How much money to take to Phuket June. How much money to take to Phuket. We are independently preparing for the trip to the island. Where to order an airport transfer

Phuket is perhaps the best place to experience Thailand. A huge number of excursions, more than 15 pristine beaches with blue water, a variety of hotels, from budget guesthouses to 5-star resorts and private villas. If you are puzzled by the question of how much money to take with you on vacation to Phuket, then now you will find out about it. Together we will calculate the main expenses for an independent traveler and a package tourist.

How much money should you take to Phuket? As much as possible!

Step one. Purchasing air tickets

If you are flying on a package with a travel agency, then go straight to step 5. Information for those flying without a tour. The first thing anyone flying on their own should take care of is air tickets. Where to buy cheap air tickets to Phuket? When should I buy tickets, much in advance or on the eve of departure?

All these questions can be answered like this. Once you have decided on your travel dates, buy air tickets. It is unlikely that their prices will decrease, but an increase is quite possible. Also, there is no difference among the booking sites Skyscanner, Aviasales, Momondo, etc. - they all have approximately the same thing. So, you can buy tickets on any service you like. We use the site Aviasales.

• Buy air tickets to Thailand >

Airfare prices for the coming year

Tip: the cheapest way is to buy round-trip air tickets. The savings will be small, but several thousand rubles also play a role in preparing for a trip abroad.

You need to track your flight tickets in advance. At least 2-3 months in advance. This significantly increases the likelihood of purchasing the best flight. And with a calm heart, you will fly without unnecessary overpayments, realizing that you paid exactly as much as you expected.

How much money for air tickets

We take the price of a ticket, for example 20 thousand rubles one way. Buying a round-trip ticket at once turns out to be 38,000 rubles per person.

Step two. Transfer order

Transfer from the airport to the hotel in Phuket is included in the price of the tour. But if you fly on your own, you will have to somehow get there on your own. Once you've gotten off the plane, checked in, and picked up your suitcase, the next thing you need to worry about is how to get to your hotel.

There are no cheap taxis in Phuket like in Bangkok. Here they tell you a fixed price at the airport or increase the meter when you travel. Local taxis are always available at the airport.

• Book a transfer online >

An alternative to taxis are minibuses and buses that run from the airport to the most popular areas of the island. More details:

Minibuses from the airport to popular areas of Phuket

If your flight is scheduled for late evening, then most likely there will be no minibuses. To avoid any complications at the very beginning of your vacation, it is better to pre-book a transfer from the airport to your place of residence in Phuket. We have already had such experience, about which.

How much money for transfer

On average, transfers cost 1,000 baht one way. If we take a taxi there and back it turns out to be 2000 Thai baht or 4000 rubles. An economy option on a round-trip minibus will cost about 400 baht (800 rubles). Order a transfer >>

Tip: book your transfer no later than 2-3 days before departure.

Step three. Buy insurance

• Buy insurance in Thailand >>

Cost of insurance to Thailand for 14 days

How much money for insurance

As you can see from the screenshot above, insurance to Thailand will cost 1,200 rubles per person for 14 days of vacation. This is the simplest insurance. If you are going to drive a car or bike, check the appropriate boxes.

Please note that the insurance is not valid if you drive a car or bike without a license. Also, insurance will not be valid if injuries were sustained while intoxicated.

Step four. Rent a house in Phuket for your vacation

Since you and I think about everything in advance, we must not forget about renting housing. And how can you forget! The place that will become your home for the next 2 weeks will leave its mark on the overall impression of your vacation.

Advice: don’t skimp on a hotel, choose a decent option, since a good hotel is 50% the key to a great vacation!

Inexpensive but decent 5 minutes from Kamala beach where we stayed in November

Modern 3 minutes from Bang Tao Beach

Themed, bright and clean for a fraction of the cost and close to the beach

We need to find not only profitable and inexpensive housing, but also beautiful, clean, close to the sea, shops, cafes and restaurants. For a complete list of the best accommodation in Phuket, from apartments to villas, you can follow these links:

The best accommodation options on the island's lesser-known beaches:

For example, look at the hotel for November. The season in Phuket has already begun, but prices are not yet as high as in the peak months of December, January and February. Therefore, the best months for a vacation, based on price, weather and clear sea, are November or March. And in the most ideal months, you will have to pay a higher price for the same housing.

And now I will give you some clear examples that housing in Phuket can be good and inexpensive:

• Karon area - The Best House, 3-star hotel from $24
• Kata District - Pure & Pam Village, 2-star hotel from $30
• Patong District - Nailons Hotel, 2-star hotel from $11
• Nai Harn District - Palm Oasis Boutique Hotel, 4-star hotel from $32
• Kamala District - Thai Kamala Village Phuket, 3-star hotel on the first line from $27
• Bangtao area - Baan Chayna Lounge Resort, 3-star hotel from $14

How much money for housing

On average, normal housing near the sea will cost from 1200 to 1600 baht per day. We take the average price for a good hotel - 1500 baht. It turns out that for a 14-day vacation you will need to pay 21,000 baht. (40,000 rub.)

Step five. How to get around Phuket

An equally important aspect of your stay on the island is transportation. There are options: city buses, taxis, or rented transport, motorcycle, car.

Car rental

A car is the most comfortable option for traveling around Thailand. But it is worth noting that every year traffic jams in Phuket are getting worse and worse. All main central routes are stable in the mornings and evenings. Although, of course, standing in a traffic jam in your air-conditioned car is much more pleasant than sitting on a bench in a cramped bus.

