Smart Money Planning for Thailand
Thailand works for almost any budget. Know the real prices before you arrive, and plan for the small costs that add up: ATM fees, airport transport, temple entry fees and a SIM card.
Third-party prices in this guide are approximate and were checked in September 2026. Confirm them with the hotel, operator or venue before you rely on them.
How to Build a Daily Budget
Instead of one fixed daily figure, add up four parts for each day:
- A bed in the town where you sleep that night.
- Food and drinks: meals, water and any coffee or beer.
- Getting around: local rides, plus any transfer between cities on that day.
- Things to do: entry fees, tours and small extras.
Then add the one-off costs: a visa (if you need one), a SIM card, travel insurance and the ATM fee each time you take out cash. Keep a reserve for the unexpected.
Accommodation Costs
| Type of room | Approximate price per night (THB) |
|---|---|
| Dorm bed | 100 or less |
| Basic guesthouse room | from about 500 |
| Thai hotel | about 500–1,500 |
| Business or luxury hotel | from about 4,000 |
A room near a BTS or MRT station can save you taxi fares every day.
Food and Drink Prices
Crowd-sourced Bangkok prices, updated on 22 September 2026:
| Item | Typical price (THB) | Usual range (THB) |
|---|---|---|
| Meal at an inexpensive restaurant | about 100 | 60–250 |
| Three-course meal for two, mid-range restaurant | about 1,200 | 700–3,000 |
| Local beer, 0.5 l, in a restaurant | about 90 | 60–175 |
| Cappuccino | about 95 | 60–150 |
| Bottled water, 1.5 l | about 18 | 14–30 |
Transport Costs
Getting Around Bangkok
Foreign visitors pay distance-based fares on Bangkok's rail lines. The 20 THB flat fare is only for Thai nationals registered in the Tang Rat app.
| Option | Approximate price (THB) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| BTS Skytrain | 17–65 per ride | Rabbit card or single ticket |
| MRT Blue Line | 17–45 per ride | contactless Visa and Mastercard accepted |
| Metered taxi | starts at 35 | final fare depends on distance and traffic |
From the Airport
- Suvarnabhumi (BKK): the Airport Rail Link costs 45 THB to Phaya Thai and takes about 27 minutes (05:30–24:00). Public taxis wait on Level 1 between Gates 4 and 7; you pay the meter fare plus a 50 THB airport surcharge plus expressway tolls.
- Don Mueang (DMK): airport buses A1 (to Mo Chit 2 bus terminal) and A2 (to Victory Monument) cost 30 THB; A3 (to Lumpini Park) and A4 (to Sanam Luang) cost 50 THB.
Between Cities
The train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai costs from about 230 THB for a 3rd class seat to about 1,650 THB for a 1st class sleeper berth, per person, one way. These fares were published in 2023; check the current fare with the State Railway of Thailand. For all the options on this route, see How to Get from Bangkok to Chiang Mai.
Private Transfers and Day Trips
Smile Taxi Service fares are fixed, per vehicle (not per person) and one way, with expressway tolls included and no meter. A group pays the same fare as one traveller. A sedan takes up to 3 passengers and 2 bags, an SUV up to 5 and 4, and a van up to 7 and 5.
| Route | Sedan (THB) | SUV (THB) | Van (THB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suvarnabhumi Airport to Bangkok, book by sedan | 600 | 800 | 1,100 |
| Don Mueang Airport to Bangkok, book by sedan | 600 | 800 | 1,000 |
| Suvarnabhumi Airport to Pattaya, book by sedan | 1,200 | 1,500 | 1,800 |
| Bangkok to Ayutthaya, book by sedan | 1,500 | 1,700 | 2,000 |
Airport pickups include 60 minutes of free waiting from the actual landing time. You pay the driver in cash (THB) at the end of the trip. If you can only pay by card, message the team for a PayPal payment link (a 5% fee is added). Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before pickup. After that, a cancellation or change costs 25% (less than 24 h), 35% (less than 12 h) or 50% (less than 2 h) of the price, and a no-show 100%, also when you pay the driver in cash (details). The Bangkok Tour (a full day, up to 10 hours) costs 2,700 THB by sedan, 3,000 THB by SUV, 3,700 THB by van and 4,000 THB by VIP van; see private tours and day trips and the full price list.
Sights and Activities
| Sight (foreign visitors, 2026) | Entry fee (THB) |
|---|---|
| Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok | 500 |
| Wat Pho, Bangkok | 300 |
| Wat Arun, Bangkok | 200 |
| Wat Saket (Golden Mount), Bangkok | 100 |
| Wat Rong Khun (White Temple), Chiang Rai | 200 |
Grand Palace tickets are sold 08:30–15:30. At Wat Pho, children under 120 cm enter free. For tours and classes, ask exactly what the price includes.
