Thailand....cheap Or Expensive?

[dezmo07]

Me and 5 friends all in out 20's will be travelling to Thailand in March and visiting bangkok, koh phangnan, phuket, phi phi and pattaya. Lots of people that I know have returned from there with constrasting views. Some say they spent pennies over there and others say that it's actually quite expensive. Would really like to know as I want to have enough money to do near enough what i like, I was planning on taking £1500 for 3 weeks. Can anyone help? would be much appreciated.

[britmaveric]

Depends on what you plan on doing to be quite honest.... lodging/food/touristy bits are cheap for the most part. Nightlife is prob where you might burn your dosh.

[siamesekitty]

uh oh, you're gonna start a whole debate on this...

[Theyreallrubbish]

Accomodation is cheap. Transport is cheap. Restaurants are cheap if you go to cheap restaurants. (Not being a wise ass, there are decent cheap restaurants here in abundance whereas in the UK there aren't, but the more expensive restaurants can reach UK prices relatively easily)

Nothing else is really any cheaper than the UK.

For example a beer is £1.50 in a bar, but its in a bottle so only half a pint. So it works out to £3 a pint, same as UK.

Most day to day consumer goods are cheaper then the UK (e.g. toothpaste, cans of coke, shampoo), but many, surprisingly, aren't. Most consumer durables are more expensive or the same.

Cigarettes are a lot cheaper at around a pound a pack for a western brand.

[ged]

The exchange rate is bad at the moment so unless things change it will not be so cheap ,sure cheaper than UK etc but it's not what it used to be.

£1500 is plenty if you stay out of expensive hotels ,Pattaya/Phuket or should it be bargirls can make you spend your cash and you will not know it is happening!

a bit of a moan now , i am twice your age and saw Koh Phangan before the full moon parties it makes me sad/mad to see what they have done to the place!

[Lite Beer]

Cheep,cheep,cheep. Unless you get involved with the lovely ladies. Beware.

[siamesekitty]

hmm.. 1,500 pounds is about 99,500 baht (Bank of Thailand rates: www.bot.or.th)

3 weeks is about 33,000 baht/week, or 4,700 baht/day

That should do fine if you're not planning on blowin' your money away. However, this is all up to personal preference.

I have no idea what your lifestyle is like, so I'll just throw out some numbers and you figure it out yourself:

Food

1 dish of street food = 25-40 baht

street/7-11 drinks = 10-30 baht

1 dish of Thai food at ok restaurants in malls = 70-120 baht

drinks in restaurants = 30-50-80 baht

Western food (McD's) = 70-150

Western food (restaurants & pubs) = 150-300 or so

Accomodation

ranges from 600 to 1,500 to 3,000 (I'm assuming you young folks won't be staying at the really really fancy hotels)

Nightlife

just drinkin' & dancin' with the buddies = 500-1,500-?? per person, depending on the joint & amount consumed

with a um, "friend" to snuggle up with at the end of the night = _________ (all I know is lots! the guys could probably fill you in on that better than I could)

and the list goes on...

[dantilley]

For example a beer is £1.50 in a bar, but its in a bottle so only half a pint. So it works out to £3 a pint, same as UK.

Not meaning to be pedantic, but a bottle of beer is £3 in the UK, same as a pint is, and the bottles are more than half a pint (about 330 ml). A pint of draft beer in a pub here is about £1.80 - £2 or so, and better than the weak, fizzy rubbish you get at the lower end of the scale in UK draft lagers. Spirits are also much cheaper here and are usually sold in very generous measures.

[ged]

DID you say there is 5 of you in your 20's going in March ?

I've changed my mind ,it is really expensive food is terrible the beer is warm and the women cold!

I just realized that i will be in Pattaya then , too much competition

[mauiguy90]

Cheep,cheep,cheep. Unless you get involved with the lovely ladies. Beware.

Yep, no ladies no problem($$$)! If you hook up, hold on to your pants!

[Theyreallrubbish]

For example a beer is £1.50 in a bar, but its in a bottle so only half a pint. So it works out to £3 a pint, same as UK.

Not meaning to be pedantic, but a bottle of beer is £3 in the UK, same as a pint is, and the bottles are more than half a pint (about 330 ml). A pint of draft beer in a pub here is about £1.80 - £2 or so, and better than the weak, fizzy rubbish you get at the lower end of the scale in UK draft lagers. Spirits are also much cheaper here and are usually sold in very generous measures.

I defer to my much more knowledgable colleague on this matter.

I drink about twice a year in the UK and in Thailand my drink bill is usually dwarfed by the lady drink bill or food bill so I'm not too aware of the actual prices or amounts.

[dantilley]

For example a beer is £1.50 in a bar, but its in a bottle so only half a pint. So it works out to £3 a pint, same as UK.

