Southeast Asia · 2 cities covered
We track 2 cities in Thailand. The mid-range shoulder-season day averages $130 — 53% below the median across all 68 cities we cover. Inside the country the range runs from $108/day in Chiang Mai to $151/day in Bangkok, a 28% gap: wide enough that city choice materially changes the daily number.
Accommodation accounts for 51% of the average mid-range day in Thailand, the largest single line item in every city we track here. Chiang Mai (wooden temples in misted hills) sits at the affordable end; Bangkok (street food cathedrals and chrome-lit night markets) anchors the top.
Season coefficients are calibrated per city, not shared. Across Thailand the peak-to-low swing runs 72%–72%, widest in Bangkok (72%, tropical dry-season peak pattern: low May–Jun, Sep–Oct at ×0.76, peak Jan–Feb, Dec at ×1.31). Demand follows the dry season and the northern winter escape; the wet months discount hard because arrivals fall, not because supply shrinks.
Mid-range, shoulder season, same five line items. Difference is relative to Thailand ($130/day).
| Country | Mid · shoulder | vs Thailand |
|---|---|---|
| Cambodia | $108/day | -17% |
| Vietnam | $114/day | -12% |
| Indonesia | $128/day | -2% |
| Philippines | $151/day | +16% |
| Malaysia | $171/day | +32% |
| Singapore | $471/day | +262% |
On average, a mid-range traveller spends $130 per day in Thailand during shoulder season. Budget travellers can get by on around $36/day, while a luxury trip averages $552/day.
The most affordable destination in Thailand is Chiang Mai, where a budget trip costs about $36 per day in low season.
At the top end, Bangkok reaches around $552 per day during peak season.
The best windows vary by city, but many destinations in Thailand are ideal during Nov–Feb or shoulder season for a balance of weather and price.