Money Matters
Cash and Exchange Rates
Thai banknotes are 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 THB. Mid-market rates on 24 September 2026 (counter rates are a little worse):
| Currency | Thai baht |
|---|---|
| 1 US dollar | 33.35 |
| 1 euro | 38.0 |
| 1 British pound | 44.25 |
| 1 Australian dollar | 23.5 |
| 100 Japanese yen | 21.1 |
| 1 Singapore dollar | 26.1 |
| 1 Chinese yuan | 4.95 |
| 1,000 Korean won | 24.4 |
In Bangkok, money changers usually give better rates than hotels. SuperRich (superrich1965.com, often called "SuperRich orange") charges no fee and trades major currencies close to the interbank rate. Large, clean notes, such as USD 100 bills, get the best rate. Rates outside Bangkok are usually worse.
ATM Fees
Thai bank ATMs charge a flat fee on foreign cards, usually 220–250 THB per withdrawal in 2026 and up to 350 THB for some foreign Mastercard cards, plus your own bank's fees. The ATM shows the fee on screen before you confirm. Most ATMs pay out at most 20,000 THB at a time, so fewer, larger withdrawals cost less. If an ATM or a card machine offers to charge you in your home currency, choose Thai baht instead: that conversion costs about 5% or more.
Paying by Card and in Cash
Keep small notes (20s and 100s) for street food, markets and taxis, and break 1,000 THB notes in convenience stores or malls. Contactless Visa and Mastercard cards work at the gates of the Airport Rail Link, the MRT and the SRT Red Line, but not on the BTS Skytrain.
Costs Travellers Often Forget
- Visa: since 15 September 2026, citizens of 60 countries and territories, including the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and most of the EU, can stay up to 30 days without a visa. An immigration office can extend the stay once, by up to 30 days, for 1,900 THB. Visa on arrival (2,000 THB) is now only for Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia. Check the rules for your own passport before you book.
- Arrival card: the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) is free on tdac.immigration.go.th. Fill it in within the 3 days before arrival, and do not pay a lookalike website.
- Proof of funds: officers may ask visa-exempt visitors for an onward or return ticket and at least 10,000 THB per person or 20,000 THB per family.
- Tourist entry fee: a fee of 300 THB or more for air arrivals is planned. It was not being collected as of May 2026, and no start date had been announced; check with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) before you travel.
- SIM card: as of September 2026, AIS tourist SIMs cost from 49 THB (1 day, 1 GB) to 899 THB (30 days, 50 GB); bring your passport. With a Smile Taxi Service airport pickup, you can ask for a free 500 MB eSIM when booking.
- Tips: tipping is not a Thai custom. Thais round up taxi fares. Do not tip on top of a service charge.
- Insurance: take travel insurance that covers medical treatment. Private hospitals often want payment or an insurer's guarantee before treatment.
Money-Saving Strategies
- Use the Airport Rail Link, the MRT and the airport buses when you travel light.
- Share a private car when you travel as a group, because the fare is per vehicle.
- Claim the 7% VAT back on shopping. In stores that show "VAT Refund for Tourists", spend at least 2,000 THB in one store in one day, show your passport and ask for form P.P.10. Leave by air within 60 days of purchase and claim the refund at the airport (Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang and 8 other international airports). If your total is 20,000 THB or more, show the goods at Customs before check-in.
Emergency Contacts
- Tourist Police (English-speaking, 24 hours): 1155
- Police: 191; ambulance: 1669; fire: 199
- Lost or stolen Visa card (call collect): +1-303-967-1096; for other cards, use the number on the back of the card.
Budget Planning Checklist
- Check your visa rules and how long you may stay.
- Price your rooms for each town and date.
- Set a daily amount for food, local transport and entry fees.
- Add airport and intercity transfers, the SIM card, insurance and ATM fees.
- Keep a reserve for the unexpected.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a cheap meal cost in Bangkok? About 100 THB at an inexpensive restaurant (September 2026).
How much are the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun? 500, 300 and 200 THB for foreign visitors.
Is there a tourist tax on arrival? Not as of May 2026. The planned fee of 300 THB or more had no start date then, so check with TAT before you travel.
Can I pay for my airport transfer if I have no baht yet? Yes. Smile Taxi Service drivers are paid in cash (THB) at the end of the trip. If you can only pay by card, message the team for a PayPal payment link (a 5% fee is added).
Do I need to tip? It is not expected. Rounding up a taxi fare is normal.
To arrange an airport transfer or a day trip at a fixed price, message Smile Taxi Service on WhatsApp or LINE, or use the booking page.