🇹🇭 Bangkok Money Guide

Currency: Thai Baht (฿)
Currency Code: THB
Exchange Rate: 1 USD ≈ 35 THB (April 2026)

Thailand's currency is the Thai Baht (฿), with bills in 20, 50, 100, 500, and 1,000 denominations and coins from 1 to 10 baht. Bangkok is still largely cash-dependent for street food, markets, tuk-tuks, and smaller shops, so always carry cash. ATMs are plentiful — look for Bangkok Bank, Kasikorn Bank (green), or SCB (purple) machines. Important warning: all Thai ATMs charge a flat fee of 220 THB ($6.30) per foreign card withdrawal, on top of your home bank's fees. Withdraw larger amounts to minimize per-transaction costs. For the best exchange rates, visit SuperRich (orange or green branches) exchange offices — they offer rates significantly better than banks or airport counters. SuperRich has branches at Siam, Pratunam, and Silom. Avoid money changers at Suvarnabhumi Airport arrivals (rates are 3-5% worse). In malls, department stores, and upscale restaurants, Visa and Mastercard are accepted. Contactless payments work at 7-Eleven, modern cafes, and chain restaurants. Smaller restaurants, street food stalls, markets, and tuk-tuks are strictly cash-only. American Express acceptance is limited to international hotels and upscale venues. Mobile payment apps like PromptPay and TrueMoney are popular among locals but require a Thai bank account.

Thailand has a relaxed tipping culture. In restaurants, if a 10% service charge is included, no additional tip is needed — check the bill. At restaurants without a service charge, leaving 20-50 baht or rounding up is appreciated but not mandatory. At street food stalls, tipping is not expected. Hotel porters receive 20-50 baht per bag, and housekeeping 20-50 baht per night. Taxi drivers do not expect tips — simply round up to the nearest 5 or 10 baht. Tuk-tuk drivers negotiate fares in advance and tips are not expected. Thai massage therapists at traditional shops are typically tipped 50-100 baht, while spa therapists at upscale establishments receive 100-200 baht or 10-15% of the service cost. Tour guides receive 200-500 baht per day. Diving instructors are tipped 300-500 baht per day. Thai people appreciate the gesture of tipping, but it is never demanded or expected. A sincere wai (the Thai greeting with palms pressed together) and a thank you (khob khun khrap/kha) mean as much as a monetary tip.

Bangkok has a well-known set of tourist scams that have operated for decades. The Grand Palace is Closed Today Scam is the most classic — a friendly local near the Grand Palace tells you it is closed for a ceremony and offers to take you to a "special temple" or a gem shop instead. The Grand Palace is almost never closed during regular hours; walk directly to the entrance yourself. The Tuk-Tuk Temple Tour scam involves tuk-tuk drivers offering free or very cheap city tours that inevitably include "quick stops" at gem stores, tailor shops, or souvenir factories where you are pressured to buy overpriced goods — the driver earns a commission for bringing you. Never accept a tuk-tuk tour that includes shop stops. Gem Scams are elaborate: you are told about a "government gem sale" or a "once-a-year factory clearance" where you can buy gems at wholesale prices and resell them for profit at home. The gems are always worthless glass. This scam has ruined people financially. The Jet Ski Scam primarily operates in Phuket and Pattaya but awareness helps everywhere — operators claim you damaged the jet ski and demand thousands of baht in compensation, with intimidating friends appearing to pressure payment. Metered Taxi Refusal is common at airports and tourist areas — drivers demand flat fares of 200-500 baht for trips that should cost 60-100 on the meter. Insist on the meter (say "meter dai mai?") or walk to the official taxi queue. The Longtail Boat Scam at Tha Tien pier offers canal tours for 1,500-2,000 baht that should cost 500-800 — negotiate hard or book through your hotel. Ping Pong Show scams in Patpong involve free entry then a bill for 3,000-5,000 baht for drinks.

Quick Price Reference

Daily Budget Guide

Bangkok is one of the world's best-value major cities. Budget travelers can live extremely well on 1,000-1,500 THB ($29-43) per day with guesthouses on Khao San Road or hostels in Silom (300-600 THB/night), street food (pad thai 50-80 THB, som tam 40-60 THB, rice dishes 40-60 THB), and the BTS Skytrain or MRT subway. A large Chang or Singha beer from 7-Eleven costs 40-55 THB. Fresh fruit shakes from street vendors are 30-50 THB. Thai iced tea costs 25-40 THB. Mid-range travelers spending 2,500-4,500 THB ($71-129) per day can enjoy 3-star hotel rooms (1,000-2,000 THB/night), excellent Thai restaurant dinners (200-500 THB), temple entries (Grand Palace 500 THB, Wat Pho 200 THB), and longtail boat tours (500-800 THB). Luxury travelers should budget 8,000+ THB ($229+) for 5-star riverside hotels (4,000+ THB/night), rooftop bar cocktails (350-500 THB), and Michelin-starred Thai dining (2,000-5,000 THB). Money-saving tips: eat where the locals eat — street stalls with long lines of Thai customers serve the best and cheapest food. The Rabbit Card (BTS) saves money on repeated rides. Water taxis on the Chao Phraya River are both scenic and cheap (15-30 THB). Most temples are free or under 100 THB. Chatuchak Weekend Market has everything at Thai prices.

Thailand offers VAT refunds of 7% to tourists on purchases of 2,000 THB or more at stores displaying the "VAT Refund for Tourists" sign. You need to spend at least 2,000 THB per store per day and your total purchases must be at least 5,000 THB. Get a PP10 form at each store and present your passport. At Suvarnabhumi Airport, visit the customs inspection counter before check-in for items over 10,000 THB, then claim your refund at the VAT Refund counter after passport control. Refunds are given in cash (Thai baht) for amounts up to 30,000 THB, or by bank draft or credit card for larger amounts. Large malls like Siam Paragon, CentralWorld, and Emquartier all participate.