Thailand is cheap once you land, but the long flight, a domestic hop to Phuket or Krabi, island boat trips with marine-park fees, and lots of small Grab rides, massages and tips add up fast.
Starts with a sample trip. Change any number to match yours. Set up your travel profile to fill these in for you.
Compare hotels in central Bangkok →Tick what you plan to do and we’ll price it for your group. Your picks set “Temples and island boat trip”, “Thai massages” and “Shows, tours and extras you picked” in your budget.
The sample is 2 travelers for 10 nights. Your plan ($4,030) covers the main costs most people budget for, the ones you enter on the left. Costs people forget ($1,326, about 33% more for this trip) are the fees, taxes, tips and extras listed in the calculator. Prices were last checked on October 17, 2026.
Share of the $5,356 real cost. Nights and travelers multiply most of these costs, so changing either one moves the total the most.
12 of this trip's numbers link to a published price or rate. The rest are our estimates, and each one says what it is based on. You can also read how we calculate every trip.
| Cost | Default | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Airfare per person | $1,100 per traveler | KAYAK shows US–Thailand round trips averaging about $1,050, with United around $1,200. Source |
| Hotel per night | $95 a night | Our blend of KAYAK's 4-star averages in Bangkok (about $70) and Phuket (about $86, much higher in December), taxes included. Source |
| Food per person, per day | $40 per traveler, per day | Thai Holiday Guide puts mid-range food at ฿300–600 a day plus ฿100–300 for drinks; we allow more for tourist-area restaurants with service charge. Source |
| Cost | Default | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Checked bag fees Off by default | $90 per traveler | Typical basic-economy bag fee estimate; most standard economy fares to Asia include one bag. Our estimate |
| Passports Off by default | $165 per traveler | State Department fee for a new adult passport book. Source |
| Flight to Phuket or Krabi | $90 per traveler | KAYAK shows Bangkok–Phuket round trips averaging about $78 ($64–103); we add a bit for a checked bag on low-cost carriers. Source |
| Airport transfers | $80 for the trip | Suvarnabhumi public taxis run on the meter plus a ฿50 surcharge and tolls; estimate covers four rides including Phuket airport to the beach. Source |
| Planned tourist entry fee Off by default | $13 per traveler | As of August 2026 the fee is a proposal (now ฿450, replacing the ฿300 plan); collection would start 180 days after Royal Gazette publication, likely early 2027. Source |
| Grab rides and taxis | $15 a day | Thai Holiday Guide lists Bangkok cross-city Grab rides at ฿100–250; Phuket taxis are pricier. Source |
| Temples and island boat trip | $95 per traveler | Grand Palace ticket is ฿500 for foreigners; Thai Holiday Guide lists Phi Phi day trips at ฿1,500–2,500, and the Hat Noppharat Thara–Phi Phi park fee is ฿400. Source |
| Thai massages | $40 per traveler | Thai Holiday Guide lists a one-hour Thai massage at ฿200–400; estimate is about three massages plus tips. Source |
| Tips | $4 per traveler, per day | Typical tips: ฿20–50 at restaurants, ฿50–100 for massages, ฿100+ for a day-trip guide. Source |
| Phone data | $20 per traveler | Thailand eSIM plans for one to two weeks typically cost $15–25. Source |
| Card fees | 3% of your plan | Typical 3% foreign transaction fee; Thai bank ATMs charge foreign cards about ฿220 per withdrawal. Our estimate |
| Souvenirs and treats | $40 per traveler | Our allowance for small purchases. Our estimate |
| Shows, tours and extras you picked Off by default | $0 for the trip | Starts at $0. Filled in from what you pick in the things-to-do planner; each one links to its own price source. Our estimate |
| Travel insurance | 6% of your plan | Squaremouth says a comprehensive plan averages about 6% of the trip cost, usually 4% to 10%. Source |
| Pre-trip shopping | $60 for the trip | Our estimate for travel-size toiletries, sunscreen and small things bought before a trip. Our estimate |
| Pet boarding or sitter | $50 a day, if you check Pets | Dogster puts regular kennel boarding at about $35 to $85 a night. Overnight sitters at home cost more. Source |
For 10 nights with flights, a hotel and food, plan on about $4,050 for two people. Once you add the costs most visitors forget, like the flight to Phuket or Krabi, airport transfers, Grab rides and taxis, and temple and island fees, it's closer to $5,350. Use the calculator above to change any number to match your trip.
Not for a normal vacation. Since September 15, 2026, US citizens can stay up to 30 days visa-free for tourism (cut from 60 days); for a longer stay, apply for a TR tourist e-Visa before you go. Source
Every foreign visitor must fill in the free TDAC online at tdac.immigration.go.th within three days before arriving. It costs nothing, so avoid look-alike sites that charge a fee. Source
Not yet. The long-planned ฿300 fee was revised in August 2026 to a proposed ฿450 (about $13) per visitor, and air arrivals would only start paying 180 days after it is published in the Royal Gazette, most likely in 2027. Source
Foreign visitors pay ฿500 (about $14), which also covers Wat Phra Kaew (the Emerald Buddha) and the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles. Tickets are sold 8:30 am to 3:30 pm, and shoulders and knees must be covered. Source