The Cost of Visiting Thailand from India

The cost of traveling to Thailand from India depends on many things. Transport options and activities are some of them.

Traveling from the Indian subcontinent to the Thai Kingdom is the most popular by airplane, allowing efficient and flexible trip. Top tourist points of interest are almost everywhere in Thailand, and you can reach them by various means of transport.

Is Thailand expensive to visit?

If you compare Thailand with other countries in Southeast Asia regarding average travel costs, you will undoubtedly find it pricier. However, these shouldn't be much of an issue unless you travel on a very tight budget. Even so, you can control these expenditures and lower them in various cases, if necessary.

In truth, former Siam is an ideal destination for visitors with various budgets, such as those from India. Prices of accommodation options range from 17 USD to around 1100 USD (payable in Baht). Dining can cost you anywhere between 5-7 USD to 80 USD.

Also, there is a matter of traveling to different cities, enjoying activities, and giving yourself some slack on certain occasions. To sum it up, you can do with the 55 USD (₹4,000) budget per day in Thailand just fine. This amount covers flights, decent dining, low-cost accommodation, and other essentials.

But, if this amount exceeds your financial capacities, you can drop flights and use ground transport instead. Give up on something else, such as eating at restaurants, and you should manage with $30 (₹2,200) per day.

For comparison, the average daily budget for Vietnam should be around $40 (₹2,950). When visiting Cambodia, $35 (₹2,600) should cover you for the day with ease if you don't splurge.

How much a trip from India to Thailand costs?

Transport allows you the highest freedom to plan the expenses when traveling to, and in some cases, within the Kingdom of Thailand. As for attractions, dining, and lodging, Thais don't approve special discounts for Indians, or anybody else for that matter.

International flights and visa costs

You can fly directly from several cities in India to Bangkok, the capital of the Kingdom of Thailand. Flight fares typically depend on the season and the ratio between the offer and demand. Some other factors you can take into consideration to lower the cost are the time of the departure, the airline, and how much in advance you book.

For a one-way trip from Bengaluru to Bangkok, for example, deals typically fluctuate between $190 (14,000 INR) and $250 (18,500 INR) most of the year. Average non-stop flights on this route are usually the highest in December, around $270 (₹20,000). However, you can pay as low as $130 (₹9,600) for a non-stop flight from Bengaluru to Bangkok on occasion.

Thailand flight

If you fly from Mumbai to the Thai capital city, the structure of related expenses and their timings are somewhat different. Fares on this route are the lowest in February and September, around $210 (15,500 INR), and the highest in May - approx. $290 (₹21,500). Sometimes, you can buy a ticket for about $180 (₹13,300).

Traveling from Delhi, the Indian capital, to Bangkok can cost you anywhere from $220 (₹16,300) in February to $290 (₹21,450) in June. If you are lucky, these can plummet down to $160 (11,850 INR) for a one-way trip sometimes.

As for Kolkata, the average airline fares are pretty much constant throughout the year, somewhere around $170 (12,600 INR). These typically get higher only in October ($215/₹15,900) and December ($200/₹14,800).

As for the cost of the Thailand tourist visa, these tend to be subject to change. In mid-March of 2020, the non-refundable application fee is 2,500 INR (around 30 USD) for a single entry travel document. The price of the multiple-entry visa is 12,000 INR (approx. 160 USD).

The former Thai travel document is valid for three months, the latter for six.

Accommodation

Accommodation deals in the Kingdom of Thailand tend to vary to a large extent from one place to another. In the north, Chiang Mai, for example, you can find a budget room with basic facilities for several dollars (e.g. 500 INR). In other parts of the country, you can pay double for the same type of accommodation.

Hotel in Thailand

If you look for an upscale option, you don't need to worry about how much you can spend. Thailand boasts high-end accommodation that costs several hundred USD per day, even more.

If we are going to calculate some daily averages, these would be the ones:

•Low-cost hotels and hostels are around $10 (₹750).
•The average price of a mid-range accommodation should be approximately $30 (₹2,250).
•Luxury options are available, more or less, from $100 (₹7,500).

Local Transport

Thailand boasts developed air, ground, sea, and river transportation networks, allowing you the freedom to control related costs and, optionally, travel times. As you can expect, airplanes offer short journeys, while buses and trains provide good value for money.

Flight fares from Bangkok to Chiang Mai are usually between $60 (₹4,450) and $70 (₹5,200), rising to $100 (₹7.400) in December. To fly from the Thai capital to Koh Samui, you need to plan from $220 (₹16,250) to $320 (₹23,700), depending on the month. Airline deals for flying on the Bangkok to Phuket route typically fluctuate from around $50 (₹3,700) to $90 (₹6,650).

Bus in Thailand

To save some Baht for activities, you can travel from the Thai capital to Chiang Mai by bus for around $20 (₹1,500). The approximate duration of the journey is 10 hours, albeit these tend to vary depending on the type of the bus - public or tourist. For shorter trips, opt for the former.

When traveling to Phuket, a popular island in Thailand, you can combine the bus and train and arrive there within 15 hours. Depending on the selected option, you can pay as low as 15 USD (1,100 INR) or as much as 55 USD (4,100 INR) in the local currency.

The one-way trip to Koh Samui by ground transport and the ferry service can set you back from $35 (₹2,600) to $80 (₹5,900).

Food

Dining in Thailand is affordable so long as you eat local food. If you wish to sample some western-style specialty at a restaurant, you are bound to pay more. Whatever the price range, Thai food is quality, typically made of fresh ingredients.

Food in Thailand

Travelers on the low budget could make it through the day with as many as several USD (400 INR) for food. Several additional $ would make for a worthwhile trade, allowing you higher flexibility. A few dozen US Dollars (say 3,000 Indian Rupees) per day would make for exclusive dining in Thailand.

Activities and attractions

After all, you don't travel from India to Thailand for transport, accommodation, even food to some extent, as much as for visiting attractions and enjoying activities. Therefore, here's a breakdown of how much some popular activities and tourist points of interest should cost you:

•Grand (Royal) Palace, Bangkok – 500 Baht (around $20)
•Wat Arun, Bangkok – 50 Baht ($2)
•Wat Pho, Bangkok – 100 Baht ($4)
•Wat Suthat, Bangkok – 20 Baht
•Doi Suthep Temple, Chiang Mai – free
•Ayuthaya Historical Park – up to 50 Baht per site
•Sukhothai Historical Park – around 40 Baht per section
•Phi Phi Islands Adventure – 2,500 Baht (approx. $80)
•River Kwai Bridge and Burma-Thailand Railway Tour – 2,400 Baht ($75)
•Floating Markets from Bangkok – 1,500 Baht ($47)
•Bangkok Food Tour – 1,750 Baht (55 USD)
•Two-day Chiang Rai from Chiang Mai – 8,900 Baht (280 USD).
•Samui Boat Charter – 4,750 Baht ($150)

Summary

When traveling to Thailand from India, you can cover the distance by flight in a few hours, concluding your trip in several. As for the prices quoted in Rupees, refer to those with caution because of the high volatility of the Indian currency. That is the reason why we quoted the related costs in USD and, occasionally, Thai Baht.

For a meaningful Thailand tour from India, you should plan a few weeks on average. Regarding the overall costs, these are the highest from November to April, during the dry season. If you don't mind the unstable weather and higher temperatures, you can save a significant amount of money by visiting Thailand in summer and early autumn.