Not meaning to be pedantic, but a bottle of beer is £3 in the UK, same as a pint is, and the bottles are more than half a pint (about 330 ml). A pint of draft beer in a pub here is about £1.80 - £2 or so, and better than the weak, fizzy rubbish you get at the lower end of the scale in UK draft lagers. Spirits are also much cheaper here and are usually sold in very generous measures.

I defer to my much more knowledgable colleague on this matter.

I drink about twice a year in the UK and in Thailand my drink bill is usually dwarfed by the lady drink bill or food bill so I'm not too aware of the actual prices or amounts.

Yes, those extras are where the serious cash can go!

Still, for me, a big night out here in Bangkok can set me back 2,000 Baht. A really big night can be 3,000, and I think the most I've ever spent is about 4,000 Baht. So, 4,000 Baht is about £57 - still a pretty big night by UK standards: but, remember that's my biggest ever night here, and it's easy to break the £100 barrier on a large night out in London. The "extras" in the UK can be much more than here - a taxi home can be over £20, whereas here it's more like £1. Also, the most expensive clubs here cost about £10 to get into, and will usually include a couple of free drinks also - you can pay double that in a top London club and get no free drinks.

[Theyreallrubbish]

For example a beer is £1.50 in a bar, but its in a bottle so only half a pint. So it works out to £3 a pint, same as UK.

Not meaning to be pedantic, but a bottle of beer is £3 in the UK, same as a pint is, and the bottles are more than half a pint (about 330 ml). A pint of draft beer in a pub here is about £1.80 - £2 or so, and better than the weak, fizzy rubbish you get at the lower end of the scale in UK draft lagers. Spirits are also much cheaper here and are usually sold in very generous measures.

I defer to my much more knowledgable colleague on this matter.

I drink about twice a year in the UK and in Thailand my drink bill is usually dwarfed by the lady drink bill or food bill so I'm not too aware of the actual prices or amounts.

Yes, those extras are where the serious cash can go!

Still, for me, a big night out here in Bangkok can set me back 2,000 Baht. A really big night can be 3,000, and I think the most I've ever spent is about 4,000 Baht. So, 4,000 Baht is about £57 - still a pretty big night by UK standards: but, remember that's my biggest ever night here, and it's easy to break the £100 barrier on a large night out in London. The "extras" in the UK can be much more than here - a taxi home can be over £20, whereas here it's more like £1. Also, the most expensive clubs here cost about £10 to get into, and will usually include a couple of free drinks also - you can pay double that in a top London club and get no free drinks.

You're right about the taxi fare being a big part of the expense. If I was to meet a mate in town for a beer I have to budget £20 taxi fare before I've had a single drink. Hardly worth it just to have a beer or two which is why I tend to drive and drink soft drinks.

Plus, the arrogant attitude of UK bouncers drives me potty.

And I've been spoiled through living in Thailand and hate having to queue at a busy bar and beg a barman to serve me!

[dantilley]

And I've been spoiled through living in Thailand and hate having to queue at a busy bar and beg a barman to serve me!

Yes, the profusion of waitress-service bars is much better out here. In many bars they'll even rack your game of pool for you! That's another expense in the UK by the way - have the London pool tables broken the 2 quid a game barrier yet? They probably have. Here they're 30p or even less sometimes, or even free in some places.

There are bars now in London where you even have to pay a guy to use soap to wash your hands when you go to the bathroom. The phrase "rip off Britain" is a very apt one I feel.

[tattoodrob]

i think you will be ok for money,it is generally cheap here but as every night is like a friday night back home then you end up spending a lot on booze and birds(youre young so probably get free ride but then you gotta feed them,buy there drinks allnight,take them shopping for expensive items and then send them money every month after youve gone home!!).discos here are expensive on the drink front and generally open longer than uk especially in pattaya/phuket/samui.

Obviously depends on how active you are gonna be in thailand too...if you stay in basic accomodation and lounge about the beach just sunbathing daytimes and take it easy at night then might come home with a bit leftover but if you jetski,go shooting,rent big bike/cars,shopping,gogo bars,disco everynight,fancy restaurants etc then will spend most or all......but dont worry spend spend spend and when its really low then be a tightwad or borrow from an even tighter mate...theres always one!!!have fun...and start saving for your next trip because you will want to come back very soon again

[tw25rw]

Me and 5 friends all in out 20's will be travelling to Thailand in March and visiting bangkok, koh phangnan, phuket, phi phi and pattaya. Lots of people that I know have returned from there with constrasting views. Some say they spent pennies over there and others say that it's actually quite expensive. Would really like to know as I want to have enough money to do near enough what i like, I was planning on taking £1500 for 3 weeks. Can anyone help? would be much appreciated.

I think some people expect electronics/cameras etc to be cheap like Singapore, but really they are standard Western type prices much of the time..

