Japanese Expats Guide: The cost of traveling to Thailand in 2023

Until ten years ago, Thailand was said to be the best choice for budget travelers from Japan due to its low prices. However, due to economic development in recent years and accompanying price rises, rising international air ticket prices, and further depreciation of the yen, it is no longer possible to go cheaply from Japan.

Then, how much money is necessary to go on a weekend trip to Thailand- for about 3 nights?

Firstly, there is the air ticket. A round trip ticket to Bangkok from Tokyo costs approximately 40,000 to 150,000 yen. The cheapest time is in the off-season, where it is possible to get a flight in the 30,000-yen range. However, most of the cheap air tickets are LCC connecting flights that take time, so they are not suitable for short-term trips to Thailand.

A normal economy ticket can be affordable and costs about 100,000 yen. It is not uncommon for the price to exceed 200,000 yen during the year-end such as New Year or long holidays.

Secondly, there is the hotel accommodation. Fortunately, there are many affordable and easy accommodations in Thailand, and it is possible to stay from around 2,000 yen per night. In addition, 4–5-star luxury hotels are generally cheaper in Thailand than in Japan, Europe and the United States, starting from the 20,000-yen range.

If you want to keep the costs down, a mid-range hotel for around 7,000 to 8,000 yen would be ideal.

Thirdly and importantly, there is the delicious Thai food. While there are many reasonably priced and delicious food stalls in Thailand, so compared to Europe and the United States, food & beverage is cheap. A normal lunch costs less than 1,000 yen, and dinner costs 3,000 yen to fill you up.

Fourthly, there is the tourism, local sightseeing and transportation expenses. Luckily, taxis in Thailand are considerably much cheaper than in Japan, starting at 40 baht (about 155 yen). Taxi service from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Bangkok city costs less than 2,000 yen, so if there are multiple people, it may be more reasonable than taking the train or bus. In addition, Thailand’s has many of these famous “tuk-tuks”, but many of them are aimed at tourists. Tuk Tuk prices are often negotiable, so it may be difficult to negotiate for new tourists. It’s often useful to travel with a frequent traveler or someone who can speak Thai.

Sightseeing in Thailand if you only visit temples, etc., it is generally very affordable. The entrance fee for each place is about 100 to 500 baht, so if you convert it to Japanese yen, it will be about 400 to 2000 yen. A renowned Thai massage will cost 200-300 baht (about 700-1100 yen) if you get it at a general massage parlor, while higher end massage outlets would cost the same or more than in Japan. Same goes for the nightlife. It is important to research enough information in advance from the internet to plan your local destinations.

So far, the total cost of a three-night trip, excluding souvenirs, can be from 100,000 yen in the off-season to 200,000 yen in the peak season.

For Japanese passport holders, if you travel to Thailand for sightseeing purposes, you do not need a visa and can stay within 30 days.

However, if you are thinking about staying in Thailand for a long time or moving to Thailand in the future, there is also a Thailand-specific privilege visa membership program called Thailand Elite Visa. It’s considered a long-term residency visa in Thailand, allowing Thai Elite members to be able to live in Thailand from 5-20 years, depending on the membership. As a Thailand Elite member, you’ll also receive additional support such as fast track airport immigration, dependent visas for your long stay family members, discounts at premiere restaurants & outlets, and allowing you and your family an even more comfortable stay in Thailand.