Bangkok for five days: trip budget in 2026

For a short trip to Bangkok, EU citizens do not need a visa (Auswärtiges Amt, as of 09/2026).

Five days in the capital of Thailand cost less than the photos of rooftop pools suggest. The main expenses here are not the hotel, but flights, transport, and food. The hotel is chosen to match your habits, while local rates are the same for everyone.

Below is a budget breakdown for five days: four nights of accommodation, the trip from the airport, metro and Skytrain, food at markets and restaurants, tickets to the main temples, and a SIM card. We checked the prices in September 2026 against the Bangkok entrance ticket price list and the current public transport fares.

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Bangkok trip budget: in short

💡 In short:

• Tickets to the four main temples: 1,100 baht per person (as of 09/2026, ticket price summary).
• Getting around the city: 17-44 baht per ride on the MRT metro (as of 09/2026, BTS and MRT fares).
• A day trip to the Damnoen Saduak and Maeklong markets: a group tour costs in the low double-digit euro range.
• SIM card for 7 days: from 299 baht per person (as of 09/2026, overview of tourist SIM plans).
• Accommodation: budget for a mid-range hotel in Chinatown, not the promotional rate for the first nights.

Five days means four nights in a hotel and three full days in the city. This scenario works if you are flying through Bangkok in transit to the islands or neighboring countries. In that case, it is better not to drag your suitcase across the whole city: pick one neighborhood and explore it on foot.

We calculate per person. Couples and families spend less per person because accommodation and taxis are split. For a solo trip, set aside a buffer for taxis and for tickets bought on the spot.

Flights and entry to Thailand

From September 15, 2026, Thailand allows visa-free entry for a maximum of 30 days (entry rules from Auswärtiges Amt, as of 09/2026). The previous 60-day rule has been scrapped, so one month is now the ceiling for visa-free stays. Visa-free entries by land and by sea are limited to two per calendar year.

Before departure, fill out the TDAC digital arrival card; it is checked at passport control (Royal Thai Embassy in Berlin, as of 09/2026). Keep your return ticket and hotel address handy: an immigration officer has the right to ask for them.

We do not include the flight to Bangkok in the calculation, because the price depends on the season and route. Tickets from Frankfurt and Munich are searched for three to four months before the trip, and a connection through Doha or Istanbul is often chosen for the price. Within Asia, flying is cheap: a ticket from Da Nang in Vietnam to Bangkok comes out in the low double-digit euro range.

Planning takeaway: calculate the flight separately, and on the ground budget for four nights and five days. From the airport you will get into the city for the amount you will see in the transport section.

Accommodation: how much a hotel costs for four nights

In Bangkok, the neighborhood matters more than stars. In Chinatown you live next to street food and about two kilometers from Wat Pho (on the map). From here you can walk to the Chao Phraya River, and you can reach the Grand Palace by metro in a couple of stops.

ASAI Bangkok Chinatown on Yaowarat Road is an example of a hotel in this area. At its regular price it is above the mid-range level for Chinatown, and Amex promotions take more than half off the bill for four nights. From this, a simple rule for you: do not look at the promotional price, but at prices at ASAI Bangkok Chinatown and neighboring hotels on Trip.com.

• Who it's for: those who want to live inside street markets and walk to the river.
• Not for: those who need a water view from the window; a hotel on the Chao Phraya embankment will suit them better.

A four-star hotel in the center costs in the range of several tens of euros per night, a guesthouse will be about half as much. Take a rate with free cancellation. Prices in Chinatown change by season, so calculate your budget based on the regular rate.

Transport: Skytrain, metro, Grab, and tuktuk

City transport in Bangkok is cheap, but each system sells its own ticket. The Skytrain (BTS), the MRT metro, and the Airport Rail Link operate on separate fares, and a transfer between them is not included in the trip price (fare overview, as of 09/2026).

A single ride on the MRT Blue Line costs 17-44 baht (as of 09/2026, MRT Blue Line fares). A BTS day pass for 160 baht pays off with four rides per day (as of 09/2026, BTS day pass cost).

From Suvarnabhumi Airport to the center, the easiest way is the Airport Rail Link. A ticket costs 15-45 baht depending on the station, and the train runs without traffic (as of 09/2026, Airport Rail Link fares). With heavy suitcases, take Grab: a car is dispatched within a few minutes.

Grab in Bangkok works like a regular app, and the fare is calculated by kilometers. A ride from the airport to Chinatown costs a few hundred baht; a TukTuk with haggling is cheaper than a regular taxi but more expensive than Grab. Haggle before getting in. Near the Grand Palace, drivers quote a noticeably higher price than usual.

If you need a driver with a sign and a meeting in the arrivals hall, check prices for a transfer from Suvarnabhumi in advance. The metro runs until about midnight. At night, only a car remains.

