Your Ultimate Thailand Trip Cost – Thailand on a Budget – 50 Days for less than $ 900

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Thailand is an amazing country and one of the most popular backpacker destinations worldwide. It’s known as the land of smiles for a reason. With its paradise-like beaches and natural outstanding natural beauty, one might think it was an extraordinary expensive country to travel to. But that is wrong!

Thailand can be absolutely affordable if you keep some things in mind while booking and traveling. That’s why you can learn here how to travel Thailand on a budget. But first, let me show you our Thailand trip cost for 49 days that we traveled through this beautiful country.

Since the prices can differ a lot whether you are traveling in the North or in the South of Thailand, I differentiate between the expenses for each of them.

What does a trip to Thailand cost?

The average traveler spends about $ 63 per day during their trip through Thailand. Backpackers and travelers with smaller budgets come to about $ 25 -30 per day. We spent during our trip even only about $ 17.5 a day per person (of which $ 18.04 in the north and $ 17.92 in the south of Thailand).

Our personal Thailand Trip Cost (49 days)

Author’s note:
All the given prices below have been paid in the main currency of the given country (Thai-Baht). The prices only have been converted into Euro and US-Dollar for better understanding. Any discrepancies may result from rounding and converting.

Total: 750,37 €/ $ 869,43 per person

In the North (30 days)

466,98 €/ $ 541,07

In the South (19 days)

283,39 €/ $ 328,35

Thailand Vacation Costs in the North in 30 days

Transport: 199,34 €/ $ 230,97
Breakfast: 32,40 €/ $ 37,54
Lunch: 33,01 €/ $ 38,25
Dinner: 43,68 €/ $ 50,61
Water: 5,43 €/ $ 6,29
Entries & Activity: 79,38 €/ $ 91,38
Random: 42,02 €/ $ 48,69
Accommodation: 111,17 €/ $ 128,81

Thailand Travel Costs in the South in 19 Days

Transport: 64,04 €/ $ 74,20
Breakfast: 20,75 €/ $ 24,04
Lunch: 25,24 €/ $ 29,24
Dinner: 27,42 €/ $ 31,77
Water: 2,27 €/ $ 2,63
Entries & Activity 23,47 €/ $ 27,19
Random: 17,27 €/ $ 20,01
Accommodation: 98,22 €/ $ 113,80

Expenses in the North of Thailand per Day (30 days)

Total: 15,57 €/ $ 18,04

Transport: 3,98 €/ $ 4,61
Breakfast: 1,08 € / $ 1,25
Lunch: 1,10 €/ $ 1,27
Dinner: 1,46 €/ $ 1,69
Water: 0,18 €/ $ 0,21
Entries & Activity: 2,65 €/ $ 3,07
Random: 1,40 €/ $ 1,62
Accommodation: 3,71 €/ $ 4,30

Expenses in the South of Thailand per day (19 days)

Total:14.92 €/ $ 17.29

Transport*: 3.37 €/ $ 3.90
Breakfast: 1.10 €/ $ 1.27
Lunch: 1.33 €/ $ 1.54
Dinner: 1.44 €/ $ 1.67
Water: 0.12 €/ $ 0.14
Entries & Activity: 1.24 €/ $ 1.47
Random: 0.91 €/ $ 1.05
Accommodation: 5.17 €/ $ 5.99

*Transport in the South of Thailand is actually more expensive than in the North as you often move by boat. We spent less, simply for the fact that we haven’t been moving a lot. You will most probably find yourself spending more on the islands, especially if you plan to do scuba diving in Thailand.

Thailand Prices – What costs what?

  • Budget-Accommodation (Private Double room for 2) ab ca. $ 7/6 € per night
  • Budget-Accommodation (Bed in dorm): from $ 4/ 3.5 € per night
  • A meal in a cheap Restaurant: ca. $ 1.8 /1.5 €
  • Menu for 2 in a good Restaurant: ca. $ 18 – 25/15 – 20 €
  • 1,5 Liter Water in the Supermarkt: ca. $ 0.6/ 0.5 €
  • Bottle of wine in the Convenience Store: from $ 4.8/ 4 €
  • 0,5 l bottle local beer in Restaurant: ca. $ 1.8 – 2.5/ 1,50 – 2 €
  • 0,5 l bottle local beer in the Supermarket: ca. $ 1.8/ 1,50 €
  • Eine Portion Pad Thai: from $ 1.6/ 1,30 €
  • Thai Massage (1 hour): ca. $ 7/ 6 €

How to save a lot of money during your Thailand travel?

As always, our most important rule is, we want to save money but don’t miss any experiences. That may sound ambiguous, but let me tell you, actually it is not even that difficult. In the following lines, you can get to know how we did it and how you can do it as well.

Your first time in Thailand?

Everything you need to know before visiting the land of smile you can find in our comprehensive Thailand Travel tips Guide here.

