True Trip Costs: Thailand
before you go
- DoTake your card back straight away
- DoTDAC: Free, file online within 72 hours
- CarryCash for: Street food, markets, taxis, temples
- WithdrawTake out a large sum at once from a bank ATM
- Don'tMeter refusal: Quotes 2 to 4x, walk away
- ExpectCheck the bill: Some add 10% service
That's the short version. Below: every fee we checked, what it all adds up to, and the traps we help you dodge.
No match. See all guides.
Money in Thailand, sorted.
A calm, current plan for the money side of your trip: what you can tap, where you still need baht, and the small rules that trip up first-timers.
The three things people ask
Will my card work? Do I need cash? Are ATMs easy?
The quick read for a first trip.
Your card
Fine in malls and hotels
Visa and Mastercard work at shopping centers, hotels, chains and mid to upscale restaurants, and contactless is spreading in Bangkok. But street food, markets, tuk-tuks and small shops are cash only, and the local QR system (PromptPay) is mostly for people with a Thai bank account.
Check yours →Cash
Needed every day
Baht is the everyday currency for street food, markets, tuk-tuks, taxis and small shops. Carry small notes (20, 50 and 100 baht) and use a 7-Eleven to break 500s and 1,000s.
How much to bring →ATMs
Work, but the fee stings
Thai ATMs charge a flat foreign-card fee, commonly 220 baht (about $7) per withdrawal, and higher at some banks. AEON ATMs are the cheapest at 150 baht. Withdraw a large amount at once (up to 20,000 to 30,000 baht), use a bank ATM, and decline the "convert to dollars" offer.
See ATMs in Thailand →(opens in a new tab)Cash or card
Thailand is cash-first once you step outside the malls.
A rough feel for everyday spending. Bangkok and the big tourist hubs are increasingly card and QR friendly at malls, hotels and chains. But street food, markets, tuk-tuks, taxis, islands and small towns run on cash, and a 7-Eleven on almost every corner will break a big note. Keep baht on you.
See what the trip really costs →Your money plan
Four steps and you're set.
Before you go
- Get a no-foreign-fee debit card for cash. Charles Schwab refunds ATM fees worldwide, which softens Thailand's flat fee; Wise and Revolut are low-fee.
- Bring a no-fee Visa or Mastercard for malls, hotels and restaurants, and pack a backup card from a different bank.
- File the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online within 72 hours of your flight. It is mandatory and free, and not a money charge.
- Set a travel notice with your bank so a street-stall tap on day one does not get blocked.
At the airport
- Airport ATMs charge the same flat fee and push the dollar conversion hard, so make one larger withdrawal from a bank ATM and decline "convert to USD."
- Skip the airport currency counters; their rates are poor.
- Grab some small notes for a taxi, and use the official airport taxi desk or a ride app.
Day to day
- Cash for street food, markets, tuk-tuks, taxis and small shops.
- Card for malls, hotels and bigger restaurants.
- Always choose baht on every card terminal and ATM screen.
- Withdraw in big chunks so the flat ATM fee hurts less, and keep small notes handy.
A golden rule
- Always pay in baht, never in dollars. Choosing your home currency (dynamic currency conversion) quietly adds 5 to 8%.
- This is true at shop terminals and at ATMs alike.
Staying connected
Will my phone work here? And what will it cost?
Yes across the cities, main routes and the popular islands, with strong 4G and growing 5G in Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai. Signal drops in the northern mountains, jungle parks and the interiors of smaller islands. The cost is where people get caught out, and on most US plans it lands in one of two buckets.
Your plan may already include it
Often, do nothing
Some US plans include slow data abroad at no extra cost. If that is you, the honest move is to leave it alone.
we earn nothing
Or it charges quietly, after the fact
The bill lands later
On pay-per-use plans the cost runs in the background while you travel, and the charge can show up weeks after you are home. Forgetting to switch off data roaming is the classic one. For a week or more, an eSIM is usually cheaper and keeps you in control.
Check what your own carrier charges before the trip, not after.
If an eSIM is the cheaper call, Nomad covers Thailand.
Get your Nomad eSIM→(opens in a new tab)we may earn a commissionMedical cover
The one cost with no price tag.
Every other number on this page has a price you can look up. This one does not, and it can be the largest of them all. Most US health plans cover little or nothing once you leave the country, and Medicare covers essentially none of it abroad. A serious illness or injury is paid up front, and a medical evacuation runs from tens of thousands of dollars to past $100,000 if you are remote or an ocean from home.
First, you may not need to buy anything.
