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If you are travelling Thailand on a budget here is your ultimate guide. Yes, like the rest of the world Thailand is getting more expensive in 2026. BUT it is still possible to travel this beautiful country on a budget – especially if you’re savvy and do your research (read this guide!)
We have traveled Thailand extensively including supreme budget travel. It is possible to travel around Thailand on less than £20 per day (this is around 1,000 baht). We are going to give you a step-by-step guide to how to travel Thailand as cheaply as possible.
Although Thailand is a very cheap country, things are getting a lot more expensive in Thailand. It is becoming increasingly difficult to know how and where to find the cheapest accommodation, food and transport in Thailand. So we are here to help bring you our experience and knowledge. Oh yeah and don’t miss our full guide on the cheapest countries in southeast Asia.
Before we had kids we used to travel on a shoe thread. We would search for the absolute cheapest food, accommodation, transport and experiences. Because, the more money you save on these things, the longer and further you can travel.
LEARN MORE – With Prices Rocketing around the World – Is Thailand Still a Cheap Country to Travel?
Don’t miss our EPIC Thailand itineraries
Heading North? Itinerary for the beautiful Pai (north Thailand adventures)
Looking for an amazing Chiang Mai guide? Itinerary for the epic Chiang Mai (adventure, nature and fun)
Taking a holiday in Phuket? Itinerary for Phuket (a great spot for family, fun and sun)
A little disclaimer: We are not trying to give you a budget for your overall trip to Thailand. Always remember that you will need to pay for things like travel insurance, flights and any other costs that go with getting to Thailand. In this article, we are sharing our experience and top tips for travelling around Thailand on a budget.
Example daily budget for a savvy traveler in Thailand (one person)
DON’T MISS OUR FULL BREAKDOWN – how much does a budget trip to Thailand cost?
If you’re travelling Thailand on a budget it should be possible to travel for under $20 per day on average. Break down for a traveler who spends an average of 700 baht ($20) per day in Thailand (not including activity costs which can vary massively):
- Food: 250 baht (eating cheap street food and a few snacks)
- Drinks: 50 baht (water and a fruit shake)
- Accommodation: 250 baht per night (simple single fan room or dorm bed)
- Transport: 150 baht (bike rental including fuel)
These are realistic costs for a budget traveler in Thailand. A very savvy traveler may be able to do it even more cheaply (finding cheaper accommodation and eating less or finding cheaper food).
Is it ok to barter in Thailand?
Yes, it is acceptable and normal to barter in Thailand. Actually bartering in Thailand is a lot of fun and allows you to get fair prices for products and services. In some cases bartering is essential (assuming you don’t want to pay extortionate prices!) Always aim for a fair price, keep it positive and friendly. Here are the things you can normally barter for in Thailand: You can barter for taxis and tuk tuk (actually taxi apps are a fair price so no need to barter, and taxis on the meter in Thailand are also very cheap). We recommend that you barter in markets for products. You can also barter for accommodation in Thailand – especially if you’re willing to arrive in person and barter.
TOP TIP: It is not normal to barter for food in Thailand. Food is very cheap anyway and prices seem to be standard. A few tourist markets and activities may also standardise prices and be unwilling to barter.
Don’t miss these SUPER CLEVER Bartering tips for Asia
What are the cheapest parts of Thailand?
If you’re planning to travel Thailand on a budget consider where you plan to visit. In general the north of Thailand is cheaper than the south. Chaing Mai and the surrounding areas is a very cheap part of Thailand. Larger cities like Bangkok tend to be more expensive for food and accommodation. Some of the more remote islands can also be more expensive for food and accommodation.
How do you find the cheapest food in Thailand?
One of the best ways to keep your budget as low as possible in Thailand is to find the cheapest food you can. The great thing about food in Thailand. It is fresh, affordable, healthy and tasty. What’s more, food is very easy to find in Thailand. Thailand has an amazing street food culture. Street food is the cheapest food you will find in Thailand. So if you wish to save money on food in Thailand it is very important to avoid western food places and more expensive restaurants.
Instead we recommend going for street food. Also, you can find some pretty cheap, healthy and tasty food from convenience stores such as 7-Eleven. Here are a few examples of the cheapest dishes that you can find in Thailand. In 7-Eleven stores you can find small boxes or packets of Sushi.