• Car rental in Phuket >

Bike rental

An alternative to a car in Asia is a moped or motorbike, as they are called here. If you ask our opinion, we will not advise you to rent a bike. And not at all because you can then be accidentally cheated out of money by saying that you allegedly scratched the moped. Now this is more rare than commonplace. And not because in Phuket police raids on tourists without licenses are regularly carried out and everyone is fined. But because without renting a motorbike, you will be safer. After all, you won’t have time to learn new traffic rules. And on the roads of Thailand every day there are a large number of tourists.

Of course, if you already have driving experience in Thailand, then of course you have the right to rent it for the period of your vacation. Only you should decide whether to rent a bike.

On average, renting a bike costs 300 baht per day or 3,000 baht per month. Bargaining is appropriate everywhere, but you are unlikely to find anything cheaper than 200 baht for daily rent. Gasoline costs 40 baht. The average fine is 500 baht.

• Rent a bike online >

Taxis and tuk-tuks

We offer you two alternatives. The first one is knock-knock. Everyone who comes to Phuket should take a ride in this cozy, bright and musical car at least once. The very process of driving a toy truck brings joy.

Colorful tuk-tuks in Phuket look like this

Once or twice is enough. You will have fun and cool. It's guaranteed! But driving a tuk-tuk all the time will be too expensive. On average, the trip will cost 300-500 baht. For example, a tuk-tuk from Karon to Patong costs 300-400 baht. From Patong to Kata 500 baht.

Taxis in Phuket are also quite expensive. The minimum price for a trip is 200 baht, this is within one city. Although, you can also afford it once, when you are tired and get from one beach to another.

• Order a taxi from the airport online >

Public transport

The most profitable transport remains - buses or songthaew. See article.

Most often you will have to travel on blue songthaews

Local transport, in the form of our minibus, only without glass and with excellent ventilation. A trip to songthaew per person in Phuket costs from 30 to 40 baht. These blue songthaews go to all major beaches from 6 am to 5 pm. These pink buses also run around Phuket Town and cost 15 baht.

And much less often on pink songthaews

Saving money, but not time. So, again, it’s entirely up to you to decide. But since your vacation will be approximately 14-15 days, you will be able to take a couple of trips by tuk-tuk, by taxi and ride a songthaew several times.

How much money for transport

• To travel on your own, taking into account several trips by taxi and tuk-tuk, 3,000 baht should be enough.
• Car rental for 2 weeks: 10,000 baht + gasoline (1-2 thousand baht)
• Bike rental: 3,000 baht + gasoline (500 baht)

Where can I order a transfer from the airport?

We use the service - KiwiTaxi
We ordered a taxi online and paid by card. We were met at the airport with a sign with our name on it. We were taken to the hotel in a comfortable car. You've already talked about your experience In this article.

Step six. Where to eat in Phuket and how much money it will cost. Eating and going to cafes, restaurants

In 14-15 days, you can easily leave almost all the money in your budget for food. But! If you slow down your appetite a little and don’t constantly order lobster and martinis, sometimes eat not in a restaurant, but in more modest cafes, food courts, makashnits, with fruit snacks on the street, corn on the beach, then approximately the following amount of money will be spent on food in Phuket - 15 -20 thousand baht. That is, 1000-1300 baht should be enough for food per day.

You can eat much cheaper, for 200-300 baht per day, but we are now considering the average option, so that within reasonable limits you do not limit yourself to anything on vacation, try some delicacies in restaurants, seafood, shrimp, mussels, fruits buy on the beach.

This amount also includes drinks, local alcohol, whiskey or brandy, beer, and sometimes cocktails on the beach. Delicious and most importantly fresh food from makashnits - pad thai, noodles with meat, rice with vegetables, tom yum soup, kebabs.

Snacks in a cafe. Drink a cup of aromatic coffee with a cake, eat a salad or sandwich - 200-300 baht.

Snacks at 7-Eleven. Eat a hot ham sandwich, take a plate of heated ready-made food - 100 baht.

And, of course, go to popular restaurants a couple of times and easily leave 1000-1500 baht there for dinner.

How much money do you need for food?

Total, according to rough estimates: 15-20 thousand baht will definitely be enough for food in Phuket in this situation. In my opinion, this is a normal amount, taking into account a combined diet, without infringing on seafood, fruits and drinks, with trips to cafes and restaurants.

Step seven. Book excursions in Phuket

A vacation without excursions is money down the drain. But there is no need to strain yourself and go on excursions almost every day. You came on vacation. Swim, sunbathe, go for a massage and watch the sunsets.

5-6 excursions over 15 days of vacation are the optimal amount. Why not more? Because for the first 2-3 days after the flight you will enjoy the sea, go to the beach, and on the third day you will completely acclimatize. And the last day of your vacation will be spent getting ready and saying goodbye to the island with a bottle of something strong. There will definitely be no time for excursions on the last day. There are 10 days left over which all excursions need to be distributed.

How much money for excursions

For excursions, budget approximately 7-10 thousand baht. This is enough for 5 excursions. It is very possible that you will not even spend the entire amount. On average, excursions in Phuket cost 1000-1500 baht. It depends on what excursions you take. Different prices. You can go to Racha Island for 1,100 baht, or you can go to the Similan Islands for 3,000 baht. It's up to you to decide and choose.

Ride elephants


Visit the bird park

And go on an excursion to James Bond Island. The market is suitable for buying clothes, magnets, fruits, elephants and whatever your heart desires.

You need to target around 3,000 baht. This is the optimal amount. Because everything here costs pennies. An elephant costs 250 baht, magnets for 30-60 baht, shorts, T-shirts, dresses, men's T-shirts, T-shirts for 100-350 baht. If you have a limited budget or lack of space in your luggage, you can spend 1,500 baht to buy all the basics. But I gave the average amount, if you really want to buy a lot of all sorts of souvenirs.

