What Thailand costs in rupees: budgets, cards and ATM fees

Daily budgets per person

These assume a couple sharing a room, excluding flights.

• Lean — hostel or simple guesthouse, street food, public transport: roughly 2,500–4,000 rupees a day.
• Comfortable — a good three or four-star hotel, a mix of restaurants and street stalls, some taxis and one paid activity: roughly 6,000–10,000 rupees a day.
• Luxury — a resort with a pool, fine dining, private transfers: 20,000 rupees a day and up, without limit in Phuket or Koh Samui.

Getting money there

• Forex card — usually the cheapest way to spend, loaded in baht before you travel. Withdrawals still attract the Thai ATM fee.
• Thai ATMs charge a fixed fee per withdrawal, typically 220 baht, on top of your bank''s charges. Withdraw large amounts rarely rather than small amounts often.
• Always choose to be charged in baht, not rupees, when a machine or card terminal offers the conversion. Dynamic currency conversion is a poor rate.
• Cash is still king at markets, songthaews and small eateries. Carry small notes; 1,000-baht notes are awkward.
• UPI acceptance is expanding at some Thai merchants but is not something to rely on.

Costs to sanity-check a quote against

• Street meal: 60–100 baht. Mid-range restaurant main: 200–400 baht.
• BTS Skytrain ride in Bangkok: 20–60 baht. Airport Rail Link to city: 45 baht.
• Grab across central Bangkok: 150–300 baht.
• Domestic flight Bangkok–Phuket booked ahead: 1,200–2,500 baht.
• Full-day island tour: 1,200–2,500 baht.

Tipping and small print

Tipping is not obligatory. Rounding up a taxi fare or leaving 20–50 baht after a good meal is normal. Hotels and restaurants often add a 10 per cent service charge plus 7 per cent VAT — check the bill before adding more. VAT refunds on shopping are available at the airport for goods over the minimum spend, with the paperwork completed at the point of sale.