Mid-Range Travel Guide: Thailand

Accommodation

$25-70 per night

Private rooms with air conditioning in decent guesthouses, three-star hotels, or newer boutique-style places. Expect your own bathroom, reliable WiFi, maybe a small pool. Not luxury, but comfortable enough that you'll actually sleep well.

Food & Dining

$20-50 per day

Mix of local restaurants with English menus, casual tourist-friendly spots, and nicer air-conditioned places for dinner. Still hitting street food for some meals because it's genuinely good, but also enjoying sit-down restaurants without checking every price.

Transportation

$10-30 per day

Combination of public transport and ride-hailing apps. Grab or Bolt for convenience when it's hot or you're tired, public options when they make sense. Occasional private transfers for day trips or airport runs.

Activities

$20-60 per day

Paid temple complexes, organized day tours, cooking classes, island hopping trips, entrance fees to national parks and attractions. Maybe a massage every few days, boat rentals, guided experiences that add context.

Eat where you see Thai office workers eating lunch - typically 40-60% cheaper than tourist-zone restaurants with comparable quality, sometimes better

Use public transport for longer distances and save ride-hailing apps for short hops or late nights - you'll spend roughly $3-8 daily instead of $20-40

Visit temples and attractions early morning when it's cooler so you're not constantly ducking into air-conditioned cafes to escape the heat (those iced coffees add up quickly)

Book accommodation even a few neighborhoods away from main tourist strips - prices can drop 30-50% for similar quality, and you'll get a more authentic feel anyway

Buy drinks and snacks from 7-Eleven or local minimarts rather than hotel shops or tourist cafes - you're looking at 200-300% markups for the same bottled water

Travel during shoulder season (March-May or September-October) when you'll find accommodation deals running 25-40% below high season rates, though admittedly it might be hotter or wetter

Share organized tours or day trips with other travelers when possible - private tours often cost 3-5x more than joining a small group, and you might actually enjoy the company

Exchanging money at airport kiosks or hotels instead of using ATMs in the city - you're typically losing 5-8% to poor exchange rates, which adds up fast over a multi-week trip

Taking taxis or tuk-tuks without using a meter or ride-hailing app - unmetered rides often run 2-4x what the trip should actually cost, especially near tourist attractions where drivers know you don't know better

Eating every meal in your hotel area or along main tourist streets - restaurants near hotels and famous attractions routinely charge 100-200% more than equivalent spots two streets over where locals eat

Booking day tours or activities through your hotel concierge instead of directly or through comparison platforms - hotels understandably take commissions that typically add 20-40% to the actual cost

Underestimating how much you'll spend on air conditioning - whether it's upgrading from fan rooms, sitting in cafes to cool off, or taking rides instead of walking in the heat, temperature management can easily add $10-20 daily to your budget