Bottom line. How much money do you need for an independent holiday in Phuket?

We have an estimate of the amount that you approximately need to independently organize your two-week holiday in Phuket as a tourist.

Approximate calculation

• Flights: RUB 38,000
• Transfers: 4000 rub.
• Insurance: 1200 rub.
• Hotel: 40,000 rub.
• Travel 6,000 rubles (buses, taxis)
• Meals: 40,000 rub.
• Excursions: 20,000 rub.
• Souvenirs: 6,000 rub.

Total: 155,200 rub.

For a tourist on a package tour: 72,000 rubles……..- take so much with you (not counting the cost of the tour)

With car rental……… + 20,000 rub.

With bike rental……. + 6000 rub.

According to rough estimates, this is the amount of money you need for a full-fledged, eventful vacation without special restrictions, in good living conditions, within walking distance from the sea, with excursions, trips to cafes and shopping for things and souvenirs, along with round-trip air tickets and included transfer, you have will come out to approximately 150 thousand rubles per person. But if you fly together, it will be cheaper for everyone, since the costs of hotels and transfers are divided in half. Also, the cost of food will not increase much.

If you go to Phuket for a short period of time, 7-10 days, then it is more profitable to buy a tour. But if you want to live on the best beaches of Phuket, such as, or. Moreover, to live in a decent hotel, close to the sea, a trip here alone will cost at least 70-80 thousand rubles per person. And add here the costs of food and excursions. And this is at least another 60 thousand rubles.

It is better to go on your own and for a longer time. For the same money you can vacation twice as long, 14-15 days. During this period of time you will have a great rest and explore the island at your leisure. And most importantly, you will not be dependent on the tricks of travel agencies.

Come to Phuket

How can you save money?

You can spend much less money, we present here an average calculation for most vacationers who want to live in good conditions, eat delicious food and go on excursions. Budget travelers can save on the following:

• transfer to the hotel by taxi is replaced by a bus..... - 3,200 rubles
• rent a room in a cheap guesthouse for 500 baht..... - 26,000 rubles
• travel by bus and on foot, never take a taxi...... - 4000 rubles
• eat in convenience stores, food courts and 7-Eleven for 500 baht per day..... - 26,000 rubles
• do not take any excursions……… – 20,000 rubles
• do not buy souvenirs……. — 6,000 rub.

Total with super economy option: RUB 70,000(including flight and accommodation)

Minimum budget for a tourist on a package tour: 16,000 rubles(not including the cost of the tour)

As you can see, if you wish, you can relax for 2 weeks in Phuket for 2 times cheaper. What is the minimum amount of money to take to Phuket? For an independent tourist, the amount of 70 thousand rubles is the most budget option, in which you can fly to Phuket and modestly stay in Patong, eating more or less normally and variedly. And even grab a beer a few times or try Hong Thong Thai whiskey. A package tourist who wants to save money needs to take at least 16 thousand rubles with him to Phuket - with this amount you will not go hungry. The main thing is that the sea is nearby. You can save another couple of thousand on food if you eat noodles, rice, and kebabs for 10 baht throughout your vacation and don’t drink alcohol.

In conditions of total economy, the quality of rest, of course, is greatly reduced. But still, such a trip will be remembered for a long time as a great adventure.

How much money do you usually take for a trip to Thailand?

How much money to take to Thailand, so that it’s enough and so you don’t end up without a penny on vacation.
The money issue is often discussed on the Vinsky Forum in the section.
For example in the topic.

My recipe is simple: take more and take what's left home.
This recipe causes undisguised irritation among the public, although this is the most proven way to relax in Thailand calmly, without thinking about anything.

Rent a car at Phuket airport: find out the cost of renting a car yourself.
It is written about how to rent a car in Phuket.

If you don't rent a car in Phuket, then someday you'll need a taxi.
Today's prices can be found in the forum thread: .
See the latest messages there.

Buses and tuk-tuks in Phuket.
They exist, I have never used them since I always rent a car, but information about this type of transport is on the forum:

Rent a scooter in Phuket.
Average price 200-250 baht/day.
Often they ask for a passport as collateral. Do not leave your passport as collateral! Only money.
Latest information on the forum in the topic: .

How much money does it cost to eat in Thailand?

It’s very subjective: for some, it’s enough to eat rice and dried bananas, while for others, serve oysters and lobsters.
We consider ourselves to be in the average category of eaters.
Perhaps because we don’t order oysters often and only in Europe, lobster just doesn’t like the taste, and empty rice can stretch your legs.
Quite detailed information about prices in Thailand is written in the article of the same name.

Since in Phuket we stay in apartments or villas, then breakfast We have our own: yogut, scrambled eggs, grain cottage cheese, coffee.
Products are bought in a store in Bang Tao.
In Phuket restaurants the cost of breakfast is 100-150 baht, American (this is the most high-calorie, with fatty bacon) 200 baht.

On dinner We usually have salad and soup.
Prices in the picture:

Sometimes it’s 300, then 500 baht.

Dinner it turns out to be around 900-1500 baht.
1500 baht is several hot dishes with seafood, salads and takeaway pizza (partially left for breakfast).
.

