Thailand answers, cost of living
How much money should I take to Thailand for 7 days, 10 days or 2 weeks?
Work it out per day, then multiply. The daily bands below are Thai Holiday Guide's, updated on 10 July 2026, and Portail Asie's budget guide of 19 August 2026 gives comparable bands in euros: 25 to 35 EUR a day for a backpacker and 50 to 80 EUR a day for a mid range traveller, flights excluded.
What the trip costs, per person
| Style | Per day | 7 days | 10 days | 14 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Backpacker | 900 to 1,500 THB | 6,300 to 10,500 THB | 9,000 to 15,000 THB | 12,600 to 21,000 THB |
| Mid range | 1,800 to 4,400 THB | 12,600 to 30,800 THB | 18,000 to 44,000 THB | 25,200 to 61,600 THB |
| Comfort | 3,800 to 10,000 THB | 26,600 to 70,000 THB | 38,000 to 100,000 THB | 53,200 to 140,000 THB |
The 7 and 10 day totals are our arithmetic on the daily bands, and none includes international flights. At the mid market rate Wise showed on 2 October 2026, 44.44 THB to the pound, the mid range 10 days come to about 405 to 990 GBP. Convert your own currency in currency check.
What a day is made of
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Hostel dorm bed | 200 to 500 THB a night |
| Mid range hotel | 1,000 to 2,500 THB a night |
| Street food meal | 40 to 80 THB |
| Local restaurant meal | 80 to 150 THB |
| Phi Phi island day trip | 1,500 to 2,500 THB |
| Domestic flight from Bangkok | 1,200 to 5,000 THB, depending on the route |
Where you go moves the total more than how long you stay. Thai Holiday Guide rates Chiang Mai the best value major destination and Phuket and Koh Samui as high cost.
How much of it in cash
- Enough for the border. An officer may ask for proof of funds, 10,000 or 20,000 THB per person depending on how you enter, and foreign currency counts.
- Enough for the first days of street food, taxis and markets, which do not take cards.
- The rest by ATM, in as few withdrawals as possible. A Thai machine charges about 220 THB per foreign card withdrawal whatever the amount, so one withdrawal of 20,000 THB costs 1.1 percent and four of 5,000 THB cost 4.4 percent.
220 baht every time: the real cost of cash in Thailand covers the withdrawal routine, and our Thailand banking and money guide covers cards and QR codes.
Sources
- Thai Holiday Guide, Thailand budget guide, updated 10 July 2026 (daily budgets by travel style, accommodation, food, transport and activity prices, Chiang Mai best value, Phuket and Koh Samui most expensive), accessed .
- Portail Asie, Thailand travel budget 2026, 19 August 2026 (backpacker 25 to 35 EUR a day, mid range 50 to 80 EUR a day, international flights excluded), accessed .
- Wise, GBP to THB mid market rate (44.44 THB to the pound on 2 October 2026), accessed .
- Chiang Rai Times, Thai ATM fees for foreign cards, updated 5 September 2026 (about 220 THB per withdrawal at most major banks), accessed .
- Tourism Authority of Thailand newsroom, proof of funds reminder, 6 July 2026 (10,000 or 20,000 THB per person by entry category, equivalent foreign currency accepted), accessed .
- The Thaiger, using cards in Thailand, updated 10 September 2026 (cards in hotels, malls and supermarkets; cash or QR at street food, markets and taxis), accessed .
Facts in this answer last verified .
Read the full guide
- Banking and money in Thailand: who can open an account in 2026, Wise, PromptPay and ATM fees
Foreigners can open a Thai bank account in 2026 on a long stay visa, not a tourist entry or DTV. Documents, 220 THB ATM fees, PromptPay and Wise changes.
Free tool for this
- Currency Check
Euro, baht, dong and common currencies with a dated reference rate and explicit fees.