There is always an urgent question for tourists who choose to stay in a hotel in Thailand using the breakfast system: how much money should they take with them “for food” and for entertainment. The correspondent of Vestnik ATOR spent 12 days in Phuket in July and calculated how much additional funds (in addition to the money for the tour package) one tourist would need for this period for leisure outside the hotel.
The most popular food option in Thai hotels is breakfast (this is 85% of all tours).
And this means that tourists will need to spend extra (in addition to the amount for the tour) on food outside the hotel, fruits, shopping, travel, entertainment and excursions, if such are included in vacation plans.
We analyzed prices in Thailand and calculated how much an average tourist can spend in Phuket in 12 days. Prices will be indicated not only in rubles, but also in baht, as the exchange rate may change.
At the time of July 23, 1 Thai baht is equal to 2.43 Russian rubles. The current course can be viewed here. We also give approximate prices in rubles – but they are for July 23, 2024.
WHERE IN THAILAND TO BUY LOCAL CURRENCY – BAHT
Many Russians come to Thailand with UnionPay cards from Gazprombank. Then they either pay her in stores, or withdraw cash from her. You can withdraw baht from the UnionPay card immediately upon arrival, at the airport, after passing the border. There is an ATM near the exchange point that accepts UnionPay.
If you change the cash currency, then it is better to take US dollars to Thailand. Today, on July 23, in many exchange offices in Phuket, 35.8 baht was given for 1 US dollar. You can find a more profitable course.
There is also an option to buy baht on the spot for Russian rubles. On July 23, Russians received 0.365 baht for 1 ruble.
HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU NEED FOR FOOD IN PHUKET: THE ECONOMY AND NORMAL OPTION
Food prices depend on the location where you are going to eat. If you choose a small cafe or a street stall in the bazaar, then you can keep within 100 baht (≈240 rubles). It’s just for the food. The prices for drinks are different.
For example, on the beaches of Kamala and Surin, an average of 50-70 baht (≈120-170 rubles) is asked for fruit shakes. Corn on the beach costs 60 baht (≈150 rubles), a pancake with mango or banana costs 80-100 baht (≈190-240 rubles).
Makashnitsa near Kamala beach. Pancake with mango – 100 baht. Photo: ATOR
If you plan to eat in cafes or restaurants, the prices will be higher. The average is 300-500 baht per person per meal. For example, at Surin Beach in a cafe, we bought fish with Thai mango salad for 450 baht per serving (≈1100 rubles).
Budget and delicious cafe on Kamala beach, Phuket, Thailand. Photo: ATOR
And a full lunch for three with drinks right at Bangla Road, on Patong Beach, cost us 1,260 baht (≈3,000 rubles). For this amount, we received chicken salad, grilled potatoes, spring rolls, sweet rice with mango, thai milk, mango shake and passion fruit shake.
In restaurants on the territory of the hotels the prices are about the same as in restaurants in the city. For example, at The Marin 5* hotel on Kamala Beach, dinner for three costs within 1300 baht (≈3,100 rubles). For this amount, you will receive meat, vegetables and drinks (non-alcoholic).
Separately, let’s talk about coffee. Coffee in Thailand is very tasty, coffee shops often offer local coffee grown in the north of Thailand. The price guide is from 60-70 baht (≈145-170 rubles) for an average glass of cappuccino. In hotels it is more expensive – 100 baht (≈240 rubles).
Coffee and cake at the Samet Nangshe observation deck in Phang Nga Province. The cost is 270 baht. Photo: ATOR
Total. One person spends at least 400-500 baht (≈1000-1200 rubles) per day on food and drinks, subject to breakfast at the hotel. This is if you choose makashnits, small cafes or snacks in supermarkets. For 12 days – 4000-5000 baht, or ≈12-14.5 thousand rubles per person and only for modest meals during the holidays.
If you go to good cafes and restaurants, then on average you need 1000-1300 baht per day per person (≈2.4-3 thousand thousand rubles). If you count the amount for 12 days with this type of food – 12-15,6 thousand. baht or minimum ≈29-37 thousand rubles per person.
READ ALSO:
- Pattaya or Phuket: where is it better to go to Thailand in the summer
- Fishing spot: snorkeling beaches in Phuket
- Thailand of affordable luxury: a review of quality hotels in Phuket of category 4-5*
Why the minimum? Because, as in the case of more modest meals in makashnits, it is without buying fruits at markets, shakes on the street and beach, alcohol, cigarettes, etc. Let’s talk about this further.
Fruit necks at the elephant nursery in Phang Nga. The cost is 60 baht. Photo: ATOR
HOW MUCH MONEY DOES IT TAKE TO TRAVEL AROUND PHUKET
There are different options – you can ride a bus , or rent a bike for 250-300 baht (≈600-720 rubles) per day.