Cost of excursions in Phuket

I don’t buy excursions, preferring to organize them myself - if you have a car it’s not difficult.
Therefore, I will provide links to forum topics where the cost of excursions in Phuket is discussed:



All this is in a special section on the Vinsky Forum:

Souvenirs and clothing in Thailand

The theme of shopping is very individual.
Some people shop at markets, I prefer large shopping centers like Jang Ceylon in Patong or the Festival in Kathu.
You can buy some things directly near the beach - some small items, and some in Phuket Town - for example, fireworks.
There are many boutiques near the supermarket in Bang Tao - my wife buys dresses and sundresses there.
But if you need beachwear, shorts, flip-flops, shoes, go to Festival or Jang Ceylon.
The forum has a section: – in this section there are more than 100 topics about shopping not only in Phuket, but also in other resorts in Thailand.

As for souvenirs.
My opinion - vacation impressions are quite enough as souvenirs.
Everything else is junk and a waste of money.

In Thailand, it's time to think about how much money you will need for a comfortable holiday.

Have you thought about how much money to take with you on a trip to Thailand? That's right, the question is not simple, so it should be seriously thought about. No one wants to be left without a livelihood in the midst of a vacation or count every penny, denying themselves the purchase of souvenirs or visiting an excursion. To avoid ending up in any of these situations, your travel budget should be calculated carefully and in every detail.

What are the prices in Thailand?

Depending on which tourists plan to visit, you can start calculating the tourist budget. There are places that are quite expensive, such as Phuket and Samui, there are places that are average in terms of prices and quality of service - Hua Hin, and there are the most affordable and cheap ones, including Chang, Samet and Pattaya. Each of these resorts is attractive in its own way; everywhere you can have a quality rest, the only difference is how much the guest is willing to spend his own finances.

Cost of food

Food can safely be called the most important source of costs that await a tourist in Thailand. Of course, visiting inexpensive cafes or even eating at a hotel can help save money, but buying local fruits and tasting traditional dishes still cannot be avoided. So, for example, dinner in a picturesque place (of which there are plenty in any resort town in the country) will cost no less than 300-500 baht (7-11 euros), a higher-class establishment has prices in the region of 700-1500 baht (16-35 euros ) and higher.

Money for travel expenses

Public transport in Thailand is quite inexpensive for guests of the country, so they use it actively. A ride in a minibus around the city at most resorts costs from 10-20 to 40 baht, a trip in a regular taxi will cost 100-300 baht. More expensive resort places dictate other prices - up to 100 baht for a minibus and up to 500 baht for a taxi.

Costs for souvenirs

If guests bring clothes and shoes as souvenirs, then they have made the right choice. Here you can buy items from world brands at prices that are quite European. As for the products of local craftsmen, the goods they produce are quite cheap - T-shirts sell for up to 100 baht (2-3 euros), shoes - from 700 baht (16 euros), and for any item you can, with a fair amount of haggling, reduce the price.

total amount

According to experienced tourists, a holiday in this country - even taking into account visiting the most elite resorts - is not an expensive pleasure. You won’t need to take more than 2,000 euros to Thailand, and this money includes a lot of exquisite pleasures, such as visiting a variety of excursions and relaxing in local spa centers.

What money to take to Thailand

Any trip always comes down to calculating the budget for it. The quality of your vacation and the impressions received during it will depend on the correct determination of the amount of resources. But it is also very important to determine what money to take with you to Thailand.

A favorite and long-proven option is cash. However, there is one caveat: if the visit is short-term, then there is no need to worry. But if a person intends to stay in an Asian country for a long time (a month or more), then he needs to take with him a heavy bag of banknotes. Besides the fact that this may attract the attention of burglars, it is worth noting that in Thailand there are no special places for storing valuables. Hotel rooms, of course, are equipped with a safe, but, as experts say, it looks like an ordinary box, locked with the same key. Leaving money and jewelry for safekeeping at the reception is also not safe, and there is always a long queue at the bank safe deposit boxes, booked several months in advance. Conclusion: taking only cash with you on a trip is not the best idea.

Which currency is preferable? Both US dollars and euros will do - they can be exchanged anywhere without any problems. Also, any bank will accept the Australian dollar and Japanese yen. Some resorts also accept Russian rubles (Pattaya, Bangkok), but experienced travelers note that the exchange rate for such an exchange is extremely unfavorable.

Traveler's checks are especially popular in Thailand. You can buy them at home at any bank, and upon arrival at a hot resort they can be profitably exchanged for local currency. Checks are cashed at a special exchanger or bank branch, charging a small commission for this. The advantage of storing money this way is that in case of theft (or loss), the owner can restore the check, and the robber will not use it: you need a passport and the signature of the person who bought it.

Plastic cards are a reliable and convenient option. The issue of currency is not so acute: if a person receives money in rubles, then such a card is quite suitable for a guest in Thailand. A dollar card is beneficial if you have one and the income is received in American currency. You need to be careful with a card with a euro account: you should find out how the conversion takes place: if the euro is transferred to the dollar, and then to the baht, then it is better to refuse this option. Therefore, there is no need to open a currency card for travel, since you can also use a ruble one. It’s better to open an account in a Thai bank (beneficial for those who visit the country often and for a long time).

The question “How much money to take to Thailand” should be divided into two, “How much money to take if you go on a tour package” and “How much money to take for an independent trip.” You should also choose a suitable resort for yourself (Pattaya or Phuket), your vacation budget also depends on this.

If you are traveling to Thailand on a package tour, then part of the expenses (air tickets, insurance, hotel, breakfast, transfer) have already been paid by you and there is no point in worrying about it, but when traveling on your own, you should calculate your budget more carefully.

How much money to take to Thailand on a tour package

If your vacation takes place as part of a package tour, then you made part of the expenses back at home; in some cases, traveling this way is more profitable, and in some cases, planning your trip yourself is much cheaper and a hundred times more interesting. But nevertheless, in any case, you should have money for entertainment, excursions and other tourist delights.

