How Much Does Phuket Cost per Day
A full breakdown of Phuket prices: daily budgets by tier, every itemised cost from the guide, and where the money actually goes.
The short answer
Budget travellers in Phuket spend around THB 1,500 a day. Mid-range travel runs closer to THB 3,500, and a splurge day lands around THB 9,000. Figures in THB per day, roughly CAD 55/165/335 or USD 40/120/245 at 2026 exchange rates. Excludes flights.
Daily cost breakdown
- Stay
- Food
- Transport
- Activities
| Tier | Stay | Food | Transport | Activities | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | THB 500 | THB 400 | THB 300 | THB 300 | THB 1,500 |
| Mid-range | THB 1,800 | THB 900 | THB 500 | THB 300 | THB 3,500 |
| Splurge | THB 6,000 | THB 2,000 | THB 1,000 | THB 1,000 | THB 10,000 |
Guesthouse or 3-star hotel around 1,800 baht, breakfast at a local shop 80 baht, lunch at a beach restaurant 200 baht, dinner at a mid-range spot 350 baht, Grab rides across the day 250 baht, one attraction entry or activity 300 baht. Totals close to 3,000-3,500 baht.
Every priced item in this guide
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Old Phuket Town | free to walk |
| Big Buddha (Phra Yai) | free entry, donations expected |
| Wat Chalong | free entry, donations for the chedi |
| Beach-hopping the west coast | free (beach entry); scooter or Grab costs extra |
| Phi Phi Islands day trip | roughly 1,500-3,000 baht per person depending on boat type and operator, plus a national park fee of around 400 baht |
| James Bond Island / Phang Nga Bay | roughly 1,200-2,500 baht per person depending on tour type; sea canoe add-ons cost extra |
| Patong nightlife and Bangla Road | free to walk, drinks and shows extra |
| Promthep Cape viewpoint | free |
| Moo hong (Phuket-style braised pork belly) | THB 100-200 |
| Oh aew | THB 30-50 |
| Southern-style curry noodles (mee hokkien / hokkien mee) | THB 40-70 |
| Fresh seafood by weight | THB 300-800 per kilo |
| Southern Thai curry (gaeng tai pla, gaeng som) | THB 80-150 |
| Roti | THB 30-60 |
| Nam prik goong siap (dried shrimp chili paste) | THB 60-100 |
What I actually paid
- Phuket is several different holidays sharing an island. Patong is loud and cheap, the north and east are quiet and expensive, and picking wrong ruins the trip.
How to spend less
- Eat where the songthaew drivers eat, not the beachfront restaurant row
- Use Grab instead of flagging a taxi; agree the fare upfront if you can't get one
- Book Phi Phi or James Bond Island tours through your guesthouse rather than a beach tout, prices are usually the same or lower
- Stay in Kata, Karon or Rawai instead of Patong; comparable rooms cost less outside the peak strip
- Rent a scooter weekly instead of daily for a lower per-day rate, but only if you're licensed for it
- Drink Chang or Singha at 7-Eleven prices before going out; Patong bar markups are steep