Daily costs per person in THB (฿). Phuket is pricier than mainland Thailand but still very affordable with smart choices.
Daily cost breakdown
Currency: THB (฿ Baht) (1 USD ≈ ฿35)
| Category | Budget | Mid-range | Splurge | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | ฿350–700 | ฿1,500–3,000 | ฿6,000+ | Hostels → pool villas → beachfront resort |
| Food | ฿250–400 | ฿600–1,200 | ฿2,500+ | Street food & markets → seafood restaurants → fine dining |
| Transport | ฿200–300 | ฿400–800 | ฿1,500+ | Scooter rental → Grab rides → private car |
| Activities | ฿0–500 | ฿1,500–3,000 | ฿5,000+ | Beaches & temples → island tours → diving & yacht |
| Drinks | ฿60–200 | ฿300–600 | ฿1,500+ | 7-Eleven & beach bars → happy hours → rooftop bars |
| Daily Total | ฿860–2,100 | ฿4,300–8,600 | ฿16,500+ | $25–60 → $123–246 → $471+ |
Money-saving tips
Beach food over restaurants
The beachfront restaurants charge 2–3x local prices. Walk one block inland for pad thai at ฿50 instead of ฿150. Banzaan Market food court in Patong has full meals from ฿50 with more variety than any restaurant.
Rent a scooter
Scooter rental: ฿200–300/day. This is the cheapest and most flexible way to explore Phuket. Grab costs ฿200–400 per trip across the island. Tuk-tuks are the most expensive option — they have a cartel and refuse to negotiate below ฿400 for most routes.
Book tours online
Phi Phi Island tours booked at your hotel: ฿2,500+. Same tour booked on GetYourGuide or Klook: ฿1,500–1,800. Phang Nga Bay is similarly 30–40% cheaper online. Always book a day ahead.
Rawai over restaurants
Rawai seafood market: buy 1kg of prawns (฿300) and pay ฿100 to cook. Same prawns at a Patong restaurant: ฿800+. Eat at Rawai at least twice — it is the best seafood value on the island.
Avoid Patong tuk-tuks
Phuket tuk-tuks are notorious — they charge ฿400–600 for short trips and refuse to use meters. Use Grab instead (฿100–250 for the same distance). Or rent a scooter and save ฿500+ per day on transport.
Free beaches and viewpoints
All Phuket beaches are public and free (sunbed rental: ฿200 optional). Big Buddha, Promthep Cape, Karon Viewpoint, and Windmill Viewpoint are all free. You can spend entire days exploring without spending a baht on entry fees.
