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How Much Should You Budget For a Trip to Thailand?

Whether you are a backpacker on a budget or a jet setter booked on first class, having a budget for your travels through Thailand is important for getting the most out of your experience without breaking the bank. Thailand is one of the more affordable destinations for a Southeast Asian vacation. However, it is still important to calculate and prepare for how much money you need for your trip.

Below is an overview of the costs associated with traveling in Thailand, including transportation, accommodation, entrance fees, food and activities, so you can make an informed budget for your adventure.

Transportation Costs

A great way to get around Thailand and hug the coastline is by train. The average basic seat aboard a Thailand train costs between $5 and $20 USD (150-600 Thai Baht). Heading out of Bangkok, there are high-end sleeperist train cars that cost around $50 USD (1,500 Thai Baht). Trains are the best way to travel between the smaller towns, main cities, and beachside locations in Thailand.

Another way to get around the coastlines of Thailand is with ferry travel. Prices vary based on your destination and the type of ferry, but ferry travel prices generally range from $15 USD (450 Thai Baht) for a basic cross-country ferry ride to $150USD (4,500 Thai Baht) for an express ferry that takes you from Bangkok to Phuket.

Tuk-tuks and taxis are excellent—and creative—ways to get around the major cities like Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Koh Samui. Tuk-tuk prices depend heavily on the locality, with Bangkok being the most expensive. Experienced travelers know to haggle for a fair price before stepping in.

Accommodation Costs

Accommodation range widely in price depending on what kind of style of travel you’d rather opt for—budget or boutique style. Budget travelers will find hostels in most cities and towns throughout Thailand, ranging from $4 USD (120 Thai Baht) for a sparse bed in a shared dormitory to around $10 USD (300 Thai Baht) for a private bedroom with air conditioning. Hotels usually range from $20 USD (600 Thai Baht) per night for a basic room to upwards of $200 USD (6,000 Thai Baht) or more for a five-star resort in some of Thailand’s prime beachside locations.

Popular destinations like Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Pattaya have accommodations at every point on the price range spectrum.

Those who are looking for an entirely unique experience may also find Airbnb rooms and homes across Thailand. Most Airbnb houses vary between $20 and $50 per night, but can cost even more depending on the amenities and location.

Entrance Fees and Activities

There are many great activities that can be experienced while touring through Thailand—each come with their own fair share of entrance fees. Visiting the Grand Place in Bangkok will cost between $11 USD (330 Thai Baht) and $14 (420 Thai Baht), depending on where you get tickets and how many attractions you explore on your tour. The most popular attractions in Chiang Mai—the Grand Palace and Wat Pra that—have an entrance fee of roughly $5 USD (150 Thai Baht).

In terms of activities, things like rental scooter fees are also affordable, ranging from about $3 to $7 USD per day (90 to 210 Thai Baht). If you’d rather travel by motorbike (which isn’t recommended due to the local traffic,) a motorbike rental can reach up to around $15 USD (450 Thai Baht) per day depending on the type of motorbike you rent.

There are many other activities you can do while traveling through Thailand that range widely in cost depending on where you go and what type of activities you’re interested in—such as ATV tours, cooking classes, scuba diving/snorkeling trips and guided rainforest hikes—but a good rule of thumb when budgeting is to factor in around $50 USD (1,500 Thai Baht) per day for more expensive activities.

Food Costs

When it comes to food, Thailand is known worldwide for its amazing street-side cuisines and excellent restaurants that offer amazing dishes from all over the globe. You’ll find yourself spending greatly depending on where you eat and what type of food you purchase—but street side restaurant meals generally cost somewhere around $3 USD (90 Thai Baht) or less depending on which city you’re frequenting. If you’re eating at restaurants downtown or at swankier spots at tourist spots like Pattaya or Krabi, meals can run anywhere from around $4 USD up to around $20 (120 up to 600 Thai Baht). It’s definitely possible to eat well within any budget if you do your research beforehand and look for local places with quality dishes.

Drinks Costs

One thing that won’t break your budget in Thailand is drinks. Drinks—such as beer or whiskey with soda—at most smaller local establishments are priced just above production cost, often running around $1 USD (30 Thai Baht,) while a draft beer at a larger establishment will max out at around $3 USD (90 Thai Baht). A single liquor shot will cost roughly $2 -$5 USD (60 – 150 Thai Baht). Cocktails and mixed drinks can increase depending on where you purchase them; but they still remain cheaper than most western establishments at approximately $3 -$8 USD (90 – 240 Thai Baht).

Ultimately, the amount that one should budget for a trip to Thailand is hard to pinpoint as it all depends on your style of travel and what kind of services you’d prefer while in the country. But getting a rough sense of how much things cost—such as transportation fees, entrance fees, accommodation costs, food costs, drinks costs and activity costs—can help for making an informed budget plan for your upcoming trip. By doing your research beforehand and minimizing unnecessary spending like drugs and illegal activities will also help you to extend the amount of time spent at this interesting destination without going overbudget. To learn more about the different costs associated with traveling through Thailand writers should take a look at this guide on cost of travel in Thailand.

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