A cheap, refundable trip close to home does not need this. And if you are healthy, headed somewhere with good care, and one of the premium cards on the shortlist above already includes emergency medical and evacuation, you may be covered already. Check your card's benefits guide before you buy. Saying that costs us the commission, and it is still the right call.
How much cover matters here
Care in the main cities is good, but costs add up and reaching top care from a remote spot takes time, so it is worth a real look for a trip here.
If you do want cover, this is what it is for: the evacuation and the up-front hospital bill, the part no card limit is meant to absorb.
Enough for most trips
Faye, or a comparable whole-trip policy
Bundles trip protection with emergency medical, which is enough cover for most travelers on a typical trip.
The deeper end
A dedicated travel-medical plan built for serious care and evacuation abroad
Stronger on medical care and evacuation, for a remote or higher-risk trip where that is the real exposure.
If it happens
Call it first, then call your insurer's 24/7 assistance line, which is what confirms payment and arranges an evacuation. 1669 is the medical and ambulance line. 1155 reaches the tourist police, who speak English.
TrueTripCosts explains the gap and points to options. It does not set your coverage amounts or act as your insurance advisor, and every policy carries its own exclusions, so read them before you buy. Emergency number checked Jul 2026. Confirm the current number before you travel, as local lines can change.
Currency basics
The baht, in plain terms.
Quick conversion
About 33 baht to $1 in mid-2026. A quick gut check: 100 baht is roughly $3, and 1,000 baht about $30. Prices show the baht symbol, the curly mark before or after the number.
Notes and coins
Notes run 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 baht. The 100 and 1,000 are both brownish and easy to mix up, so keep small notes separate. A 7-Eleven will break big ones.
Tipping is light
Thailand sits between the US and Japan: not expected, but a little cash is appreciated. Round up a taxi, leave 20 to 100 baht at a sit-down meal, and hand it to the person rather than the counter.
The ATM fee
Thai ATMs add a flat foreign-card fee, commonly 220 baht (about $7) a withdrawal, on top of anything your own bank charges. AEON machines are cheapest at 150 baht. Pull a large amount at once so the flat fee hurts less.
Real exchange rate
What your money is really worth here.
This is the mid-market rate, the one the banks trade at and the yardstick every other rate is measured against. Your card lands a little below it, and if a screen ever offers to bill you in dollars, that is worse again. So this is the number to expect, and how you spot a bad one.
1 US dollar is about 33.47 THB
Taxes and refunds
The "plus plus" on your bill, and money back on shopping.
Two things worth knowing. At mid to upscale restaurants and hotels you may see a price written as "500++", which means a 10% service charge plus 7% VAT get added on top, roughly 17% more than the listed number. That service charge stands in for a tip at those places. Separately, Thailand runs a VAT refund for tourists: at shops showing the "VAT Refund for Tourists" sign, spend at least 2,000 baht in one store on the same day and 5,000 baht in total, show your passport and ask for the P.P.10 form, keep the goods unused, and claim at the airport when you leave. After fees you get a bit under the full 7% back. One more to watch: a proposed entry fee for air arrivals has been debated for years and is still not being collected. In August 2026 the proposed amount was raised from 300 baht to 450 baht and the timeline slipped to late 2026 or early 2027, and once it is approved it would only begin 180 days after publication in the Royal Gazette, so there is nothing to pay yet and there would be plenty of notice if that changes.
Fees and taxes to double-check
The numbers most likely to change.
These are the fees and taxes that move on political timelines, so we track each one on its own. Every line shows the amount, whether it is in effect yet, the date we last checked it, and a primary source where a clean one exists.
Air arrival fee
Proposed at 450 baht (about $14) for air arrivals, raised from 300 baht in August 2026, still not being collected, with the timeline slipped to late 2026 or early 2027
Before you book: passports, the six-month rule and whether you need a visa. Not a US citizen, or connecting through Europe? The rules can differ, and even a layover can need its own visa. See our passports and visas guide →
Watch out for
The small traps that catch first-timers.
Tipping
Tip lightly, in cash.
Thailand sits between the US and Japan: tipping is not expected, but a small amount in cash is genuinely appreciated. At street stalls and local eateries, just round up or leave loose change. At a sit-down restaurant, 20 to 100 baht or about 10% is plenty when there is no service charge, so check the bill first, since mid and upscale places add a 10% service charge. Round up taxi fares, skip tips on pre-negotiated tuk-tuk rides, and for a massage hand 50 to 100 baht to the therapist directly rather than leaving it at the counter. Tip in baht, not dollars, and where you can, hand it over with your right hand.
Common questions
Quick answers.
Do I need cash in Thailand?
