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How do you travel Thailand for under £20 per day in 2026? (that’s around $25) The world really is getting more expensive. Like most countries, prices have gone up in Thailand in the past few years, so travelling Thailand on a very low budget is challenging. But the good news? It is still possible to travel Thailand on a low budget.
In this article we will show you how you can plan a super budget trip to Thailand – everything from accommodation, food and transport.
We have traveled Thailand on less than £20 per day and we have some awesome top tips to share with you. AND you can still have an amazing time in Thailand. The best experiences in Thailand are all FREE of charge. On a super budget you can still enjoy temples, markets, jungles, beaches and sunsets. We have even thrown together a Thailand itinerary to help you plan the most epic trip ever!
A few top tips and secrets can save you hundreds of pounds on your overall trip cost allowing you to travel further and longer. Don’t miss our FULL BREAKDOWN – what is the cost of a budget trip to Thailand?
ALSO don’t miss our FULL GUIDE to the cheapest countries to travel in Southeast Asia
Additional costs of your trip
When you are figuring out your overall trip budget you will also need to consider the cost of flights and travel insurance. If you plan to travel around Thailand between cities you will also need to consider the cost of internal trips. The cheapest way to get around Thailand is to take long distance buses. This should not add a lot to your overall budget.
What are the cheapest places to visit in Thailand?
In general the North of Thailand is cheaper than the south (Chiang Mai and the surrounding provinces are super cheap). Staying on islands is more expensive than staying on the mainland.
If you are looking for cheaper places to stay in the south consider AoNang and Krabi. Phuket can also be cheap – although it is more touristy, there is also more choice, so it is possible to find cheap places to stay in Phuket. Koh Tao and Ko Samui are expensive. Koh Phangan is cheaper.
FIND OUT MORE – Everywhere in the world is getting more expensive! SO What’s going on in Thailand right now – Is Thailand Still a Cheap Country to Travel?
Thailand for under £20 per day – summary
| Summary | Rough price | |
| Food and drinks | Eating street food, snacks from seven eleven. Using road side water fillers. | £6 per day |
| Accomodation | Budget hostels and dorms. Barter for the best deals. | £8 per night |
| Transport | Use bike rental, bicycles, local bus or walk. Use long distance buses or trains. | £2 per day on average |
| Activities | Pick cheap or free activities (there is a lot of great free attractions in Thailand) | £4 per day on average |
| TOTAL | £20 |
ALWAYS GET THE BEST DEAL – Don’t miss our genius tips for bartering in Asia
What does a budget trip to Thailand look like?
1 Accommodation
On a very low budget accommodation will be your biggest daily cost. So finding the cheapest places to stay is essential. If you are traveling Thailand on a very low budget you will need to find some basic accommodation. It is possible to find a very simple accommodation for £5 – £10 per night in Thailand. Cheap rooms in Thailand are not particularly comfortable. They are often not very clean and may have damp or mold. Budget rooms may lack natural light or not have windows at all. The cheapest hotels are not necessarily available online. You may need to be willing to arrive and walk around to find the cheapest places.
- Walk away from central tourist hubs
- Look for local places (not listed online)
- Be willing to take a fan room (not A.C.)
- Look for places with shared bathrooms
- Try bartering – especially in low season
- If you are in a beach destination look for wooden bungalows
TOP TIP: You can find cheap dorms around in Thailand. But dorms aren’t always the cheapest options. Many dorm hotels have become expensive, trendy and actually quite luxurious. If you are traveling on bottom dollar you are looking for small, obscure and unassuming guest houses on a back street.
You may also need to do a load of laundry in Thailand. The good news is you can also do laundry cheaply in Thailand. There are many self service washing machines around – you can just find them on the street side. It normally costs 30 baht to do a load of laundry.
If you’re not on such an extreme budget – you can get a lot for your money if you are able to pay £20 – £30 per night. In this range you can normally expect air con, a private bathroom and reasonable comfort.
2 Food and Drinks
If you’re traveling Thailand on a super budget you can save lots of money when it comes to food and drinks. Cheap street food in Thailand is amazingly good. So even if you are traveling on the lowest budget you can still get a lot for your money. For around £5 per day you can actually eat relatively healthy cheap food.
Most budget dishes in Thailand range between £0.5 – £2.0
Here are some examples of some of the best budget food in Thailand and their normal prices:
- Mango Salad 30 – 50 baht
- Sticky rice 10 baht
- Pad Thai 50 – 100 baht
- Thai Curry and rice 50 – 100 baht
- Pot noodles 20 – 40 baht
- Seven eleven sushi 30 – 50 baht
- Fruit shake 30 – 50 baht
Around Thailand you can find street side water bottle fillers. It normally costs around 1 baht per liter of water. So bring your own drinking bottle and refill at one of these street side fillers.
3 Transport
If you really are traveling Thailand on a budget you will need to find the cheapest ways to get around. Here are some of the cheapest transport options in Thailand:
- Take a local bus – super cheap – around 20 baht
- Rent a bicycle – rent through your hostel 50 baht per day
- Rent a motorbike – hunt around for the best deal 100 – 200 baht per day is good
- Walk – free of charge – not all areas are pedestrian friendly. Remember sun protection.
If you are not on a super budget then we recommend using the Bolt or Grab taxi app to get the best deals on taxi rides in Thailand. Taxis are pretty cheap in Thailand. Most journeys will cost 50 – 150 baht depending on distance.
If you are not on an extreme budget you may be interested in a car rental. Most car rentals in Thailand cost around 1,000 baht – 1,500 baht per day.
You can get great deals on car rentals through Skyscanner
4 Activities
We have factored activities into your budget. But most activities in Thailand are FREE of charge. Some activities are very cheap. There are also a few activities which are quite expensive. For example island-hopping trips, trekking and visiting elephant sanctuaries are popular and expensive in Thailand.
Here is an idea of activity costs in Thailand to help you plan your budget:
- Beaches, temples, markets, jungles – FREE of charge
- Waterfalls and national parks 100 – 300 baht (around £2 – £6)
- Renting Kayak or paddle board 200 – 300 baht per hour (around £4 – £6)
- Watersports like jet skiing £20 – £30 per hour
- Diving (if you are qualified) £20 – £40 per dive
- Visiting elephant sanctuaries £30 – £100
- Island hopping trips £40 – £100 (look for shared trips with local companies)
- Trekking trips £50 – £200 (2 -3 days, normally include accommodation – book locally)
Can you travel Thailand for under £20 per day as a family?
If you are traveling as a couple or as a family the cost per person will be lower. You can share the accommodation cost, some transport costs, and also share some activity costs. Kids under 12 are often allowed to do stuff for FREE in Thailand. So it really is possible to travel Thailand for under £20 per day.
You may also be interested in our article: 2 week holiday in Thailand for under £600