The expenses of a package tourist consist of several conditionally obligatory items; of course, you can eliminate some of them and save every baht, but this will no longer be a vacation; doing this in Thailand is highly not recommended.

What do package tourists spend money on:

• transport - you can walk, but when your hotel is located a kilometer from the beach, and it’s +30 outside, you won’t find much on foot;
• food - most package tourists include breakfast in the price of the tour, but you won’t be full with breakfast alone;
• excursions - you can’t do without excursions in Thailand, believe my experience;
• souvenirs and shopping - you can do without souvenirs, but package tourists love souvenirs and actively buy them;
• alcohol, cigarettes, entertainment and other bad habits - there is enough of this goodness here, there is entertainment for every taste and budget.

How much money to take for transport

Costs of transport and travel around Thailand greatly depend on the type and location of your holiday. If you are going on holiday to Phuket, then you should take into account that tuk-tuks and taxis are very expensive here, and public transport is in its infancy; the only way to save on transport is to rent a bike.

When renting a bike, you should pay attention to many details (there will be a separate post about this), you should also have an international driving license and be sure to. In Pattaya, everything is much better with public transport, but renting a moped costs the same.

If you are a fan of beach holidays, then your expenses on transport will be minimal, but you are unlikely to be able to completely abandon transport.

For a standard package vacation lasting 14 days, according to the most conservative estimates (for renting a bike), you will spend 5,000 baht (14 days * 300 baht/day rental + gasoline). To this amount should be added (optional) fines for driving without a driver's license/without a helmet (the cops here are meticulous, but fair), etc. and the cost of insurance (required). About the baht to ruble exchange rate, read the link.

Minimum amount for Thai transport if you are on a vacation package: 5,000 baht.

How much money to take for excursions

Excursions in Thailand are interesting and very colorful, but you have to pay for everything in this world. I have not yet met a single package tourist who did not attend numerous excursions. Excursion programs vary depending on the resort. For example, from Pattaya you can quite comfortably travel to Cambodia, and from Phuket to neighboring Malaysia. Read about

If you save a lot on excursions, you can organize them yourself. However, there are a number of excursions that everyone should visit, in Pattaya - this is the “Excursion to the River Kwai”, and in Phuket - “Similan Islands”. As a rule, visiting these excursions as part of an excursion group will be much cheaper and easier than organizing a similar trip on your own.

Minimum amount for excursions if you are on a vacation package: in Pattaya 2,500 baht per person (Excursion to the River Kwai), in Phuket 5,000 baht per person (Similan Islands). However, these expenses can be made before traveling to Thailand, so you will save some of your precious time at the resort.

How much money should you allocate for food?

How much money to take for food is a controversial and ambiguous issue. The first thing you should understand and accept is that high-quality and tasty food in Thailand is expensive. A simple example, the famous Thai Tom Yam soup costs on average 100 baht (about 200 rubles), I would not say that it is very cheap. In addition to standard tourist restaurants and cafes, there are luxury restaurants with Michelin stars and other attributes of status, where dinner can cost more than your ticket.

But let's return to the standard vacationer with his standard 14-day voucher. As a rule, in such cases, food costs about 1,000 baht per day (without alcohol and cigarettes), but it can be cheaper if you cook it yourself and buy food in supermarkets and markets (baggers practically don’t do this nonsense).

Minimum amount for food if you are on a vacation package: approximately 14,000 baht per person can be spent on food only (14 days of vacation * 1,000 baht).

How much money to take to Thailand for souvenirs and shopping

For me, buying souvenir magnets and fashionable crocodile shoes has long ceased to be relevant, but I can’t tell you how to resist if you see all this abundance of exotic things for the first time. I don’t dare talk about the need to buy up all the tourist trash in Thailand, but regularly Russian tourists flying out of this country pay for excess luggage - this is a fact.

What I strongly recommend that you buy in the form of souvenirs (so to speak), buy fresh fruit - this will be the best souvenir for your family and friends. A ripe, juicy Thai mango as a souvenir evokes more vivid emotions than a Chinese-Thai refrigerator magnet, I checked it a million times.

Minimum amount for Thai souvenirs if you are on a vacation package: my surveys of tourists revealed that the smallest amount that was spent on all sorts of nonsense was 3,000 baht.

How much money to take for alcohol, cigarettes and entertainment

High-quality alcohol and cigarettes in Thailand cost a decent amount, but what would a vacation be without alcohol, so every vacationer faces a dilemma: either try local unknown varieties, or overpay for familiar brands. A pack of Marlboros in Phuket costs around 100 baht, and imported beer is sold for 50 baht for a small 0.3 liter bottle.

The above prices apply only to shops; in restaurants and other entertainment venues their prices may vary greatly.

In tourist Thai cities there is entertainment for every taste and budget, from standard pub bars to trendy clubs with paid admission. You shouldn’t be fooled by free flyers and invitations that will be offered to you at every turn. Often, for free entry to a spicy show, you will be required to buy any drink from the menu (they will), and the price tag on the menu can start from 1,000 baht for a bottle of ordinary mineral water.

Coming to Thailand and not visiting a couple of dens with half-naked Thai women dancing on tables is blasphemy, so you should definitely allocate five thousand for such male entertainment.

Dancing of drunken, half-naked Thai women may not be of interest to everyone, but what I definitely recommend you to visit are local massage parlors, please do not confuse them with massage parlors for men, of which there are many in Thailand. A standard foot massage for an hour costs 300 baht, I can’t talk about its usefulness and healing properties (doctors write about it), but it relieves fatigue. Sometimes I go to similar salons twice a day, which I advise you to do as well.

