Is Thailand expensive as a travel destination? The short answer is no – however it certainly can be. While Thailand in general is still a budget-friendly destination, you can definitely spend some serious cash if you choose to do so. It all depends on what kind of holiday you’re after, which part of Thailand you’re holidaying in, and in particular what type of accommodation you want to stay in.

During our recent stay on popular Koh Samui we found that the island, just like the rest of the country, fits many budgets. We stayed in a beautiful Airbnb apartment in the Bo Phut area of Samui. The apartment had a very well equipped kitchen and there was a great veg & fruit market nearby, so we ended up cooking at home quite a bit. When we felt like eating out, the fun & fabulous ‘walking street’ evening market in Bo Phut Fisherman’s Village offered many very cheap and tasty treats (hello amazing grilled chicken & veggie skewers for $2!). You can eat out very cheaply on Samui if you stick to humble street food and local eateries.

To give you an idea of Koh Samui prices, below is a sample daily budget for us. We didn’t [Read more…]