Transport

Bus

Probably the easiest and fastest way to travel around Thailand is the bus. You can usually choose between different companies, that often differ regarding standards and prices. If you want to save some money you might wanna think twice about whether you really need the VIP Bus or maybe the 2nd class will do it as well.

For long trips (e.g. Bangkok/Ayutthaya to Chiang Mai) it is worth it to spend a couple of dollars more for the VIP bus or any other that offers more space per person. This way you can sleep better.

Just make sure to catch the night bus as you will also save money by not having to pay for accommodation for that night.

Tuk Tuk and Taxi

taxi thailand

Tuk-Tuk

If you want to spend less money on your Tuk-Tuk-ride, make sure to bargain before your trip. It might also be helpful to check in your accommodation beforehand what the usual fare for this route is.

Bargain correctly

Bargaining is not that hard if you understand how it works.

Start with a price that is less than what you are actually willing to pay for the service/product.

Ideally, the driver agrees immediately. (If it is that easy though, usually there is something wrong with that price).

Most probably though, he will give you another price that is way higher than the one you just mentioned. And also most probably, it is also higher than what he will actually expect you to pay.

So keep on going like that until you meet in the middle. Hopefully, at a rate that you are both happy with.

Taxi

taxi

The most important rule when taking a taxi in Thailand: No Taximeter – No ride! If the taxi driver is refusing to use the taximeter the chances are high that he will completely overcharge you. Overcharging tourists, especially right after arriving in the country is one of the most common scams in Thailand.

So, if the driver doesn’t put the taximeter just keep walking to the next taxi. There will definitely be a driver to agree with you on using the taximeter. (Because actually, they have to use it by law)

By the way, the most common excuse is “Sorry, the taximeter is broken”. Don’t trust it!

Use Grab

The easiest way to avoid getting scammed or overcharged on your taxi ride is using Grab. As the prices are fixed, you cannot get overcharged.
Also, usually, there are many discount codes which can save you some $. In Chiang Mai, we even had a ride for free. The only drawback while using Grab is that you need a working internet connection.

Taking the train in Thailand

Some train rides in Thailand are even cheaper than taking the bus. Train rides can even get you nearer to Thailand’s locals.

However, you should keep in mind that the trains in Thailand usually don’t meet Western standards and can be extremely slow. Therefore, often it might be faster to take a bus anyway.

Taking an airplane in Thailand

If you want to go from the North to the South of Thailand, the buses can take ages. If you don’t have much time, you can take an airplane from A to B.

But don’t worry, many Low-Cost Airlines are operating within Thailand, so you don’t have to exceed your Budget for Thailand. And since you came here to learn how to travel in Thailand on a budget I also have a simple option for you to find amazing flight deals: SkyscannerWith Skyscanner, you can compare flights of hundreds of companies to be sure to find the best flight for you.

Food

Food Thailand I Yummy I Thailand I Südostasien I Southeastasia I Dish

If you keep the following two aspects in mind you can eat super cheap (and tasty!) in Thailand.

Avoid Tourist restaurants

If you walk around tourist areas, such as Khao San Road in Bangkok, you might realize that the prices are often much higher than in other areas.

Usually, it is already enough to walk one or two blocks away from the tourist area in order to find food at reasonable prices again.

Even if you are not a fan of street food, you can find restaurants that offer the same quality such as the ones made for tourists. (Sometimes even better!)

Usually, you can find the menus in front of the door, so you don’t even have to enter the restaurant if it doesn’t meet your price expectations.

Street food

If you want to save even more money and try authentic Thai dishes you should definitely give street food a try.

For everyone that is afraid of trying street food, I can just repeat myself: After more than 6 months in Asia, eating street food all the time, I have never been sick from it so far.

To find out whether street food is good, just have a look at the place. Are many locals eating there? Because usually, that means that they have made a good experience with this place in the past. Therefore, probably it won’t do you any harm either.

Food on the islands simply costs more

While traveling through different parts of Thailand you will realize that the prices will differ from place to place. While on the mainland there is almost always a place with super cheap food, on the islands it gets harder and harder to find such.

Basically, there are two simple reasons for this.

1. Less competition

Since you cannot just look for a cheaper option outside of the tourist area (Because on many islands, the whole island basically is a tourist area), you just have to stick with the higher prices.

2. Goods have to be imported from the mainland

To be fair, not only you but also the restaurants have to pay more for the ingredients. You will find that even in the supermarkets the prices on Thailand’s islands are usually higher than on the mainland. Especially fresh goods, such as milk, eggs, and yogurt are more pricey.

Water

Staying hydrated is important, especially if you walk a lot during your Thailand trip. Unfortunately, there are not many ways to save money on water. (You cannot drink tap water in Thailand!).

Some accommodations let you refill your water bottle free of charge. That doesn’t only help your piggy bank but also the environment.