Minimum amount for entertainment: according to the most conservative estimates, this is 5,000 baht per person for 14 days of vacation.

Minimum amount of money for a holiday in Thailand on a tour package

Let's summarize how much money to take if you are traveling on a 14-day tour; all the figures are very, very approximate and are designed for one tourist.

• transport - 5,000 baht for renting a moped for all 14 days of vacation;
• excursions - for Pattaya 2,500 baht per person, for Phuket 5,000 baht per person;
• food - 14,000 baht per person, you will have a delicious dinner and lunch all 14 days of your vacation;
• souvenirs - 3,000 baht is enough for gifts and other tourist tinsel that tourists bring home;
• entertainment is the very essence of a holiday in Thailand, here you need to spend at least 5,000 baht, you shouldn’t skimp on it.

The total minimum amount of spending for a package tourist (14 days of vacation excluding the cost of the tour) is approximately as follows: for Phuket - 32,000 baht per person, for Pattaya - 29,500 baht per person.

How much money to take to Thailand when traveling independently

If you are traveling to Thailand on your own, then your expenses will be slightly different from those of tourists who vacation on a package tour, but many of the points from the above list will also be relevant for you. In this part of the post I will tell you about those financial aspects that differ from the usual expenses of a package tourist.

The main difference between an independent tourist and a package tourist is greater freedom and, as a rule, greater savings in money. A simple example: if a package tourist is accommodated in the most touristy place (does the package tourist have a choice?), then be prepared to spend a lot more money on the same fruits, which are much cheaper in a non-tourist place, and so on with everything else.

What do independent tourists spend money on in Thailand:

• An air ticket is one of the important expenses when traveling on your own; take care to purchase it in advance;
• insurance - it is advisable to have good health insurance with a large amount of coverage;
• housing - the choice of housing is huge and every tourist can choose the right one for himself;
• emergency reserve - it should be and preferably the more, the better.

How much money do you need for an air ticket?

With the advent of the Internet and modern convenient services for searching and purchasing air tickets, independent travel has become much easier and the cost has decreased significantly. Today you can monitor changes in prices for air tickets in real time and in any convenient place you just need to install the application on your phone (for iOS, for Android, for WindowsPhone), compare current offers on a variety of websites, etc., and besides, all this is almost automatic , you just need to subscribe to alerts about reduced prices on air tickets.

There are several tricks that will help you buy an air ticket even cheaper:

• Buy your air ticket in advance - this way you can catch a good price. For example, today (July 24, 2016) I found an air ticket from Moscow to Bangkok with a departure on December 7, 2016 for 13,667 rubles (I am attaching a screenshot), the probability of buying a ticket to Thailand for 13,667 rubles in December tends to zero;
• subscribe to price updates - if you have enough time before your trip, be sure to subscribe to price updates and when the price drops you will receive an alert by email;
• promotions and special fares for air tickets - sometimes there are very tasty prices, some of which are the result of marketing or ordinary sloppiness, don’t miss your chance ().

Read about all the tricks and features of hunting for cheap air tickets at this link and at this one, where I told you the best ways to search for air tickets, which I actively use myself.

Minimum amount for an air ticket to Thailand: as of today (July 24, 2016) I found it at a price of 13,667 rubles (7,400 baht) one way, but I’m sure that with a more thorough search you can find it cheaper.

How much money do you need for insurance in Thailand?

It is useless to talk about the need to have good insurance; you just need to take this fact for granted. Why is it mandatory for all independent travelers to have insurance when visiting Thailand? There are several important points here, I’ll tell you about it now.

Translated into human language, the essence of the law is clear and to some extent fair; now the state does not bear any responsibility if something happens to a Russian abroad and he does not have an insurance policy.

What is also important to know when traveling independently in Thailand is that medicine here is very expensive and a simple fracture can be operated on for 1,000,000 baht or more. I regularly see posts on social networks raising funds for tourists who have been involved in moped accidents; as a rule, these are very young people and they are literally shocked by the amounts that are announced to them in local hospitals.

Minimum insurance amount for Thailand: Today (July 24, 2016) insurance can be purchased at a price of 2,889 rubles (1,560 baht) for a month per person from Liberty Insurance, but this is the simplest without driving a motorcycle and other important things.

How much money do you need for housing?

The variety of accommodation in Thailand is enormous, and every traveler can find acceptable living conditions. For example, in Phuket you can choose from more than 1,500 hotels and hotels on the island; prices are also different, from 100 baht per day for a bed, to $1,000 per day or more for a luxury villa on the seashore.

In the vast majority of cases, independent travelers choose cottages and apartments in condominiums, where rental prices are lower than in classic hotels. The cost of living is also strongly influenced by the location of the property and the proximity of the tourist season. You can rent a simple house for around 10,000 baht per month. When renting, you should clarify which expenses are included in the rent (water, electricity, garbage disposal, internet, etc.) and which are not.

Minimum amount for housing: a modest house far from the sea can be rented for 10,000 baht, but it all depends on the season.

How much money do you need for an emergency reserve?

The concept of NZ (emergency reserve) is very vague and everyone has the right to understand it in their own way, for some NZ is 100 dollars in the cover of their passport in case the restaurant bill turns out to be more than planned, for others it is an entire financial structure, etc. d.