Yes, every day. Street food, markets, tuk-tuks, taxis and small shops are cash only, even though malls, hotels and bigger restaurants take cards. Carry small baht notes and break large ones at a 7-Eleven.
How do I avoid the Thailand ATM fee?
You cannot avoid the flat foreign-card fee entirely, commonly 220 baht with AEON cheapest at 150, but you can shrink its impact: withdraw a large amount at once, up to the 20,000 to 30,000 baht limit, rather than several small pulls. A card that reimburses ATM fees, like Charles Schwab, helps too.
Should I pay in baht or dollars in Thailand?
Always baht. If a card machine or ATM offers to charge you in dollars, decline. That dynamic currency conversion adds roughly 5 to 8%, and your own bank's rate is better.
Do you tip in Thailand?
It is not expected, but a little cash is appreciated. Round up taxis, leave 20 to 100 baht at a sit-down meal when there is no service charge, and tip a masseuse directly. Check the bill first, since mid and upscale places add a 10% service charge.
Is there a tourist tax or entry fee for Thailand?
An entry fee for air arrivals has been proposed and delayed for years, and in August 2026 the proposed amount was raised from 300 baht to 450 baht (about $14). It is still not being collected and has no confirmed start date, with the timeline now pointing at late 2026 or early 2027, and once approved it would only take effect 180 days after publication in the Royal Gazette. There is nothing to pay yet. The free Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC), filed online within 72 hours of your flight, is separate and already required.
How much cash should I bring for a week in Thailand?
For two mid-range travelers, very roughly 9,000 to 14,000 baht (about $275 to $425) in day-to-day cash across a week, beyond your hotel, pulled in two or three ATM visits. Adjust for your style and how much you put on a card.
What will your trip really cost?
Name where you are going. We will show you what nobody quotes.
For instance, right now
ColombiaHotels charge 19% IVA, but as a foreign tourist you are exempt, and about half try to add it anyway.
JapanThe world's most high-tech country is still cash-first, and most bank ATMs refuse US cards.
CzechiaCzech law gives you three hours to cancel a bad currency exchange and get your money back, on amounts up to 1,000 EUR.
GreeceGreece's climate fee charges an Airbnb-style rental about 8 EUR a night against 2 for a budget hotel.
El SalvadorThe country that made Bitcoin legal tender?
CambodiaThe US dollar is Cambodia's everyday currency, and ATMs hand you crisp $100 bills nobody can break.
TurkeyUS citizens need no visa and no e-visa for Turkey, scrapped in 2023.
ItalyMost Italian restaurants add a coperto, a per-person cover charge of commonly 2 to 3 euros, before you have ordered anything.
The one thing most people get wrong about Thailand
Checked Jul 2026You plan to pull cash as you go, a bit at a time, the way you would at home.
Thai ATMs charge a flat fee of about 220 baht per foreign-card withdrawal regardless of the amount, so four small withdrawals cost four times what one large one does. AEON machines are the cheapest at about 150.
What to doTake out a large sum at once from a bank ATM, and take your card back straight away, because Thai machines dispense the cash first and return the card second.
Everything we checked
What Thailand actually charges you, in one place.
5 things we verified for Thailand, grouped by the kind of thing they are. The numbers are below; this is the shape of them.
money you keep
traps to dodge
timing
The number
What you'll really spend in Thailand.
Your flights if you want them counted, your room, your on-the-ground spending, the two fees most US cards add without telling you, and Thailand's tourist tax. One number, nothing waiting on the statement. No bank to pick, no sign-up, nothing saved.
Optional. Enter your round trip fare per traveler to fold flights into the total.
Total trip realistically somewhere between $0 and $0.
Getting thereflights, and what the border costs
Departure tax is not a separate line here. Where a country charges one it is collected inside your airfare, so it is already in the flight figure, and adding it again would count it twice.
On the ground detailyour room, your days, and how much of it is cash
Whether at an ATM or a card terminal in a shop or restaurant, always choose to be charged in the local currency, not dollars. Paying in dollars (called dynamic currency conversion) lets the machine set its own, worse, exchange rate on top of any fee.
Fees nobody quotes youthe part that lands on the statement weeks later
What you'll pay
What you can refuse, and what the lookalike sites charge, is set out under Costs nobody tells you about below, with the two figures kept apart from these ones.
Costs nobody tells you about
Most of it you can keep. Here is every dollar of it.
Every one of them, and how to avoid it5 items
None of this is in the trip total above, and none of it ever will be. Two of these are money you hand over by default and the rest is money you keep by knowing, so they are counted apart and never added together.