Usually, it is cheaper to buy big bottles (1,5 l) than small ones (0,5 l). Moreover, you can usually find offers for different water brands in 7/11. During our stay in North Thailand, we paid 20 Baht for 2 big bottles of water from one specific brand. (One bottle was 13 Baht)

Or how about not spending money on the water at all?

Yes, you have read correctly. There is a way to travel through Thailand without spending money on water. And no, of course, I don’t want you to die of thirst.

The trick? Tap water! Now you might probably think that you are not supposed to drink tap water in Thailand. That is absolutely correct! But there is a way to make this tap water drinkable. The solution is called a Lifestraw! This amazingly practical invention disinfects and filters the tap water in order to make it drinkable. This way, you can save a lot of money and help the environment by not producing more plastic waste. Great, right?

Entries & Activities

Fütterung I Elefantencamp Chiang Mai I Sanctuary I Thailand I Elefant I vickiviaja

If you want to save money on entrance fees, there are not many options in Thailand.

Foreigners often pay double of what Thais are paying.

The only way to save money on entrance fees is to figure out beforehand, whether the entrance is really worth it.

Talk to other travelers, that have already been to this place, check this and other blogs, or check recommendations on TripAdvisor and Co.

Accommodation

Accommodations in Thailand can be usually super cheap if you don’t expect any luxury.

The prices in the north of the country are usually a little bit cheaper than in the South (on the islands).

Another thing, which can cause extreme price differences is the season that you are traveling in. During Raining Season rooms can cost less than half of what they cost during high season. Especially, on the islands, prices can vary a lot between the seasons. On one island, we even had a bungalow with fan, directly in the beach area, with access to the pool, for just around 10 Euro a night. (which is 5 Euro per Person)

Most of the time, it is cheaper per Person to take a private Doubleroom than sleeping in a dorm when traveling as a couple or group.

In Thailand, we had most of the time showers without access to hot water, as hot water showers, such as ACs, usually cost more.

You can see it can be quite easy to save money on accommodation when traveling in Thailand.

Should you book in advance?

Thailand is one of the backpacker’s favorite destinations. Therefore, there are many accommodations to choose from. You can check rooms and prices on-site to find the best deal. Usually, the prices are the same, whether you book online or walk by. (We even found places that were cheaper when booked with booking.com in advance.)

Especially family-friendly hotels in Thailand should be booked in advance to make sure you have a nice room for you and your kids.

Too risky?

Thanks to Elarelar0688 on imgflip for this meme

If you are not a big fan of No risk no fun, you might wanna book your accommodations with booking.com in advance. If you already have a room upon arrival, it can also save you a lot of time spent walking from accommodation to accommodation.

Random

The biggest enemy of our Thailand budget, are the fresh fruit juices, all the tasty fruits, ice cream, and those super yummy coconut cookies, that you should absolutely try when you are in Thailand.

Especially, when we reached the South of Thailand after spending one month in Myanmar, we just couldn’t resist anymore. 😉

Another big expenditure was sunscreen. It can get super expensive to pay for sunscreen in Thailand, especially if you want one that doesn’t include any kind of bleach or whitener. So better make sure to bring enough with you from home.

Alcohol

Alcoholic drinks are usually pretty cheap in Thailand. 

Especially, in Bangkok and the islands, often it’s even cheaper to buy one of the famous buckets full of alcohol (e.g. with vodka) than having beers or wine.

That’s how we end up celebrating our anniversary with a bucket of Rum in Koh Phi Phi. 🙂

Sim card

In Thailand, it is not absolutely necessary to have a sim card. In general, every accommodation provides free wifi. Often, especially during the rainy season, it happens that the connection breaks down for a while.

If you absolutely need to stay connected though, you can find cheap offers for sim cards.




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5/5 - (2 votes)

6 thoughts on Your Ultimate Thailand Trip Cost – Thailand on a Budget – 50 Days for less than $ 900

  1. Good tips, Vicki! I would like to add, though, that if you are a newbie to Thailand, I would stay away from the tuktuks pretty much altogether. They are notoriously well-known for over-charging and doing all kinds of scams to (newbie) tourists. It’s hard to bargain for the price if you don’t know the average fares. Nevertheless, I must admit that everyone should try tuktuk at least once because it’s so much fun!

  2. Great tips – I love how dedicated you’ve been in noting everything down! But makes for a fantastic guide; thank you!

  3. Oh man, I really need to get myself to Thailand. As a budget-conscious traveler, this place sounds like a dream land!

  4. Wow, very detailed article about all your spendings. Great to see how much a trip like that actually costs! Thanks for sharing!

  5. mai meter mai pai. (No meter no pay!) That’s what I was always told to say when I was living in Thailand. Lots of Taxi drivers don’t like longer journeys especially when it’s raining.

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