For every traveler, I would recommend having some kind of “safety cushion” in case of unforeseen circumstances that can happen to anyone. Practice has shown that $1,000 per person is quite enough, and it is important that this $1,000 be available to you at any time and preferably in different places. This could be a separate bank card (precisely a separate one, not the one you use every day), an agreement with family and friends that they will be able to transfer the required amount by money transfer, hiding places in your clothes, etc. For these purposes I use a credit card, which is my “safety bag”, since in ordinary life it is not even activated.

In what situations should you resort to emergency reserve (emergency supply)? There can be many cases (you were robbed, the bank blocked your card, etc.), but it is important to understand that these funds should help you return home, i.e. they should be enough for a plane ticket.

Minimum amount of NZ: approximately $1,000 per person (35,000 baht).

Let’s summarize how much money to take to Thailand if you are traveling on your own; all the figures indicated are very, very approximate and are designed for one traveler. I will give all the calculations for half a month (so that you can compare them with the expenses of a package tourist) and for a month.

• air ticket - as I wrote earlier, a one-way air ticket can be bought for 13,667 rubles (7,400 baht), i.e. our expenses are 13,667 rubles (7,400 baht) * 2 (return ticket) = 27,337 rubles (14,800 baht);
• transport - 5,000 baht for renting a moped for all 14 days of vacation; if you rent a bike for a month, then the rental amount can be the same as for half a month for a daily rental;
• insurance - minimum insurance for a month from Liberty Insurance costs about 2,889 rubles (1,560 baht);
• housing - renting a simple house in Phuket will cost about 10,000 baht per month;
• excursions - for Pattaya 2,500 baht per person, for Phuket 5,000 baht per person, as a rule, independent travelers organize excursions for themselves, but they also require money;
• food - 14,000 baht per person you will be allowed to have a delicious dinner and lunch all 14 days of your vacation, if you rented a house with a kitchen, then you can spend less on food per month than package tourists for half a month;
• souvenirs - 3,000 baht is enough for gifts and other tourist tinsel that tourists take home; as a rule, independent travelers do not buy them;
• entertainment is the very essence of a holiday in Thailand, here you need to spend at least 5,000 baht, it all depends on personal preferences and hobbies, but you can spend 5,000 baht;
• emergency reserve - $1,000 per person (35,000 baht).

The total amount spent by an independent traveler (for 14 days) in Thailand is approximately as follows:

• for Phuket - 77,600 baht per person (air ticket 14,800 baht + transport 5,000 baht + insurance 800 baht + housing 5,000 baht + excursions 5,000 baht + food 7,000 baht + souvenirs 0 baht + entertainment 5,000 baht + NZ 35,000 baht);
• for Pattaya - 75,100 baht per person (air ticket 14,800 baht + transport 5,000 baht + insurance 800 baht + housing 5,000 baht + excursions 2,500 baht + food 7,000 baht + souvenirs 0 baht + entertainment 5,000 baht + NZ 35,000 baht).

The total amount spent by an independent traveler (per month) in Thailand is approximately as follows:

• for Phuket - 89,560 baht per person (air ticket 14,800 baht + transport 5,000 baht + insurance 1,560 baht + housing 10,000 baht + excursions 5,000 baht + food 14,000 baht + souvenirs 0 baht + entertainment 5,000 baht + NZ 35 000 baht);
• for Pattaya - 87,060 baht per person (air ticket 14,800 baht + transport 5,000 baht + insurance 1,560 baht + housing 10,000 baht + excursions 2,500 baht + food 14,000 baht + souvenirs 0 baht + entertainment 5,000 baht + NZ 35 000 baht).

What currency to travel to Thailand with?

What currency to travel with is the very first question asked by tourists who have purchased tours to resorts in Thailand. To be brief, the only correct answer will be something like this: bring anything, but not rubles. Now I will explain in detail my position on the currency issue.

A little earlier, I wrote an article in which I described in detail all the features of currencies and their relationship to the Thai baht. I will try to briefly talk about the dollar, euro, ruble and their relationship to the baht.

Dollar in Thailand

They will exchange dollars for you everywhere, but in some places they may find fault with old bills (they may not accept dollars older than 1996). When exchanging dollars into baht, there is a rate for different denominations of dollars, the most unfavorable for 1 dollar bills, the most profitable for 100 dollar bills.

Euro in Thailand

The euro in Thailand feels even better than the dollar, they don’t find fault with old banknotes (however, such banknotes do not exist in nature), they change the euro everywhere.

Ruble in Thailand

The ruble is not considered a currency as such, however, most Russian export companies treat the ruble the same way and sell Russia’s wealth exclusively for dollars and euros.

The ruble can be exchanged in Thailand, but at a very unfavorable rate. The value of the ruble for Thais is on the same level as Ukrainian hryvnia, Belarusian bunnies, Kyrgyz soms and other Zimbabwean dollars. Unfortunately, the ruble should be used exclusively as Russia’s internal currency; this state of affairs can only be understood and forgiven. :)

How to bring money to Thailand

There are several standard ways to bring money and use it in Thailand; we’ll talk about the most popular ones in this part of the post.

Bank cards

The most convenient and safest way to store and transport money is a bank card, and for reliability you should have several bank cards. How to choose a bank card that is profitable for travel, read the link.

To avoid blocking your card by the bank, before your trip, inform us that you are going to Thailand. Some banks still practice blocking cards if money is withdrawn from Southeast Asian countries, which are considered very unreliable. How to secure your bank card, read the link.

There are several nuances when withdrawing money from a bank card in Thailand:

foreign currency account - it is advisable to have a foreign currency account, otherwise you will lose on double conversion, your rubles will be converted into the currency of the Visa or Master system (and here the ruble has no use), and then dollars or euros will be converted into baht;
commission - when withdrawing cash, you will be charged several commissions, your bank (approximately 1 - 2% of the amount) + Thai ATM commission (100 - 200 baht);
limit on cash withdrawals - a Thai ATM will allow you to withdraw no more than 20,000 baht at a time, sometimes this is not convenient.

