxis and ride-hailing: about 500 baht |
| Sights | Free temples and markets, or one temple: 0–200 baht | Grand Palace plus another temple: 500–800 baht | About 1,000 baht |
| Total | About 500–1,100 baht ($15–33) | About 3,300–3,900 baht ($100–115) | From about 6,700 baht ($200) |
The dorm-bed and street-food prices come from Hostelworld’s September 2026 Thailand budget guide; the hotel figures are average daily room rates measured by the property consultancy Cushman & Wakefield in 2026 (all Bangkok hotels, and Phuket’s upscale and luxury hotels); restaurant prices are typical October 2026 Bangkok prices from the crowd-sourced Numbeo index. Treat them as typical ranges, not quotes. Beach islands such as Ko Samui and Phuket cost more than Bangkok or the north for both rooms and meals.
What visitors actually spend in Thailand
Thailand’s government publishes visitor numbers and tourism income every year. In 2025 the country welcomed 32.97 million international arrivals, who brought in about 1.54 trillion baht. That works out at roughly 46,600 baht (about $1,390) per visitor, for the whole trip and including shopping, but not the flight to Thailand. Long-haul visitors spend more: the 1.08 million visitors from the United Kingdom brought in 74.52 billion baht, about 68,800 baht (roughly $2,050) each. The government figures do not give an average length of stay, so these are per trip, not per day.
On our Travel costs by country scale, which compares hotel, restaurant and transport prices with the United States (US = 100), Thailand scores 28, in our lowest band, “very inexpensive”. In plain words, a hotel night, a meal out or a taxi ride costs on average about a quarter to a third of what it would in the United States. That puts Thailand among the cheapest eighth of the 147 countries we track, level with Vietnam (29).
Accommodation costs
Your bed is the biggest variable in a Thailand budget. Hostelworld’s 2026 guide puts a dorm bed at 250–450 baht in Bangkok’s Khao San Road and Sukhumvit areas, 200–350 baht in Chiang Mai’s Old City, 250–400 baht on Ko Tao, 200–400 baht on Ko Pha Ngan and 350–550 baht on Ko Samui.
Hotels are also good value by international standards. Cushman & Wakefield measured an average daily rate of 3,660 baht across all classes of Bangkok hotels in the second quarter of 2026 (3,730 baht in the first quarter), and a news report on the first half of the year put Bangkok’s average at about 4,010 baht. Beach resorts sit higher: upscale and luxury hotels in Phuket averaged 6,820 baht a night in the first half of 2026. Rooms on the islands are cheapest in the rainy low season; our best time to visit Thailand guide explains which coast is wet when.
Upscale hotel prices are often shown as “++”, meaning a service charge and value-added tax (VAT, 7%) are added at the end. Check the final price before you book.
Food and drink costs
Eating is where Thailand shines. Hostelworld’s guide gives 40–80 baht for a street-food dish in Bangkok and 40–60 baht for khao soi or pad thai at a Chiang Mai market stall; island prices run higher, about 80–150 baht for a cheap meal on Ko Samui. Numbeo’s October 2026 Bangkok figures show a meal at an inexpensive restaurant at about 100 baht (range 60–250 baht), a three-course dinner for two at a mid-range restaurant, without drinks, at about 1,200 baht (range 700–3,000 baht), a local half-liter draft beer at about 90 baht and a cappuccino at about 94 baht. Imported wine and drinks in hotel bars are where food budgets jump.
Getting around Thailand
- Bangkok Skytrain and metro: rides usually cost about 17–60 baht depending on distance. Fares are being reorganized: Thailand’s Cabinet dropped the planned flat 20-baht fare in June 2026 and approved a single fare system, expected from 1 January 2027, so check current prices at the station.
- Taxis and ride-hailing: metered Bangkok taxis start at about 35 baht. Grab and Bolt work in the main cities and resort areas.
- Domestic flights, trains and buses: Bangkok to Chiang Mai is about 1 hour 15 minutes by air or an overnight sleeper train of 11–13 hours. Fares change with the date, so price your route when you book.
- Ferries and speedboats: boats link the mainland with islands such as Ko Phi Phi, Ko Lanta and Ko Samui. Fares vary by operator and season, so budget for one or two boat transfers per island stop.
Our Thailand itinerary shows how to combine Bangkok, the north and the islands without wasting money on backtracking.
