How Much Things Cost in Thailand
Thailand is one of the most popular destinations. Whether you're looking to relax for your entire holiday, or go thrill seeking - the country definitely caters to everyone. But it becomes easier to plan your holiday once you know how much things cost in Thailand.
To give you a better idea of how much everything is going to cost, we've listed some essential things you might need on your holiday like accomodation, transport, food and more.
All the prices we've quoted in this article are in Australian dollars but you can visit our currency converter to find out what the exchange rate is between the AUD and THB.
Before you head to Thailand, learn about:
- Is it expensive to visit Thailand?
- How much you need to bring to Thailand
- How much it costs to fly from Australia
- The cost of food
- Buses and trains
- Tours in Thailand
- Hiring a Car
- Accomodation
Is it Expensive to Visit Thailand?
When it comes to travelling in Thailand, there is a big difference between there and Australia. Let's have a look at the cost difference between some food and activities in Thailand and Australia:
Australia vs Thailand
In this table, we have a comparison of some things you might do in Thailand. The prices are approximate, and can change between different cities in Thailand.
| Expense | Cost in Australia | Cost in Thailand |
| Breakfast with Coffee | $25AUD | $10AUD |
| 1 full week of public transport (MyKi) | $43AUD for a MyKi Pass | $20AUD |
| Full priced Movie ticket | $23AUD | $10AUD |
| Museum Entry | $28AUD | $0-8AUD |
| A pint of beer | $9AUD | $4AUD |
To find the best place to buy THB, you can read our guide here.
How much money do I need to bring?
The answer to this question really depends on the type of holiday you're planning. Will you be backpacking and staying in hostels? Will you be living it up at a fancy hotel? If you want to do it on a budget, you easily can or you can splurge and go on a luxury holiday.
Either way, you would have noticed that the cost of living in Thailand is much lower than in Australia, which probably explains why it is such a popular destination. It all depends on what you're doing, where you're staying, and how long you're planning to travel.
Here we have listed an estimate of what you'd need, per person, per day depending on your holiday.
Budget holiday: $25 - $60AUD
Middle of the range holiday: $50 to $170AUD
Luxury holiday: At least $200AUD
How much does food cost in Thailand?
Food is a pretty important part of a holiday, and a great way to get to know a country. Especially somewhere like Thailand where there is delicious food to try on every corner. In Thailand, you can really decide how much you want to spend on food everyday. You could get by on as little as $5AUD or if you're fine dining you could spend a lot more! Below we've listed some general prices for eating and drinking out, and the cost of some other bits and bobs.
Eating out:
- Breakfast: $5 - $15 AUD
- Lunch: $5 - $20 AUD
- Dinner: $5 - $40AUD
Drinks:
- Coffee: $2.50AUD
- Beer: $2 - $10AUD
- Glass of wine: $2 - $15AUD
Some other examples:
- Big Mac meal: $6.50AUD
- Bottle of Wine: $2 - $30AUD
- Bottled water: $0.50AUD
- Cocktails: $5AUD+
- Food tour: $40 to $100AUD
How much does it cost to fly from Australia to Thailand?
Like flying anywhere in the world, flights between Australia and Thailand can change depending the time of year. Having said this, there are often sales that can get you there quite cheaply.
The flight prices also depend on where in Australia you're flying from but from most capital cities you can easily get a direct flight.
Generally the average cost of a return flight to Bangkok Airport from Melbourne or Sydney will cost you about $900AUD. But the fight prices can go up to $4,000AUD depending who you fly with.
Buses and Trains
There is not a huge amount of public transport available in Thailand. Tuk Tuks are very common in the popular areas, and carry about 2-3 passengers.
There are no official buses, but there are some train lines which can be good for longer travel. There are some smaller shuttle bus companies that operate throughout the country which you can utilise for very cheap prices, although often tourists are charged more.
If you do decide to use the train to get between cities it is relatively inexpensive, about $10 per ride.
Taxis and Ride Sharing
- Tuk Tuks are an alternative to taxis in Thailand. They generally cost about $0.10AUD per metre. Traffic can mean they move quite slowly!
- Uber is no longer available in Thailand.
Tours
Utilising tours is a great way to meet other travellers and learn about the area you're in. If you're looking to have a completely guided tour, you could consider looking into companies like Intrepid, or Topdeck. But even on a smaller scale, you can often find guided tours to different parts of the country which can usually be organised through your hotel or hostel. These will generally set you back about $30 - $60AUD
The great news is that many of Thailand's sights are free or relatively cheap to enter!
Here are some examples of other popular tours you might consider in Thailand. They will all have different prices, depending on the tour inclusions and length.
- A boat tour around the Thai islands $50AUD
- Bike tours $150AUD
- White Water Rafting $100AUD
- Tour of Temples $100AUD
- Cultural show with dinner $120AUD
Viator is a great website to get information about tours you can do throughout Thailand!
Hiring a Car
You can hire a car in Thailand - if you're game.
The traffic can be a little chaotic and the roads are undeveloped in some parts of the country. In order to drive there you will need to obtain an International Drivers Permit (IDP) which you can do in Australia, or from a Police Station when you get to Thailand. Remember that if you're hiring a car and you're under 25, it is usually more expensive than it is for older drivers.
Price of a Rental Car in Thailand, per Week:
- Budget: $150AUD per week for a budget car that will comfortably fit two people and luggage
- Mid-range: $210AUD for a mid-range car that will easily fit four people and luggage
- High-end: Up to $2000AUD+ for a high end car such as a convertible, large SUV or luxury vehicle
Rental Car Companies
Accomodation
You can really be flexible about how much you spend on accomodation when you get to Thailand. If you're keeping it low key and don't want to spend much, there are hostels, or you could live it up! Because you'll saving on a lot of other aspects of your holiday you might find that you want to splurge on accomodation. And if you're travelling in a group, there are some excellent options for staying in villas. Below are some rough guides to how much you can expect to pay.
Accomodation on a budget, like hostels cost about $5 to $30AUD a night.
Mid-range accomodation like a double room in a 3 star hotel will probably cost between $25 and $200AUD a night.
A double luxury hotel room will cost from $200AUD up to as much as you're willing to spend per night.
6 person villa $300AUD+ per night.
Using the following sites will give you an even better idea of how much the accomodation you're after will cost you.
Tipping
Tipping is not compulsory in Thailand. However, you may find that you want to tip and at some places you might find there is a service charge added to your invoice. Below we've listed some things you should keep in mind about tipping in Thailand:
- Wages are quite low in Thailand, and throughout South East Asia. If you have the means to, it is greatly appreciated by people in the service industry.
- 5-10% of your bill is an acceptable amount to tip.
- You can also consider leaving a tip at the reception of your accomodation, so that all staff can share in your generosity.
Need to know more about travelling to Thailand?
