A Cost Guide
How much will everything cost?Hostels, hotels, and accommodation:
Depending on how you are traveling, Thailand can be some on a shoestring budget, or done in style. Bangkok is the most expensive area, and a guesthouse in the capital may cost 300-500 baht or more. When you travel out to the more remote areas, and particularly up in the north, things get a lot more affordable. It may only be 200 THB for a hostel in Chang Mai for example.
The southern islands are more expensive, and prices are slowing increasing due to more and more tourism. The big parties on the islands mean that during a full moon festival you can expect to pay up to 1000 THB or more depending on how nice the guest house is. If you go to the islands away from the parties though, which we actually recommend as they are beautiful and generally very quiet at these part of the month prices can be less than half of this.
Food Expenses
Of everything you can buy, food is probably one of the best and cheapest things you can buy in Thailand and is one of the main reasons that people go. For $1-2 at most, you can get fantastic street food, and sometimes two portions if you are feeling hungry. For a restaurant, this may go up to 50 THB for local food, and then if you are craving western food the price will be between 150-350+ THB depending on the quality. The street food is so good and cheap you really do not need to go to the grocery shops and buy food to prepare yourself unless you are wanting to make something very specific. We recommend using an app like trip advisor to find the best and highest reviewed places to check out.
Transport – similar to the food, getting around in Thailand is not expensive. Busses are the best way to make the longer journeys and might set you back $5-10 for an overnight bus to your next location. When you are visiting each city, tuk-tuks are generally used. They don’t have a set price, and you will need to negotiate with each driver. This is an easy way for them to make more money, as often tourists are not aware of how far journeys are and what they should cost. We recommend asking a local, for example, the hotel owner of the place you are staying at, and asking them what the going rate is. If you are nice they may even barter the price for you.
If you are wanting to make longer journeys but don’t fancy the bus, the train is a great choice. Get a first-class ticket if possible and enjoy the sights from the window of your seat.Things to Do
Thailand has become so well-traveled, tours are simple to find on the streets. Go to a few and see what the going prices are and check them online for reviews. If you are a part of a group, you will have more power to negotiate and get the prices down to fill their tour up. Day trips like Simba Sea Trips – Phuket Boat Tours can cost between 500 THB – 1000 THB + and a diving certification school will usually be about 10k THB which is a very popular thing to do in Thailand. Check it out for an amazing experience for you and your family to enjoy!