Cash currency

If you are bringing dollars or euros, then when exchanging for baht there are no commissions or restrictions, which is very profitable. How to choose a currency for a trip abroad, read the link.

Cash in your pocket is a big risk of “losing” it without any possibility of getting it back.

Cash currency and bank cards

The best way to minimize the risk of losing money in Thailand is to wisely divide the amount allocated for vacation and place it on several accounts (several bank cards), plus part of the amount should be brought in cash. My selection of bank cards for travel, read the link.

Have a nice holiday.

Before traveling to Thailand, you need to know how much money to take with you, in what currency and whether to take a bank card. If you do not answer this question before arriving in this country of smiles, then difficulties may arise, such as a lack of money for food or housing (these are extremes), as well as for souvenirs, attractions and restaurants (you can do without this, but you will have a rest not as comfortable as it could be).

First, let's figure out what currency to take with us to Thailand. It's best to take dollars, in extreme cases the euro. You can exchange dollars upon arrival at a bank or exchange office at a favorable rate for Thai baht (at the exchange rate 1 $ = 32 baht, 1 baht = 1.8 rubles - approximately). In Thailand, you can pay everywhere with baht or a bank card.

And now about the amount of money. On average, for a two-week holiday in Thailand you need to take 25,000-40,000 baht (not including air tickets), for a month you will need 50,000-60,000 baht, and if you take 60,000 baht, you can deny yourself practically nothing. This is the cost of a “typical” holiday, without frills, but with amenities. Some enterprising travelers fit into the budget of 20,000 baht for a whole month of vacation per person, but this is more like everyday life than a vacation (there are many Russians living on the islands of Thailand who moved there “for good” or for the winter).

It is important to understand that everyone vacations differently: someone lives in a 2-star hotel for 400 baht per day and goes to eat in inexpensive cafes, does not go sightseeing and buys souvenirs at a minimum. Such a two-week vacation will cost 10,000-15,000 baht. And some live in a five-star hotel for 5,000 baht per day, dine only in expensive restaurants, go to all kinds of spa treatments and go on a yacht in the evening. Such a two-week vacation will cost 120,000-150,000 baht. Therefore, it is better to decide in advance what kind of vacation you are counting on and based on this, roughly calculate how much money to take with you to Thailand. To make this easier, I provided data on what and how much tourists spend on vacation in Thailand (without taking into account the cost of air tickets, how to buy inexpensive air tickets).

Rental of property

This type of spending applies only to independent travelers; for vacationers on package tours, accommodation is included in the price of the tour. As for independent travelers: a room in a three-star hotel costs on average 700-1300 baht per day (breakfast is included in the price), i.e. for two weeks you need to pay 9800-18200 baht. How to book cheap hotel rooms. Alternatively, in some cases it will be cheaper than staying in a hotel. On average, a house not on the coast can be rented for 600-800 baht/day, thus paying 8400-11200 baht for two weeks. It is this item of expenditure that many tourists have the most and it is what largely determines how much money you need to take with you to Thailand.

Nutrition

Food in Thailand is inexpensive, and cafes are found at every turn. Most hotels only include breakfast in the room rate, so you will actually have to spend on food. A hearty and tasty meal in a cafe costs on average 150-200 baht; in a restaurant for dinner (without alcohol) you will need to pay 300-400 baht per person. And even with three meals a day we will pay from 6300 baht to 16800 baht. Almost all cafes and restaurants have free Wi-Fi.

Transport

This expense item is different for everyone. for 200-350 baht/day and rides where he wants. Someone wants increased comfort, and he rents a car for 1000-2000 baht/day. And some travel exclusively by public transport, which is quite cheap, since a ticket on a city bus costs 10-40 baht (depending on the route). If you are not going to actively move around Thailand, then budget for spending 1000 baht on transport; in most cases this is quite enough.

Excursions

There are a lot of excursions in Thailand. They all differ in duration and intensity, some include food and transportation, and some do not, so there is no specific figure for this expense item. Most excursions cost from 500 baht to 4000 baht, but you still need to go on them, because vacation is not only a vegetative existence on the beach in the sun, vacation should be varied and memorable.

Telephone, Internet

Here you won't spend much money. 500 baht for communication in two weeks is enough, which is enough to pay for several calls to your homeland and several hundred megabytes of traffic (Internet). It will be cheaper to buy a local SIM card upon arrival than to use an old one. Or you can avoid spending money on communications at all by talking on Skype in a cafe (after all, there is free Wi-Fi there). Some hotels have a fee for Wi-Fi, so take this into account when choosing where to stay.

Shopping and entertainment

Also a very controversial expense item. Some people spend 10,000 baht in bars, restaurants and clubs in one day, while for others 3,000 baht is enough for purchases for the entire vacation period. I recommend buying what you want, but in moderation. A vacation is just a vacation to relax your body and soul, so you can pamper yourself, especially since everything is cheap in Thailand, especially where there are fewer tourists.

Emergency reserve (NZ)

When you decide how much money to take to Thailand, do not forget about the emergency reserve. You should always have money “just in case.” You never know what will happen, you might scratch your rented bike, snag and tear your jeans, or get too carried away with shopping. Everyone thinks that nothing bad will happen to them, but still, something happens to someone, and this “spare money” comes in handy. I recommend putting 15,000 rubles on a bank card and not using it during your entire vacation, only in extreme cases.

Prices for some goods and services

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