Please note that in Thailand, an international category A license is required for a bike.
From Russians who live in Phuket, you can hear advice like this: “you can ride a bike even with a Russian category B license. If they stop you, just pay a fine of 1000 baht.” For our part, we do not recommend doing this. For your own good.
And we are not saying this out of pure “principle of law-abiding” (being in a foreign country, it is necessary to comply with its laws). It’s just that if something happens to you on the road (and bike accidents in Thailand are the most common cause of injuries, and, unfortunately, deaths of tourists), then some insurance companies may simply refuse you any payments if you were driving in violation of the laws of the country, then there are no necessary rights.
If you rent a car in Phuket , then you need to count on 1000-1800 baht (≈2400-4300 rubles) per day. You need an international license. Russian driver’s license (pink card) will not work.
The correspondent of the ATOR Bulletin traveled around Phuket by taxi. I ordered cars through the InDrive application, paid in cash. For example, a trip from Kamala Beach to Patong may cost from 200 to 300 baht (480-720 rubles) at different times. This is a 10 km journey lasting approximately 35 minutes.
During our 12 days in Phuket, we spent 2000 baht (≈4.8 thousand rubles) on a taxi. for three people.
HOW MUCH MONEY IS NEEDED FOR EXCURSIONS IN PHUKET
Depends on what kind of vacation you prefer. You can not spend money on excursions at all and spend all your days on the beach. You can take a taxi on your own, for example, to Big Buddha, Wat Chalong, Promthep Cape, go to a show, etc.
Durian near Promthep Cape, Phuket, Thailand. Photo: ATOR
We have chosen the option of outdoor activities. And we spent about 12 thousand on excursions. baht (≈30 thousand rubles) per person. What did we get with this money?
- trip to Phi Phi Islands
- trip to Phang Nga province (swimming with elephants, waterfall, ancient temple, Phang Nga Bay observation deck, lunch)
- Phuket sightseeing tour
- Phuket Town evening tour
- Siam Niramit show
One of the locations of the Phi Phi Lagoon Pele boat tour. Photo ATOR
HOW MUCH MONEY IS NEEDED IN THAILAND FOR SOUVENIRS AND OTHER PURCHASES
It is definitely impossible to answer this question. Let’s just tell you what we bought and how much we spent.
Thai massage. We did it 5 times during the 12-day trip. The foot massage cost us 300 baht (≈720 rubles), and the back – 600 baht (≈1,500 rubles). per person. For 5 trips to the massage parlor – 2.4 thousand rubles. baht per person (≈5.8 thousand rubles).
Five times we bought fruits. In our basket there were mango, papaya, passion fruit, grapes, dragon fruit. They spent an average of 600 baht (≈1,500 rubles) each time. For example: mango costs 70-80 baht (≈170-190 rubles) for 1 kg, passion fruit – 80 baht (≈190 rubles) for 1 kg, and grapes – 399 baht (almost≈1000 rubles) for 1 kg. For 5 trips to the fruit shop – 3 thousand baht, or less than 8 thousand rubles.
Fruits in Thailand. Photo: ATOR
We spent 500 baht (≈1200 rubles) at the pharmacy. But we did not buy serious medicines. They came only for sunburn ointment, Band-Aids and napkins. The ointment cost 230 baht (≈550 rubles).
In addition, we bought some outfits from brands that left Russia. And we also bought things at the bazaar in Phuket Town. We spent an average of about 4 thousand. baht per person (≈10 thousand rubles).
In total, 10 thousand baht was spent on the “fifth-tenth” for each person. This is slightly less than 30 thousand rubles.
TO SUM UP
If you eat in Thailand in budget places and do not spend money on excursions and clothes, but allow yourself fruits, bike rental and a number of other small things, then you can keep within 8-10 thousand. baht per person for 12 nights. This is 20-24 thousand rubles per person plus the amount of your tour.
If you eat in medium-sized restaurants, actively travel around the island, do not deny yourself shopping trips, then you need to count on about 34 thousand baht. In rubles – more than 80 thousand rubles per person (plus the amount of your tour).
A tour to Phuket in July to a 5* hotel for 12 nights cost 150 thousand rubles per person. If you count together with additional expenses, including excursions and taxis, then the entire vacation in Thailand will cost you 230 thousand rubles per person – for not the most budget vacation.
If you choose a tour to a 3* hotel, eat in makashnits, do not drink alcohol and do not smoke, do not enrich your vacation with a large number of excursions and rent a bike, then you can keep within 100 thousand rubles per person for the entire tour and all expenses outside the hotel. But this is the minimum.
Alexandra Polyanskaya
