Bangkok Cost of Living 2026
Thailand · Big city — cheaper than the US average. Updated September 2026 Not just the exchange rate: how cheap it feels on your own income, and where a price turns into a rip-off.
Bangkok price table & rip-off thresholds
| Item | Base price | Normal range | Rip-off? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | ฿70$2.12 | ฿49 – ฿112 | ฿134+ |
| Street food1 item | ฿32$0.97 | ฿19 – ฿58 | ฿69+ |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | ฿400$12.1 | ฿280 – ฿640 | ฿768+ |
| Bakery & dessert1 item | ฿72$2.18 | ฿43 – ฿130 | ฿156+ |
| Coffeeone cup | ฿80$2.42 | ฿48 – ฿128 | ฿154+ |
| Fruit juiceone cup | ฿66$2 | ฿40 – ฿119 | ฿143+ |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | ฿25$0.76 | ฿15 – ฿48 | ฿57+ |
| Bottled water | ฿10$0.3 | ฿7 – ฿20 | ฿24+ |
| Beerone bottle | ฿90$2.73 | ฿54 – ฿153 | ฿184+ |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | ฿230$6.97 | ฿138 – ฿391 | ฿469+ |
| Taxi5 km in town | ฿52$1.58 | ฿42 – ฿83 | ฿100+ |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | ฿66$2 | ฿46 – ฿119 | ฿143+ |
| Transitone ride | ฿30$0.91 | ฿27 – ฿39 | ฿47+ |
| Scooter rentalper day | ฿260$7.88 | ฿182 – ฿416 | ฿499+ |
| Hotel night3-star | ฿1,400$42.4 | ฿840 – ฿2,240 | ฿2,688+ |
| Laundry | ฿50$1.52 | ฿35 – ฿80 | ฿96+ |
| SIM card1 week data | ฿260$7.88 | ฿182 – ฿442 | ฿530+ |
| Haircutcut | ฿120$3.64 | ฿72 – ฿216 | ฿259+ |
| Massage1 hour | ฿330$10 | ฿231 – ฿528 | ฿634+ |
| Half-day tourper person | ฿990$30 | ฿693 – ฿1,584 | ฿1,901+ |
| Entry ticketTourist town | ฿260$7.88 | ฿208 – ฿364 | ฿437+ |
Base prices start from public cost-of-living data; once 3+ traveler reports come in, the app blends in what travelers actually paid. Rate ฿33 per USD, for reference.
Live prices reported in Bangkok
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FAQ
How much does it cost to live in Bangkok for a month?
A short-term studio rental (about $1,099) plus food, coffee, transport and a SIM (about $458) comes to roughly $1,556 a month. A local long-term lease (studio ฿16,000) brings it down a lot.
What is a realistic daily budget for Bangkok?
A mid-range room (about $43.7 a night) plus three meals, a coffee and two taxi rides is about $71.9 a day. Hostels and local eateries bring it well under that.
How do I know if a taxi in Bangkok is overcharging?
For 5 km in the city, expect ฿42 – ฿83. Anything above ฿100 is suspicious. The app's Price Check lets you pick the distance and gives a verdict in seconds.
How much is a coffee or a local meal in Bangkok?
Coffee about ฿80 ($2.42), a local meal about ฿70 ($2.12), dinner at a mid-range restaurant about ฿400.