How the calculation works
The formula is simple, and nothing is hidden:
- Accommodation = nights × room price per night
- Day to day = trip days × daily spending (food, local transport, small extras)
- Evenings = evenings out × spend per evening
- Total = accommodation + day to day + evenings + transfers + activities + contingency
Days and nights are counted separately because they differ: a 7-night trip usually spans 8 days. The calculator warns you if the numbers look inconsistent.
Filling it in well
- Room: use the actual price you found for your dates and area. Nothing beats it. The area chooser helps you decide where to look.
- Daily spending: baht buses cost 15–20 baht, depending on distance (since 10 April 2026) a ride. Food ranges from street stalls to hotel restaurants, so set this to how you actually eat.
- Evenings out: this is the line that varies most. A local beer typically costs about 70–90 baht in a Soi Buakhao beer bar and about 150–180 baht in a Walking Street go-go bar, and drinks for staff cost more than your own. Decide your per-night cash before you go out, and carry only that.
- Transfers: the direct bus from Suvarnabhumi costs ฿135 per seat to Pattaya or ฿158 per seat to Jomtien, each way. Private transfers cost much more.
- Contingency: keep a buffer for surprises, like a missed bus, a lost phone or a night that went long.
What is not included
Flights, travel insurance, visa costs and shopping. Add them as a contingency or activity amount if you want them in the total.
For how bars and bills work, see the nightlife guide.