Probably seems expensive after Laos/Cambodia as well..

[DirkGently]

look up the price of an I-Pod to see how much cheaper electronic goods are.

As you are going to the most expensive areas of Thailand things wont be all that much cheaper.

[tw25rw]

look up the price of an I-Pod to see how much cheaper electronic goods are.

As you are going to the most expensive areas of Thailand things wont be all that much cheaper.

Obviously Rolexs are much cheaper than in Switzerland..

[tattoodrob]

look up the price of an I-Pod to see how much cheaper electronic goods are.

As you are going to the most expensive areas of Thailand things wont be all that much cheaper.

Obviously Rolexs are much cheaper than in Switzerland..

what...real ones??

[Tyree D.]

Me and 5 friends all in out 20's will be travelling to Thailand in March and visiting bangkok, koh phangnan, phuket, phi phi and pattaya. Lots of people that I know have returned from there with constrasting views. Some say they spent pennies over there and others say that it's actually quite expensive. Would really like to know as I want to have enough money to do near enough what i like, I was planning on taking £1500 for 3 weeks. Can anyone help? would be much appreciated.

you're gonna spend more than you should because you picked all commercial hotspots. goto Isaan and end up with some random family drinking whiskey and listening to mor lam all day.

wherever you go you're gonna make money conversions in your head and always think you are making a deal...even 600 baht for a taxi! You don't know what to expect so you will be in a golden age.

[PhilHarries]

£1500 is enough for three weeks but don't expect to live the high life, search out the cheap accommodation as all you will need is a clean bed and shower plus a/c if you can't stand fans. As young fellahs I guess you'll be doing all the action stuff daytime. Jetskis, paragliding, bungee jumping, snorkeling etc etc. They all cost a reasonable amount of money, not UK rates but they will bite a hole in your daily wedge. If you start piling significant evening/night "entertainments" on top your money will evaporate muy pronto (trust me, I've done it ).

Your best approach, and this won't come easy to a young guy, is have a daily allowance and stick to it. If you overspend one day recover the money the next. If you don't you'll find yourself halfway through the holiday with a thousand Baht and believe me Thailand is one hellhole of a place if you have no money. Try through at least the first half of your visit to build up a credit wedge to allow for a last blast before you leave. Another thing, make sure at least two of your party have access to emergency funds via credit card or international ATM card and have told the c/c company or bank where they are going. You never know when you'll need cash to bail you out of a situation often not of your making. Boring fuddy duddy stuff? Yes, but I've seen too many guys scratching around scrounging money just for basic street food.

btw, if it were me I'd budget £2000 for three weeks as I hate standing around outside restaurants checking prices before going in, I hate drinking in bars constantly adding up my checks and I hate checking through my wallet to see if I can afford to do what I want to do. Better to take home unspent funds than run out during the stay.

[jumnien]

If I was 20 and had 90,000 baht to spend in three weeks I think I'd party like a fool the first night on the islands and spend 80,000 baht. I'd then head to Wat Suan Mok in Surat Thani to spend the remaining 20 days in vipassana meditation. Then, mindfully return to the airport for the ride home. Life changing experience!

[bri1guy]

If you are a 1st timer & want to have fun and buy some souivoners then I recommned 100 a day budget, its always goo to have extra or just have a atm or credit card for the extras! For the expat its cheap but thats comes with time... Time is money !!

[siamesekitty]

If you are a 1st timer & want to have fun and buy some souivoners then I recommned 100 a day budget, its always goo to have extra or just have a atm or credit card for the extras! For the expat its cheap but thats comes with time... Time is money !!

is that in pounds or baht??

[bualuang]

I thought Thailand quite expensive, though it depends where you go.

Perhaps in the old days 'everything' was cheap, now a lot of things in Thailand are on par with, or more expensive than, many other popular destinations. Add an air-fare, and Thailand is probably MUCH more expensive.

Of course it depends on lifestyle.. If you become a monk, life is free.

[Axistar]

You can spend as little or as much as you like depending on your tastes and whet you like to do.

I was in Pattaya lastw eek for a 2 week stay and admittedly I went WAAAAY overboard and managed to spend around 120 000 bht but this was made up of too much booze, too many goes at those bloody bells and, dare I say it, too many threesomes !

But ooooh weeee I had fun........

[Lite Beer]

You can spend as little or as much as you like depending on your tastes and whet you like to do.

I was in Pattaya lastw eek for a 2 week stay and admittedly I went WAAAAY overboard and managed to spend around 120 000 bht but this was made up of too much booze, too many goes at those bloody bells and, dare I say it, too many threesomes !

But ooooh weeee I had fun........

Are you sure you could manage it after all that booze?

[Tatler]

500 pounds a week and your laughing mate eat what you want and drink like a fish on that money... enjoy your travels.