For example, you can find little rice triangles with seaweed, called onigiri, for around 30 Baht (this is £0.60 or $0.80). Depending on your appetite one of these may be enough to fill you up. Pot noodles are also very cheap and readily available in Thailand. You can also find fresh fruit juices around Thailand for around 30 or 40 baht. If you are choosing to buy very cheap food, it is important to make sure you are also staying healthy. Not only is the food very cheap, you can also eat healthily in Thailand on a budget.
In terms of street food, some of the cheapest dishes you will find are things like Pad Thai. Typically you can find Pad Thai for around 50 baht (around £1 or $1.30). Mango salad and papaya salad is also very cheap, typically being found for around 50 or 60 baht. Mango and papaya salad is a fresh crunchy healthy salad with a good spicy kick. Places that sell mango salad often sell sticky rice for around 10 baht (£0.20 or $0.25). This is normally sufficient to fill you up.
Slightly more expensive dishes include Thai dishes such as green curry, which is served as a soup, Tom Yum soup is also very popular and widely available around Thailand. Dishes like this tend to cost around 80 to 100 baht (roughly £1.60 – £2 or $2.00 – £2.50), depending on where you buy them. If you are travelling Thailand on a budget we would recommend minimising the amount of seafood you eat. This can be a little bit more expensive. However, if you are travelling on the islands, you can still find barbecue fish for very good prices. For example, on Koh Phangan you can typically find a large BBQ fish for as little as 80 baht (£1.60). Night markets are a great place to eat in Thailand if you are on a budget – lots of cheap tasty and healthy food.
If you are really travelling Thailand on a budget, we recommend considering cheap ways of sourcing water. The cheapest way to get water in Thailand is to have your own water bottle, and then use the street side water fillers to refill your water bottle. It will normally cost you around 1 baht per litre of water (so you can fill up a 5 litre bottle for as little as 5 baht which is around £0.10 or $0.13).
What is the cheapest way to do laundry in Thailand?
Remember when you’re travelling Thailand on a budget every penny counts. If you are travelling Thailand on a budget it is worth considering the cost of laundry. There are two main ways to do laundry in Thailand.
Small laundrettes
Firstly, there are launderettes all around Thailand. These are places where people will take your clothes and wash dry and return them and they normally charge based on the weight of clothes. At the laundry places, they will normally wash dry and fold your clothes and then return them within 24hrs. Because they are charged by weight, we recommend making sure that dirty clothes are not also wet as they may be weighed wet and it will cost a lot of money. Small streetside launderettes normally charge around 40 baht per kilo (roughly £0.80 or $1). In some places they may charge 50 baht per kilo (roughly £1 or $1.30).
Self service laundry
Secondly, all around Thailand you can find self-service washing machines at the side of the street. It is surprising how common these are, and sometimes they will have dryers available too. If you use a self service washing machine you need to make sure you have the correct change (normally 10 baht coins) and you also need to make sure you bring your own washing powder. It is possible to buy small bags of washing powder from convenience stores like 7-Eleven for around 20-30 baht (around £0.40 – £0.60 or $0.50 – $0.80). Self-service washing machines normally cost around 30 Baht for a single wash cycle (this is around £0.60 or $0.80). It normally costs around 50 baht (or £1 or $1.30) for around 40 minutes of drying.
The cheapest way to do Laundry depends on the weight
So what is the cheapest way to do laundry in Thailand? It really depends how much laundry you have to do and where you are. In general, if you have smaller loads of laundry which weigh less, it will probably be cheaper and a lot more convenient just to drop your laundry off at a laundrette. These are very common in tourist towns and cities. The only thing we would advise you to avoid, is doing your laundry at your hotel or resort. They will sometimes charge per piece of laundry and the costs can be a lot higher than doing laundry at small laundrettes on the street. So if you are a solo traveller or you do not have too much laundry to do it will probably be cheapest to use a street side laundrette.
On the other hand, if you have lots of laundry, and particularly if you are travelling as a family or group you may find that using a self service washing machine is cheaper. Just remember to consider your drying options because many of the self service washing machines do not have dryers available, so you need to consider whether you have drying space available at your hotel or guest house. One more thing, remember if you do self-service laundry but you need to return to the machine to either pick it up or put it in the dryer. This is clearly less convenient than dropping your laundry off with a laundrette.
How do you find the cheapest accommodation in Thailand?
Firstly, you need to consider the type of accommodation you are searching for. In Thailand there are many resorts and hotels but these are very expensive and not a great option if you are travelling Thailand on a budget. If you are travelling Thailand on a budget we recommend that you either look for a hostel or a guest house.