What you'll pay unless you act
- Your own bank's foreign feeswhat the fees above come toMost US cards add a percentage on what you buy and on the cash you pull, plus a few dollars per ATM withdrawal. Nothing about that is a cost of the trip; it is a cost of the card you happened to bring.A no-foreign-fee card takes both fee lines above to zero.The cards that do not charge it
- Paying in dollars at the terminalabout 3 to 8%on what you cardDynamic currency conversion lets the machine set its own rate on top of any fee, and it runs about 3 to 8 percent on whatever you put on the card. It is the single easiest charge on this page to refuse, and it costs nothing to say no.Choose THB every time, at a till and at an ATM.How to decline it
- The airport or hotel exchange deskExchange counters make their money on the spread rather than on a stated fee, which is why we publish no percentage for it: it moves by counter, by hour and by note. The rule is what is reliable, not the number.Withdraw from a bank ATM instead, and never change cash at the airport.Getting cash here
What we'll help you dodge
- Paying for the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC)freeon the official siteIt is free on the official government site, and it is mandatory, which is exactly why lookalike sites buy the search terms. We publish no figure for what they charge because none is sourced for Thailand, but anything above nothing is too much.File it yourself at tdac.immigration.go.th. It takes minutes.Every form, and its real site
- The sales tax you can claim backThailand refunds sales tax to visitors on qualifying shopping, with the rate and any minimum spend set out in this guide. Most travelers never claim it, and we put no dollar figure on it, because it depends on what you buy.Ask for the tax-free form at the till, keep the goods unused, and claim on the way out.The rate and the minimum spend
Where these numbers come fromevery assumption, and its limitssources
These are the assumptions behind the number. Change the room price, nights, travelers, or travel style above, and every line here moves with them.
- Hotel
- Daily spending
- Flights
- Cash vs card
- ATM withdrawals
- Foreign fee
- The range
- Tourist tax
Rough guide, not a quote. The percentage here is a blended stand-in for a typical US card's foreign fee, not your exact rate. The real number moves with the card you carry: one no-foreign-fee card can cover both sides, while a plain rewards credit card only removes the fee on what you buy, and cash still costs a little unless that card also waives ATM and foreign-cash fees. A debit card, or accepting the "pay in dollars" (dynamic currency conversion) offer at a till or ATM, can push it higher. Rates checked Jun 2026 and rounded.
How we check and date every figureThailand, TTC-ed
truetripcosts.comWhat this assumes
Tips are already inside the daily spending figure, never added on top.
Not sure which card to bring? See my pick for Thailand.
Already carry a card with no foreign transaction fee? Then you are set for Thailand, and can skip this. There is nothing to buy.
Thailand leans on cash more than its reputation suggests, so the card that earns its place is a fee-free ATM debit card, with a no-foreign-fee credit card for hotels and bigger spots. If you are getting one, this is the pairing I would pick. We earn nothing on these today. Always confirm the current fee with the issuer before you apply. Checked Jun 2026.
Schwab refunds worldwide ATM fees with no cap, the standout for pulling cash abroad. Opening it also opens a linked Schwab brokerage account, though you never have to fund or invest it.
No foreign transaction fee
No foreign transaction fee
Want one account that holds and spends in the local currency? A different job from the three above, and the one I reach for abroad. It is free to open; you can create a virtual card in the app and add it to your phone wallet in minutes, without waiting for the physical card; and you can convert US dollars into the local currency inside the account before you travel, then spend from that balance. Wise uses the mid-market rate plus a small conversion fee (around 0.4% and up), with no flat foreign fee.
The three picks above pay us nothing, and their tags say so. Wise is the only option here that can earn us a commission, and its tag says that too. Paid or not, the pick is still the pick.
Before you fly
At least ten countries now make you file a form online before you fly. Nine of them are free. One really does charge, and it is not the one you would guess.
That includes Thailand, where the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) is one of them. The filings are new, obscure and mandatory, which is exactly the combination a scam needs: search for any of them and the paid lookalikes come up before the government site does, because the real ones do not buy ads.
See every form we can source, with the official address for eachWhen to go
Cheaper and busier months in Thailand.
The month you pick moves the budget as much as the country does. Here is the shape of Thailand's year, with no price attached to it, because an honest one does not exist.
- Busy and pricey
- In between
- Cheaper and quieter
- Cheaper and quieter
- May to Sep on the Andaman coast, and the Gulf islands in their own low weeks
- What drives the peak
- The cool dry season, Christmas and New Year, Chinese New Year, and Songkran in mid-Apr
Travelers, not touristsA few words of Thai go a long way
A few words of Thai go a long way
Thai is written in its own graceful script and no one expects you to read it, but a Sawatdee with a little bow and a story or two mark you as a guest rather than a tourist. Thailand is called the Land of Smiles for good reason.
