The Thai currency is the baht (international symbol THB) and at the current exchange rate (2019) 1 baht = €0.03, or what is the same, €1 = 34 THB. The exchange rate varies greatly and we recommend that you check it during the days leading up to your trip to have a more exact reference compared to the date we wrote this blog post (August 2019).
Furthermore, as we are sure you have come to this post looking for the cost of living in Thailand, we have gone ahead and calculated the real cost of various Thai services for your reference. Remember: parity calculations are made with the real exchange rate as of August 2019, so there may be small variations in the future.
Cost of living in Thailand (in bahts and euros)
Some typical product prices in Thailand, in baht and euros, are as follows. We have divided the services into categories so that you can review the information in a more organized way.
Cost of food and drink
- Approximate price per dish in a local restaurant = 150 bahts (€4.50)
- Approximate price per dish in a premium restaurant = 300 bahts (€9)
- Take-away dish at a street food stall = 90 bahts (€3)
- Fresh fruit portion at a street food stall = 30 bahts (€1)
Cost of accommodation
- Night in a double room in a mid-range hotel in Bangkok = 1,500 bahts (€45)
- Night in a double room in a mid-range hotel outside Bangkok = 750 bahts (€24)
Cost of transport
- Daily motorcycle rental = 450 bahts (€15)
- Short multi-minute tuk-tuk ride = 60 bahts (€2)
- Bangkok – Chiang Mai night train in first class = 3,000 bahts (€70)
- Boat to one of the islands (average price) = 2,400 bahts (€50)
Cost of leisure and other services
- Thai massage = 450 bahts (€12)
- A beer in a bar = 100 bahts (€3)
- A t-shirt or trousers = 450 bahts (€10)
THB coins and banknotes
The baht has several banknotes and coins. In the case of coins, those of lower value (satangs) are not very common given their near uselessness for purchases. The breakdown of baht coins and banknotes is as follows.
Baht coins (from lowest to highest value)
- 25 satang (equivalent to 25 baht cents)
- 50 satang (equivalent to 50 baht cents)
- 1 baht
- 2 baht
- 5 baht
- 10 baht
Baht banknotes (from lowest to highest value)
- 20 baht (green)
- 50 baht (blue)
- 100 baht (red)
- 500 baht (purple)
- 1,000 baht (grayish blue)
Where to exchange currency in Thailand
In Thailand you will find ATMs on almost every corner, especially in cities, although cash withdrawal fees are usually quite high (200 bahts or more). From OneMoreDestination we recommend going to an exchange office or a bank (stay away from airports and hotels as they offer a worse exchange rate). If you have no choice but to use an ATM, withdraw a large amount to reduce the total cost of fees during your trip as much as possible.