Remember, if you’re travelling Thailand on the budget, accommodation is likely to be one of your biggest costs. Therefore, keeping accommodation prices as low as possible is essential to travelling Thailand on a budget.
So how do you find the cheapest guest houses and hostels in Thailand? The absolute best way to find the cheapest accommodation in Thailand is to be willing to barter and hunt around when you arrive in a place. Generally speaking, if you try to find places online in advance it will be more expensive. Most places around Thailand have cheap accommodation options available, however, it is worth being aware budget accommodation in Thailand is not as comfortable, clean or nice as more expensive hotel options.
In most locations around Thailand it is possible to find rooms for as little as 200 baht per night for a single room (roughly £4 or $5). Double or twin rooms tend to start at around 300 baht per night (£6 or $8). If you are travelling as a group or family we recommend looking for twin rooms and asking if it is ok to accommodate more guests in the room. Rooms with air conditioning typically start at around 400 baht per night in most locations (roughly £8 or $10)
Budget rooms in Thailand tend to be smaller, not as well located, less comfortable and they may be fan rooms rather than air-conditioned rooms. Budget rooms in Thailand may also be less clean and may not have natural light. The level of service in budget accommodation in Thailand is also likely to be much lower. For example, they may only clean your room and change the bedding every few days or maybe even just once a week. If you’re traveling Thailand on a budget you do need to be willing to make some compromises.
If you are looking for slightly nicer accommodation but you still wish to travel Thailand on a budget, a great way to find amazing deals on rooms is to look up places which already offer a good deal on booking.com or Agoda and then contact the property directly. It is normally easy to find pages on Facebook for hotels and guest houses in Thailand. Just drop them a direct message stating when you wish to visit and asking what their best deal is for the room that you would like to stay in.
Very often if places have rooms available and you contact them directly in advance they will be willing to do cheaper offers for you. The main disadvantage of reserving rooms in this way is that you do not have the same security or reassurance compared to booking online and in advance. Furthermore, if you make an informal arrangement with a property you will not be able to review the property on booking.com or Agoda if you have not booked through them in the first place. Hotels sometimes recognise this, and may not give you the same level of service.
Top tip: Hotels and guest houses in Thailand normally advertise rooms online with pretty and enticing pictures. Sometimes when you book a particular room, based on the picture, they will actually place you in a similar but different room that is not as good as the room in the picture. It is always worth contacting the property directly, in advance, to make sure that they are reserving the correct room for you. This is true whether you book in advance online or whether you book directly with the hotel.
If you are travelling Thailand on a budget and want the reassurance of advanced bookings, keep an eye on Agoda. They do have some amazing deals for cheap accommodation in Thailand.
How do you find the cheapest transport in Thailand?
Transport will be a big consideration if you’re hoping to travel round Thailand on a budget.
For short distance local Journeys.
The cheapest way to get around on short distance local journeys in Thailand is to rent a motorbike. So if you are travelling Thailand on a budget, we recommend renting a motorbike. Bike rental prices in Thailand normally start around 100 baht per day (around £2 or $2.50). However in more popular places especially during high season, it is often difficult to find motorbike rental for less than about 150 baht per day (around £3 or $4). This will also get you the cheapest type of bike which is normally sufficient for touring a local area in Thailand. This will normally be an automatic 125cc bike.
Be aware that most bike rental places will ask for some kind of deposit. Many places will ask you to leave a passport, we do not recommend doing this because it is important to have a passport when you are travelling around Thailand. Most places will be willing to take a cash deposit instead. In addition to the daily rental cost, you also need to consider the cost of petrol if you’re travelling Thailand on a Budget. Petrol is pretty cheap in Thailand normally costing around 30 to 40 baht per litre depending on where you are in Thailand (this is roughly £0.60 – £0.80 or $0.80 – $1.00). We were surprised how far you could travel on a motorbike in Thailand without needing to fill up with petrol so overall this is a very cheap part of your budget.
If you are travelling Thailand on a budget but you are not able to ride a motorbike, there are still other options available to you but these may be a little bit more expensive. It is likely that you will need to use a taxi at some point in your trip. If you’re travelling around local areas in Thailand by taxi, we recommend using the Bolt app for the cheapest taxi services. There is another taxi app in Thailand called Grab, however Grab is more expensive than Bolt. Most Bolt taxis will cost around 50 – 100 baht for short local journeys (£1 – £2 or $1.30 – $2.50).