Say a few words
Tip: Greet people with a wai, palms pressed together with a small bow, and say sawatdee khrap if you are a man, sawatdee kha if you are a woman. Two customs matter: the head is the most sacred part of the body, so do not touch it, and the feet are the lowest, so never point them at a person or a Buddha image. Always speak of the royal family and the Buddha with respect.
Know a story
The quiet ritual of dawn
Each morning before the heat, saffron-robed monks walk barefoot through towns and villages with their alms bowls, and people kneel to offer rice and food, earning merit as they have for centuries. It is calm, wordless and deeply respectful. Watch quietly from a little distance and you glimpse the soul of Thai life.
Good to know: the dawn alms round is called tak bat
The world's biggest water fight
Songkran, the Thai new year in April, began as a gentle rite of pouring water to wash away the old year and bless one's elders. It has grown into a joyous nationwide water fight, streets full of people of all ages soaking each other with buckets and hoses in the tropical heat. It is pure, drenching fun.
Good to know: Songkran is the Thai new year in April
A market that floats
Long before roads, Thai life flowed along the canals, and vendors still paddle wooden boats piled with mangoes, coconuts and steaming noodles, selling straight from the water at the old floating markets. Wooden houses stand on stilts along the banks. It is a glimpse of a Thailand shaped by its rivers.
Say it: a floating market, talat namThais are gentle, gracious and quick to smile, and they take real pride in a kingdom that was never colonized and in a culture of deep courtesy. Show respect for their faith and their king, greet people with a wai, and the Land of Smiles opens right up.
No links here, nothing to buy. This part is just to help you travel well.
Sources, and how this guide was checked
Last checkedJul 2026
Changed since last checkRe-checked July 2026, with the air arrival fee re-verified 17 August 2026. That fee is still not being collected: it has no confirmed start date, the proposed amount has been raised from 300 baht to 450 baht for air arrivals only (the land and sea portion is shelved), and the timeline has slipped to late 2026 or early 2027. The TDAC remains mandatory and free.
- Thai Immigration Bureauthe Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC), mandatory and free, submitted within 72 hours of arrival
- Tourism Authority of Thailandthe 7% VAT refund for tourists and how to claim it at the airport
Our own judgmentThe daily cash share, tipping norms, and likely ATM behavior are our own estimate from experience, not an official figure.
How we checkHow every guide is researched, checked and dated
More money guides in Asia
If you are also weighing up nearby destinations, each guide covers cards, cash, ATMs and the fees to expect.
Going deeper on Thailand
The money questions people ask on the ground.
Short, focused answers to the specific things that catch first-timers out in Thailand.
- Tipping in ThailandThailand has a light tipping culture: not required, but increasingly appreciated in tourist areas. Round up at restaurants, check the bill for a service charge, and leave a small tip for a massage. Here is what you actually owe.
- Do I need the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC)?Short answer: yes, everyone does, and it is free. The TDAC is not a visa, US citizens still get 60 days visa-free, but you must file it online before you fly. Here is how, and how not to pay for something free.
- Do I need cash in Thailand, or can I use cards?Short answer: yes, carry baht, Thailand is still a cash country for the best bits, even though cards work in cities. The thing to plan around is the flat fee Thai ATMs charge foreign cards. Here is how to keep it cheap.
- Bangkok taxi meters, and the airport rank done rightThai taxis are cheap and mostly honest, but a few habits around tourists cost money, and the airport has a specific trap. Here is how the meter works, which app to keep as a backup, and the exact way to use the official taxi rank.
- Common money scams in Thailand, and what they cost youThailand is one of the safest countries in Southeast Asia for visitors, and almost none of what follows is dangerous. It is ordinary money stuff, overcharging and a few well-rehearsed setups aimed at tourists, and recognizing the patterns sidesteps nearly all of it. Here is each trap, what it costs, and how to avoid it.
- Staying connected in Thailand.Thailand has better mobile coverage than most of Europe, including on the islands, so nothing here needs planning around. Both the local SIM and the eSIM are cheap, and which one wins comes down to how you like to arrive.
- What does getting sick in Thailand cost a visitor?Thailand runs two medical realities at once. The everyday one is a walk-in clinic that fixes you for pocket money. The serious one is a world-class private hospital that wants to know, before the ward door opens, exactly how the bill gets paid.
This is how Thailand stands today.
Money rules move. We can let you know for free if that changes.