How Much Does It Cost to Travel Thailand in 2026? Real Prices & Budget Breakdown -

As a family that loves to travel Thailand, of course I’m in all the obvious Facebook groups people head to for advice and inspiration. And something I keep seeing pop up again and again is people complaining about how much prices have risen.

And yes, let’s be honest, they have risen everywhere.

Flights cost more. Accommodation costs more. Even the cheapest countries aren’t quite as cheap as they were 10 years ago.

However… if you are smart about how you travel and how you book, you can still absolutely feel like you’re paying almost the same prices as you were years ago, especially in Thailand.

We’ve travelled Thailand multiple times as a family, both booking the “normal” way and using our travel platform, and in this post I’m going to break down:

What Thailand actually costs in 2026
Realistic daily budgets
Flights, hotels, food, transport and activities
And how we consistently cut the biggest costs down

If you’re planning a trip and wondering whether Thailand is still “cheap” this will give you a real, honest answer.

Is Thailand Still Cheap in 2026?

The short answer?

Yes, once you’re there.
Flights and hotels can vary wildly, but day-to-day life in Thailand is still incredibly affordable, especially compared to Europe or the UK.

The long answer?

It depends on:

When you go
Where you go
And most importantly… how you book

Thailand can be:

Very cheap
Or surprisingly expensive

The difference is mostly in flights and accommodation.

✈️ How Much Do Flights to Thailand Cost?

From the UK, flights to Bangkok typically range:

Low season: £500–£700 return
High season: £800–£1,200+ return

This is where most people feel the “Thailand isn’t cheap anymore” pain.

When booking flights, consider stopovers to bring the costs down and setting alerts on skyscanner for price changes. Flexibility with your flight is key. Being able to travel anytime in October compared to a set date is where it gets tricky price wise.

🏨 How Much Does Accommodation Cost in Thailand?

This is where Thailand still shines.

Typical Prices:

Budget guesthouse: £10–£25 per night
Nice hotel: £25–£60 per night
Family rooms: £35–£80 per night
Resorts: £60–£150+ per night

Even in places like Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and tourist areas, you still get insane value for money.

Let’s take a look at some price comparisons based on the whole sale travel app we use.

Huen Jao Ban Hotel: 4* same dates, of 5 nights in Feb 2026 – 2 adults and 2 children: popular booking site of £265 compared to £149 on the wholesale travel app we use. (prices correct of 22/01/2026)

Let’s take a look at a hotel in Bangkok – Gand Diamond Suites Hotel. This I did for 2 nights in February – same dates, same room and 2 adults and 2 children. Even though I am at genius level 3 with booking.com they cannot beat the wholesale travel app. At genius level 3 I would pay £453, but others would pay £503 but anyone with the app would pay £245. (prices correct as of 22/01/2026) Insane!

I could obviously show you a multitude of deals, the savings vary from hotel to hotel but if you’re not looking for a certain hotel and again are flexible – the savings you could get will be amazing.

This is the are we consistently save the MOST. There are a whole host of benefits aside from the savings but if you take a peek on the images you’ll also see a section which saves “earn x travel credits.” These are credits you get back on all your bookings to deduct off of you future bookings. So, you get reduced rates and then money back in the form of credits to make your next booking cheaper. I like to leave mine to build to essentially then make a trip free 😉

🍜 How Much Does Food Cost in Thailand?

Food is still ridiculously affordable.

Typical prices:

Street food: £1–£3 per meal
Local restaurant: £2–£5 per meal
Western restaurant: £6–£12 per meal
Fresh smoothies: £1–£2

As a family of four, we often spend:

💰 £15–£25 per day on food when eating mostly Thai
💰 £25–£40 per day if we include western meals

And the food is honestly one of the best parts of travelling Thailand.

Top tip: Find the markets the locals are eating at. Not only will you again be able to get true authenticity BUT the prices will be much cheaper and in my opinion – tonnes tastier.

🚕 Transport Costs in Thailand

Getting around is easy and cheap:

Grab / taxis in cities: £1–£5 typical rides
Tuk-tuks depends on the distance but you can haggle the prices
Trains: very cheap but slow
Long-distance buses: £5–£15
Internal flights: £20–£60

We’ve travelled:

Bangkok → Ayutthaya
Ayutthaya → Lop Buri
Chiang Mai → Mae Hong Son Loop

And transport has never been a big part of our budget.

🏛 Activities & Attractions

Another reason Thailand is great value:

Many temples: free or £1–£3
National parks: £5–£10
Museums: £2–£5
Big experiences (like ethical elephant sanctuaries): £50–£80+

Most days in Thailand, your “activities” cost almost nothing.

However, much like you can get hotels discounted using a wholesale travel app. You can get discounts and travel credits on your excursions too, from your smaller to your bigger experiences. Let’s take a look at a couple!

Firstly, a Chiang Mai Bungee experience. Popular booking site of get your guide: “from £70” and £55 on the travel app. (prices correct as of 22/01/2026)

Next a Thai cooking experience in Bangkok – same school. Get your guide: “from £30” compared to £25 and your travel credits. (prices correct as of 22/01/2026)

💰 Realistic Daily Budgets for Thailand

🎒 Budget Traveller

£25–£40 per person per day

💳 Mid-Range Traveller

£40–£80 per person per day

👨‍👩‍👦 Family of Four

£80–£150 per day total (depending on hotel style and activities)

That being said – these are just rough guides. For context, I have planned 6 weeks travelling around Thailand and on to Vietnam from early November 2026 and the cost totals £2550 for all of our hotels (including one week luxury 5* in Hanoi) and a few excursions booked. This is without me using any of my existing travel credits I have to deduct and doesn’t include the travel credits I am also going to earn. I cannot express the savings on this platform enough!

🧠 The Real Difference: How You Book

This is the part nobody in Facebook groups talks about.

Most people:

Use the same booking sites
Pay the same inflated retail prices
And assume “that’s just what it costs now”

We’ve tested:

Normal booking sites
Vs booking through our travel platform

And the difference over a full trip can easily be:

💰 Hundreds — sometimes over a thousand pounds

Not because Thailand is cheaper.

But because the booking method is.

Comparing to the price I just gave you above for 6 weeks, in 2019 we paid almost £6000 for 3 weeks!!! And at that point our youngest was 18 months old and would have been free. Honestly, blows my mind how much we could have saved before discovering this app.

🛡 Don’t Forget These Extra Costs

Your insurance, e sims etc all contribute. These are small compared to flights and hotels but still important. You can find out what we use here: Traveling as a family isn’t just about booking flights and accommodation.

🇹🇭 Is Thailand Still Worth It in 2026?

100% yes.

Even with higher flight prices, Thailand is still:

One of the best value long-haul destinations in the world
Incredibly family-friendly
Easy to travel
Safe, beautiful, and packed with culture

And if you’re smart about how you book?

It can still feel like the old days of Thailand pricing.

If you’d like to get the information about the wholesale travel app we use, you can grab it here. Or of course, drop me a DM on IG!

How Much Does It Cost to Travel Thailand in 2026? Real Prices & Budget Breakdown