Thailand food on a budget

Doing Thailand on a budget means the cheapest third of what is worth doing: Pak Khlong Talat, Jay Fai. Activities in this plan start from about $13.

What kind of trip
Pace
How long
How much do you want to spend

Price bands are thirds of what Thailand itself charges, not a fixed dollar figure - the cheapest third in Vietnam and in Norway are nowhere near the same number. Flights and accommodation are not included.

Your 5-day food and drink plan for Thailand

Where you stayBangkok 3 nightsPhra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province 2 nightsabout 65 km between them

5 days · packed · 8 of 19 bookable now · activities from about $198

  1. Day 1 Bangkok

    1. Pak Khlong Talat in Bangkok, Thailand

      morning

      Pak Khlong Talat

      Bangkok

      Flower market in Bangkok, Thailand.

      Just turn up
    2. Jay Fai in Bangkok, Thailand

      afternoon

      Jay Fai

      Bangkok · 1.5 km from Pak Khlong Talat

      Street-side restaurant in Bangkok. Dates from 1980.

      Just turn up
    3. One More Thai Massage & Spa at Chit Lom in Bangkok in Bangkok, Thailand

      eveningalso worth doing

      One More Thai Massage & Spa at Chit Lom in Bangkok

      4.78,515 reviewsBangkok · from $27

    4. Pela Thai Massage at Siam Square 6 in Bangkok in Bangkok, Thailand

      eveningalso worth doing

      Pela Thai Massage at Siam Square 6 in Bangkok

      4.6351 reviewsBangkok · from $13

    Where to eat

    • Breakfast

      Wat Nimmanoradee Floating Market

      Wat Nimmanoradee Floating Market was built in Bangkok, Thailand in the Rattanakosin Era 120 or AD 1902.

      Bangkok · 8.4 km away

    • Lunch

      Le Normandie

      Holds a Michelin star.

      Bangkok · 2.8 km away

    • Dinner

      Mezzaluna

      Holds a Michelin star.

      Bangkok · 3.2 km away

  2. Day 2 Bangkok

    1. Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok, Thailand

      morning

      Chatuchak Weekend Market

      Bangkok

      Flea market near Bangkok.

    2. Gaggan in Bangkok, Thailand

      afternoon

      Gaggan

      Bangkok · 7.5 km from Chatuchak Weekend Market

      Restaurant in Thailand. Dates from 2010.

    3. Meridian Dinner Cruise in Bangkok in Bangkok, Thailand

      eveningalso worth doing

      Meridian Dinner Cruise in Bangkok

      4.55,422 reviewsBangkok · from $25

    4. Health Land Spa at Asoke in Bangkok in Bangkok, Thailand

      eveningalso worth doing

      Health Land Spa at Asoke in Bangkok

      4.47,140 reviewsBangkok · from $29

    Where to eat

    • Lunch

      Sühring

      Holds a Michelin star.

      Bangkok · 2.7 km away

    • Dinner

      Bo.lan

      Holds a Michelin star.

      Bangkok · 4.2 km away

  3. Day 3 Bangkok

    1. Pratunam Market in Bangkok, Thailand

      morning

      Pratunam Market

      Bangkok

      Market hall near Bangkok.

    2. Wat Arun in Bangkok, Thailand

      afternoonalso worth doing

      Wat Arun

      Bangkok · 5.7 km from Pratunam Market

      Wat. Dates from 1656. registered Thai historic site.

    3. Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand

      eveningalso worth doing

      Grand Palace

      Bangkok · 0.8 km from Wat Arun

      Archaeological site. Dates from 1782. Thai historic site, registration declined.

    4. Chao Phraya White Orchid Cruise in Bangkok in Bangkok, Thailand

      eveningalso worth doing

      Chao Phraya White Orchid Cruise in Bangkok

      4.48,331 reviewsBangkok · from $29

    Where to eat

    • Lunch

      R-Haan

      Holds a Michelin star.

      Bangkok · 4.6 km away

    • Dinner

      Jay Fai

      Received one star in the inaugural Bangkok 2018 Michelin Guide.

      Bangkok · 1.4 km away

  4. Day 4 Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province

    1. Travel day

      Bangkok to Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province

      About 65 km by road · allow around 1h 30m

      Journey time is an estimate rather than a timetable - check the operator before you book anything tight on either side of it.

      Book direct
    2. Krudam Gym by TopKing in Ayutthaya in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province, Thailand

      afternoonalso worth doing

      Krudam Gym by TopKing (Muay Thai Class) in Ayutthaya

      Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province · from $29

    3. Muay Thai Class in Ayutthaya by Sit Palan Muay Thai Gym in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province, Thailand

      eveningalso worth doing

      Muay Thai Class in Ayutthaya by Sit Palan Muay Thai Gym

      Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province · from $16

    4. Muay Thai Boxing Introduction Class for Beginners in Ayutthaya in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province, Thailand

      eveningalso worth doing

      Muay Thai Boxing Introduction Class for Beginners in Ayutthaya

      Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province · from $29

    Where to eat

    • Breakfast

      Ayothaya Floating Market

      A cultural and shopping destination in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province, central Thailand.

      Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province

    • Dinner

      Na Wang Night Market

      Stalls selling Thai.

      Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province

  5. Day 5 Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province

    1. Ayutthaya Historical Park in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province, Thailand

      morningalso worth doing

      Ayutthaya Historical Park

      Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province

      Historical park of Thailand. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.

      Just turn up
    2. Wat Mahathat in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province, Thailand

      afternoonalso worth doing

      Wat Mahathat

      Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province · 1.2 km from Ayutthaya Historical Park

      Wat near Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province.

      Just turn up
    3. Wat Chaiwatthanaram in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province, Thailand

      eveningalso worth doing

      Wat Chaiwatthanaram

      Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province · 3.2 km from Wat Mahathat

      Buddhist temple in Ayutthaya Historical Park, Thailand. Dates from 1630. registered Thai historic site.

      Just turn up
    4. Bang Pa-In Royal Palace in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province, Thailand

      eveningalso worth doing

      Bang Pa-In Royal Palace

      Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province · 12.9 km from Wat Chaiwatthanaram

      Thai royal palace complex. Dates from 1632.

      Just turn up

    Where to eat

    • Dinner

      Ayutthaya Night Market

      An evening market, open 5pm to 10pm.

      Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province · 0.4 km away

Prices are indicative and in Australian dollars. Flights and accommodation are not included. Distances between stops are straight-line, so a walking or driving route will be longer, and they are shown only where both stops have a known location. Items marked also worth doing sit outside the food and drink theme and are there because they are among the best things to do in Thailand.

Before you fly to Thailand

The part an itinerary app leaves out. These are Thailand's rules for Australian passport holders, re-read from the official source and dated below.

Entry

No - Australian passport holders can enter Thailand without a visa for up to 60 days.

Thailand visa and entry rules

Passport

Thailand wants 6 months of validity beyond the day you arrive. A fare is non-refundable long before a passport renewal is.

Check your passport against this rule

Your checklist

22 things to sort for Thailand, built from these same rules, 4 of them essential.

Thailand travel checklist

  • Passport valid - at least 6 months from your date of arrival
  • Complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC)
  • Take out travel insurance
  • Get an International Driving Permit

Last reviewed 2026-10-24. Entry requirements change without notice. Always confirm with the official sources below before you book or fly.

Sort these before you go

The two things worth having arranged before a food and drink trip to Thailand, compared on price.

Thailand eSIM plans

Airalo

1GB · 7 days

32k
Works in Thailand1GB of data7 days validity
$5 AUD

Saily Cheapest 10GB

10GB · 15 days

6k
Works in Thailand10GB of data15 days validity
$8.50 AUD

Airalo Recommended

10GB · 15 days

32k
Works in Thailand10GB of data15 days validity
$10 AUD

Thailand money and cards

Wise Best exchange rate

Wise debit card

45k
Mid-market exchange rateHold 40+ currenciesFree ATM allowance each month
0.43%-0.65% conversion fee

Revolut No weekday FX fee

Revolut Standard

30k
Interbank rates Monday to Friday30+ currenciesInstant spend notifications
0% FX fee
Compare only

ING Orange Everyday ATM fees rebated

ING Orange Everyday

22k
Rebates international ATM feesNo international transaction feeFull Australian bank account
0% FX fee

Prices are indicative, shown in AUD and refreshed from provider APIs where available. Always confirm the final price on the provider's site - it is the price that applies. We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never changes what you pay. Partners are listed before providers who pay us nothing, as our terms set out; sorting by price ignores all of that and orders on the number alone. How we make money.

Budget food questions

What counts as budget here?

The lowest-priced third of everything worth doing in that country, measured against that country's own prices rather than a fixed dollar figure. A budget day in Norway and a budget day in Vietnam are not the same number, and pretending otherwise would just describe the exchange rate.

Does a cheaper plan mean a worse one?

No, and the ordering is the same either way: everything is ranked on its review score first, so a budget plan is the best-reviewed cheap things rather than the cheapest things. Flights and accommodation are not included in any of these figures.

Do I need to book restaurants and food tours in advance?

Cooking classes and food tours, yes - they run small and fill up. Street food and markets, no. The plan marks which is which, and anything bookable can be held before you leave Australia.

What if I have dietary requirements?

Cooking classes and organised tours will almost always accommodate them if you say so when booking rather than on the day. Street food is harder to control, so it is worth learning the phrase for what you cannot eat in the local language before you go.

Other ways to do Thailand

Food and drink trips in other countries

Still deciding where to go? These are built the same way - real activities, in an order that works, with the entry rules for Australians attached.

All food and drink itineraries

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