Using the Bolt app tends to be much cheaper than flagging taxis at the roadside and is also much cheaper than using tuk-tuks. In some areas around Thailand you can find small shared buses which do local journeys very cheaply. These buses are called Songthaews. For short journeys of a few kilometres in length, it is usually possible to take a Songthaew around 20-30 baht (£0.40 – £0.60 or $0.50 – $0.80). As ever, be prepared to barter for the price. Drivers will always try and charge a little bit more than they are willing to go for. Bartering can actually be a fun and friendly interaction if it is done well.
We do recommend keeping taxi use to a minimum if you are travelling Thailand on a budget. Try to be creative and consider other transport options, such as renting a bicycle or even walking from place to place (if you are looking at doing very short journeys). But remember Thailand is a tropical climate and therefore very hot during the day.
For long distance journeys around Thailand.
Example price guide for Surat Thani – Bangkok
- Long distance bus 500 – 600 baht (roughly £10 – £12 or $13 – $15).
- Night train 700 – 1,300 baht (roughly £14 – £26 ot $18 – $30)
- Domestic flight 4,000 baht (roughly £80 or $100)
If you’re planning to take a long distance journey around Thailand on a budget it is very important to consider your transport options. The cheapest way to get around Thailand on a budget is to take the long distance buses. This will be even cheaper if you use the local government bus stations rather than booking tourist buses.
Long distance buses are reasonably comfortable and connect all of the major cities and towns in Thailand. However it is worth being aware that many of these buses travel through the night and you may only have a reclining seat rather than a bed. So this can be a pretty tiring way to travel. Always keep your valuables on the bus with you – holding your bag rather than leaving it under the chair. Theft is sadly quite common on Thai night buses.
Top tip. If you are taking a night bus or train in Thailand, consider the arrival time. If the bus or train arrives very early in the morning, most places will not have opened up when you arrive and you will also arrive very tired. So select a service that has a reasonable arrival time ideally after 6am.
Another great way to do long distance journeys around Thailand on a budget is to use the trains. There is a train line in Thailand that runs right from the south of the country, from Sungai Kolokok past Surat Thani through Bangkok and as far north as Chiang Mai. There are also some trail lines running East-West across the country.
However, trains can be a little bit more expensive than the buses, especially if you book a bed in a first class sleeper cabin. This may be one area where you don’t compromise on the budget. Remember they are very tiring journeys on a night bus and this can make your trip less enjoyable for a day or two afterwards. So if you do spend a little bit more and take a sleeper train, we would actually recommend using a first class sleeper cabin. This may surprise you in an article about how to travel Thailand on a budget, but on balance we do think it is worth taking these trains because they are still surprisingly cheap and affordable and also a lot of fun!
The advantage of taking a night train or bus, compared to travelling in the day, is that you save both time and money. Rather than wasting a day of your trip travelling, you keep your travel through the night so that you have more time to enjoy Thailand during the day. Also, by taking a night train or night bus you save the cost of one night’s accommodation – if you’re really travelling Thailand on the budget you want to save every penny you can!
The cheapest way to book train tickets in Thailand is directly at the train station. During busy periods it is worth doing this a few days in advance if possible. If you book through a tour agent in town, you are likely to end up paying a small commission for tickets normally between 50 and 100 baht per ticket (around £1-2 or $1.30 – $2.50). A similar rule applies to booking buses. If you buy bus tickets through a tour operator in town they are also likely to charge a similar commission. However, if you are able to get to the bus station in advance to book your ticket this will be a little cheaper.
If you are travelling Thailand on a budget, the main thing to avoid is taking internal domestic flights. Although internal flights around Thailand are relatively cheap, it will still add a lot to your budget compared to taking a train or a bus.
How do you save money on activities if you are travelling Thailand on a budget?
If you’re travelling Thailand on a budget you need to carefully consider which activities you really want to do on your trip. There’s no point travelling Thailand on a budget if you don’t enjoy the amazing activities that Thailand has to offer! So we recommend planning your activity costs, in advance of your trip, to find out if they genuinely fit within your budget. It is not worth coming all the way to Thailand to cut out activities that you really want to do. The whole point of travelling Thailand on a budget is to save money so that you can do more and enjoy your travel more.
