13 Days in Thailand Cost: 29,009 TRY Excluding Flights

Hi everyone! Everyone planning a trip to Thailand asks the same question: "Is Thailand expensive, and how much money do I need?" I spent 13 days traveling, eating and staying in Thailand and wrote down every expense. The result: 29,009 Turkish lira in total, excluding flights.

Yes, 13 days. In this post I break down exactly where that money went.

In short: On a 13-day Thailand trip (Bangkok + Pattaya) I spent 29,009 TRY excluding flights, an average of about 2,231 TRY per day. Including flights to Bangkok and on to Korea, the whole trip came to 48,794 TRY.

A note on currency: We paid in Turkish lira. At September 2026 exchange rates, 29,009 TRY is roughly €520 / US$600, and the daily average is roughly €40 / US$46. The lira lost value over 2026, so the amount was worth more in euros and dollars when we actually traveled. Treat these conversions as a rough guide.

My Expenses, Item by Item

General Expenses

Item	Amount	Share of total
Accommodation	5,500 TRY	19.0%
Turkish exit fee	1,250 TRY	4.3%
Food	7,280 TRY	25.1%
Transport	2,470 TRY	8.5%
Other expenses	7,650 TRY	26.4%
Subtotal	24,150 TRY	83.3%

Pattaya Expenses

Item	Amount	Share of total
Food	2,731 TRY	9.4%
Hotel	2,128 TRY	7.3%
Subtotal	4,859 TRY	16.7%

Total Inside Thailand

• Total: 24,150 TRY + 4,859 TRY = 29,009 TRY
• Daily average: 29,009 TRY ÷ 13 days ≈ 2,231 TRY

Grouped by category:

• Food in total: 7,280 + 2,731 = 10,011 TRY (about 770 TRY a day)
• Accommodation in total: 5,500 + 2,128 = 7,628 TRY (about 587 TRY a day over 13 days)
• Transport: 2,470 TRY

The biggest item was food, which is good news: you don't need a fortune to eat well in Thailand.

Grand Total Including Flights

Item	Amount
13 days of spending in Thailand	29,009 TRY
Flight to Bangkok	12,000 TRY
Flight to Korea (Bangkok → Seoul)	7,785 TRY
Grand total	48,794 TRY

Flights came to 19,785 TRY, about 40% of the total trip cost. In other words, what often decides the budget of a Thailand trip is not spending inside the country but the price of the ticket. Booking early and at the right time makes a big difference.

How we continued from Thailand to Korea, and the travel authorization you need for Korea, is covered in our K-ETA guide.

How We Kept to This Budget

We didn't skip anything; we just paid attention to where our money went. I covered each part in detail in separate posts:

• Accommodation: We stayed 7 nights at Boss Suites Nana in central Bangkok and 4 nights at Beach by Anatolia Condo Suite, close to the beach in Pattaya.
• Money exchange: Instead of the airport, we exchanged money in the city at Vasu Exchange, which had a good rate.
• Intercity transport: We went from Bangkok to Pattaya on a 180-baht bus and used Bolt instead of transfer drivers.
• Sightseeing: We visited many free or low-cost places. See must-visit places in Bangkok and must-visit places in Pattaya.

Tips for Traveling Thailand on a Budget

1. Exchange only a little money at the airport. Airport rates are usually worse than exchange offices in the city.
2. Use apps instead of haggling with taxis. Apps like Bolt and Grab show the price upfront and are often much cheaper than drivers waiting at tourist spots.
3. Choose buses or minivans between cities. Booking through apps like 12Go saves a lot compared with private transfers.
4. Think twice about hotel breakfast and buffets. For the same money you can often eat better and cheaper outside.
5. Invest in location. A central hotel cuts both transport costs and travel time.
6. Write down your spending every day. "Other expenses" grows without you noticing; for us it was more than a quarter of the total.

Up-to-Date Info Before You Go to Thailand

• Visa exemption: Many nationalities can enter Thailand visa-free for tourism. From 15 September 2026, the visa-free stay was cut from 60 to 30 days for most eligible countries. It can usually be extended once at an immigration office for a fee. Check the current rules for your nationality on official sources before you travel.
• TDAC (Thailand Digital Arrival Card): A free digital arrival card that every foreign traveler must complete online within 3 days before arrival. Ignore sites that charge a fee for it.
• Tourist entry fee: The tourist entry fee Thailand has discussed for a long time had not come into effect when we last updated this post.
• Turkish exit fee: This is a Turkish fee, not a Thai one. Residents leaving Türkiye pay it (1,250 TRY in 2026), so it only applies if you travel from Türkiye.

So, Is Thailand Really Expensive?

In our experience, no. With an average of 2,231 TRY a day excluding flights, we enjoyed both Bangkok and Pattaya, with accommodation, food, transport and sightseeing all included.

What makes Thailand expensive is usually not the country itself but how people travel: exchanging money at bad airport rates, taking taxis everywhere without agreeing a price, eating at tourist restaurants and buying pricey tour packages. With a bit of research, you can have the same experience for much less.

What do you think: is Thailand really expensive, or are people just traveling it the wrong way? Let me know in the comments.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a 13-day trip to Thailand cost?

On our 13-day Bangkok and Pattaya trip, total spending excluding flights was 29,009 Turkish lira, roughly €520 / US$600 at September 2026 rates. Including flights to Bangkok and on to Korea, the grand total was 48,794 TRY.

How much money do you need per day in Thailand?

Our daily average excluding flights was about 2,231 TRY, roughly €40 / US$46 at September 2026 rates. That covers accommodation, food, transport and other expenses. Your spending will depend on where you stay, how you eat and how you get around.

What do you spend the most on in Thailand?

On our trip, food was the biggest item: 10,011 TRY across Bangkok and Pattaya. Accommodation came second at 7,628 TRY.

Do I need a visa for Thailand?

Many nationalities can enter Thailand visa-free for tourism. From 15 September 2026, the visa-free stay is 30 days for most eligible countries and can usually be extended once for a fee. All foreign visitors must complete the free TDAC digital arrival card before arrival.

Is Thailand expensive?

In our experience, not if you plan well. We spent 13 days on an average of 2,231 TRY a day excluding flights. Costs usually go up because of habits like exchanging money at the airport, unmetered taxis and tourist restaurants.

Conclusion

Traveling, eating and staying in Thailand for 13 days cost us just 29,009 TRY excluding flights. With a little planning and smart choices, Thailand is still a budget-friendly destination.

Stay tuned for more practical tips about Thailand and Korea. Take care!