Sightseeing fees and free things to do
Temple and park fees are modest, and many sights are free.
| Sight | Foreign adult entry |
|---|---|
| Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Bangkok | 500 baht (dress code applies) |
| Wat Pho (Reclining Buddha), Bangkok | 300 baht |
| Wat Arun, Bangkok | 200 baht |
| Khao Yai National Park | About 400 baht (200 baht in the QueQ app plus 200 baht at the gate, as published in 2023) |
| Night markets, city parks and most neighborhood temples | Free |
Most national parks charge foreign visitors an entry fee, and marine parks such as Ko Phi Phi’s are often included in the price of a boat tour. Free and cheap ideas: wander Bangkok’s riverside and markets, watch sunset from the beach at Ao Nang, explore Chiang Mai’s Old City temples on foot, or rent a bicycle to see the ruins of Ayutthaya.
Visitor fees and taxes
- Departure charge: since 20 June 2026, Airports of Thailand charges 1,120 baht (about $33) per passenger on international departures from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket and Hat Yai, up from 730 baht. It is included in your airfare; tickets issued before 20 June 2026 keep the old rate. The domestic charge stays at 130 baht.
- Arrival card: the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC), filled in online within three days before arrival, is free.
- Tourist entry fee: a fee for foreign visitors has been proposed for several years, but none is being collected as of October 2026.
- VAT refund: visitors leaving by air can claim back the 7% VAT on goods bought at shops displaying the “VAT Refund for Tourists” sign, if they spend at least 2,000 baht per shop per day and at least 5,000 baht in total.
- Proof of funds: immigration officers may ask visa-exempt visitors to show at least 10,000 baht per person (20,000 baht per family) or the equivalent; children under 12 are exempt.
Tipping in Thailand
Tipping is not expected at street stalls or simple restaurants, but leaving the coins from your change or rounding up is appreciated. Where a service charge is already on the bill, an extra tip is optional. Guides, drivers and spa staff usually receive a small tip for good service. Our tip calculator helps you work out amounts on the spot.
Money-saving tips for Thailand
- Eat where locals eat. A market dish at 40–80 baht costs a fraction of a hotel restaurant meal.
- Travel in the shoulder or low season. May, June and September are usually the cheapest months on the Andaman coast and in the cities.
- Use the Skytrain and metro in Bangkok instead of taxis at rush hour; they are cheaper and faster.
- Limit island hops. Each move means a boat or flight; two or three bases are cheaper than five.
- Group your shopping so you reach the VAT refund minimums in one store.
- Consider the north and quieter islands. Chiang Mai, Pai and Ko Chang are usually cheaper than Phuket or Ko Samui.
For ideas on where to spend your days, see our top places to visit in Thailand.
Plan your trip: our free trip planner can build a day-by-day plan for Thailand from our guides, including Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Ko Samui and Ao Nang. Then use the Money exchange tool to turn baht into your own currency.
Frequently asked questions
How much money do I need for a week in Thailand?
Using the example days above, seven days on the ground cost roughly 3,500–7,700 baht (about $105–230) per person on a tight budget, 23,100–27,300 baht (about $690–815) mid-range, and from about 47,000 baht (about $1,400) in comfort, before flights, boats, tours and shopping.
Is Thailand expensive?
No. Thailand scores 28 on our travel cost scale (US = 100), so hotels, meals and transport cost on average about a quarter to a third of US prices. Upscale beach resorts and imported drinks are the exceptions.
Do I need cash in Thailand?
Yes, carry some. Street food stalls, markets, small guesthouses and some temple ticket counters prefer cash, while hotels, malls and ride-hailing apps take cards. Immigration may also ask to see 10,000 baht per person, or the equivalent, as proof of funds on arrival.
Is the airport departure charge included in my ticket?
Yes. The 1,120-baht international passenger service charge, in force since 20 June 2026, is added to the airfare when you buy the ticket, so there is nothing to pay at the airport.
Are the Thai islands more expensive than Bangkok?
Usually, yes. Hostelworld’s 2026 figures put a dorm bed at 350–550 baht on Ko Samui against 250–450 baht in Bangkok, and a cheap meal at 80–150 baht on Ko Samui against 40–80 baht for Bangkok street food. Upscale resort rooms in Phuket averaged 6,820 baht a night in early 2026, well above Bangkok’s all-hotel average of about 3,660 baht. Boat transfers add to island costs too.
What is the cheapest month to visit Thailand?
May, June and September are usually the cheapest months on the Andaman coast and in the cities, when the rainy season brings lower room rates. The Gulf islands, including Ko Samui, have their wettest weather later in the year, so check our best time to visit Thailand guide before you book.