The great news about activities in Thailand is that they are generally pretty cheap. And even then, it is still possible to save more money if you are clever about the way that you do activities in Thailand. For example, it is always worth trying to barter even if people are not willing to negotiate the cost with you. Another way to save money on activities in Thailand is to make sure that you travel during the low season. Things tend to be cheaper and quieter during the low season.
The most expensive activities in Thailand tend to be activities that involve boat trips. For example, trying to take a tour around a marine national park in the south of Thailand may set you back over $100. Another expensive activity in Thailand is diving. However, the cost of diving in Thailand is still cheaper than many other places around the world. Elephant Sanctuaries are also very expensive – but this may be your only chance to meet the majestic creatures – so the moral of the story. Don’t scrimp on your bucket list.
When you are planning your itinerary of activities in Thailand, it is worth knowing that many of the best activities are completely free or very cheap. For example, treking around Thailand is normally free unless you go on a guided trek. It is also free to visit the amazing temples around Thailand (you can make a donation). Many of the incredible waterfalls around Thailand are either free or very cheap to visit. National parks may have a small fee (e.g. around 100-200 baht for an adult permit) and you normally just pay on arrival.
In terms of booking and arranging activities in Thailand the best way to save money is to just arrange activities when you’re actually there. Do not try to book activities in advance, as you will almost always end up paying more than you would pay if you just pay for the activity when you arrive.
And finally, if you’re planning to travel Thailand on a budget definitely do not try to arrange activities or tours through travel agents in your home country before your trip. Although this may give you peace of mind it is entirely unnecessary and will cost a lot more than it cost to just do the activities in the country independently.
Is it ok to barter in Thailand?
It is ok to barter in Thailand. If you’re travelling around Thailand on a budget we strongly recommend bartering. Bartering is a way to negotiate the price of a product. It is acceptable to barter in Thailand. However, it is important to understand the bartering needs to happen in the right context and in the right way.
People do not normally barter for food in Thailand. So if you are not happy with the price of food, we recommend that you find somewhere cheaper. Furthermore, it is not usual to barter for transport like buses and trains in Thailand. However, you can Barter over the price of a taxi, if you flag the taxi at the side of the road. Furthermore, you can also barter for products in markets in Thailand.
For example, if you go to a night market it is absolutely fine to barter for the price of clothes and gifts. In fact, in night markets it is actually quite important to barter if you want to pay a fair price. In some cases you can barter for the price of accommodation. This depends on the type of accommodation and whether they have availability. You are more likely to be successful bartering for accommodation during the low season.
Top tips for bartering in Thailand
Don’t miss our FULL GUIDE on top tips for Bartering in Asia
The aim of bartering is to find a fair price that you are both happy with rather than finding the lowest possible price. If you do not barter in Thailand you may end up paying substantially more than you need to. Remember, no one will sell products at a loss, so don’t pay more than you are comfortable with. Here are a few tips for bartering in Thailand:
- The best way to barter in Thailand is to build a friendly rapport with the seller. Bartering can be a very fun interaction if it is done well. We would encourage you to barter with a sense of humour and be positive and friendly with the seller.
- Avoid insulting or belittling products in Thailand. They are not likely to lower the price if you are rude about their products.
- Ask the price of a product that you are not interested in buying, before you ask about the price of the product you are actually interested in buying. Market sellers will often try to charge a higher price for the thing they think you are more interested in and they will assume that you are more interested in the thing that you look at first.
- Do not try to get a price that is unrealistically low. If you try bartering too low, sellers will assume you don’t know the “real fair price” and may insist on charging a higher price.
- Have an idea of a maximum reasonable price that you are willing to pay for a product before you start bartering. Offer a price that is lower than this maximum, but not unreasonably low.
- If you are not sure how much things should cost we recommend doing a little research in advance. Ask about similar products in a few different stalls to get a feel for people’s starting prices.
- Be willing to walk away and always aim to keep it friendly.
Some ideas of rough prices in Thailand markets:
Things like t-shirts and sunglasses should typically cost around 50-150 baht. Products with higher build quality may cost around 300 – 500 baht (e.g. nice bags, sweat shirts and jeans).
Remember when you are bartering in Thailand, you do not have any after sales care or consumer rights. So you should not be paying the same prices for products that you would expect to pay in a department store. Also be aware that many products on Thai markets have brand names written on them but they may not actually be legit branded products. There are a lot of knock offs in Thailand and the quality is significantly lower than the real brands.