© My Train Pix · CC BY-SAPhoto: My Train Pix, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0), Wikimedia Commons

Food and drinks: markets versus restaurants

Food is the easiest thing to save on in Bangkok. A portion of pad thai or tom yum soup at a street market costs less than a coffee at the hotel, and it is cooked in front of you. Pay in cash and in small bills: with a large note, a stall will take a long time looking for change.

Food courts in shopping malls like Terminal 21 and Siam Paragon charge for quality and air conditioning, but remain cheaper than restaurants. There you pay with a cashier card rather than cash, and the price is visible before ordering. This is a convenient option with children.

In the evening, go to night markets, for example Jodd Fairs Night Market. Entry to the market is free; money goes only to food and drinks. Get water and snacks at 7-Eleven: the chain operates around the clock and is on almost every corner.

At a hotel restaurant, the bill grows several times over, but there is air conditioning and an English menu. Cool air costs money. For five days, a reasonable compromise is this: two meals at the market, one in a cafe or restaurant. That way you will try more dishes and spend less.

Temple tickets and opening hours

Ticket prices are revised, and the old figures from 2021 reports are no longer accurate. Current rates and hours for September 2026 look like this (as of 09/2026, current temple rates):

© Basile Morin · CC BY-SAPhoto: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia Commons

Grand Palace: one ticket for the whole complex

One ticket covers the Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew with the Emerald Buddha, and the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles. It's the most expensive item on the itinerary, but it covers three sites at once.

Plan your visit for the morning. The ticket offices and the entire complex close at 15:30, and the heat becomes heavy by midday. Covered clothing is mandatory: shoulders and knees must be covered. Shorts and tank tops get turned away right at the entrance, and time is lost changing clothes.

• The catch: short opening hours, tickets are only sold until midday.

Wat Pho: the reclining Buddha

Wat Pho is the oldest and largest temple complex in Bangkok. Adult entry is cheaper than the Grand Palace, and the temple stays open until 18:30. Lines are shorter in the evening.

© ekeidar · CC BY-SAPhoto: ekeidar, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0), Wikimedia Commons

It's worth spending an hour here: the Reclining Buddha statue, several dozen meters long, the courtyard with pagodas, and the massage school at the temple. Shoes are left at the entrance, so choose footwear based on the weather.

• The catch: no student discounts, adults pay the full rate.

Wat Arun: the Temple of Dawn across the river

You get to Wat Arun by boat across the Chao Phraya; the crossing costs a few baht and takes a couple of minutes. Entry here is cheaper than the Grand Palace but more expensive than Wat Pho.

© Alexey Komarov · CC BY-SAPhoto: Alexey Komarov, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia Commons

The main view opens from the central prang. From the top you can see the porcelain decoration on the towers and the river. The staircase is steep and the steps are narrow, so take your time and leave the big backpack behind.

• The catch: catching the sunset from the upper terrace is difficult, last tickets are sold at 17:40.

Wat Traimit: the golden Buddha

Wat Traimit is a small temple in Chinatown with the Golden Buddha. Entry here is the cheapest of the four. A separate ticket is bought for the museum at the temple. From hotels on Yaowarat Road you can walk here.

• The catch: the museum is closed on Mondays.

Three of the four temples are easy to combine into one day: the Grand Palace and Wat Pho are next to each other, and you cross by boat to Wat Arun. Leave Wat Traimit in Chinatown for another day; the temple is open until 17:00. Tickets to Bangkok temples and museums are sold with an open date.

© Y.Thanongsak · CC BY-SAPhoto: Y.Thanongsak, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia Commons

If you want to skip the signs and lines, book a guided tour: in that case the organizer handles the route and tickets.

Day trips: floating markets and the railway

Damnoen Saduak is a floating market outside the city; the drive takes over an hour. Boats with goods enter the canal from early morning. Tours start before dawn. Departure is early. By midday the canal gets hot and crowded.

The same day you're taken to the Maeklong market, where the train passes right next to the stalls. The train schedule changes, so confirm the time when booking: tours to Damnoen Saduak and Maeklong markets.

In the evening, the city gives you its night markets, and entry to them is free. Chatuchak Market is open only on weekends, and admission is free (as of 09/2026, price list for markets and parks). You only spend money at the stalls.

SIM card and internet in Bangkok

Internet in Bangkok is fast and cheap, and you get a signal in the metro and in shopping malls. A tourist SIM for 7 days costs from 299 baht per person (as of 09/2026, current SIM rates). Cards are sold at the airport, at AIS and True stores, and at 7-Eleven. You need a passport to register one (as of 09/2026, rules for buying a SIM with a passport).

For five days, a weekly SIM is more than enough, so you won't need to top up the plan. Keep your phone in your hands: Grab, maps, and a translator only work with internet.

The line at the airport eats up time. If you don't want to stand around waiting for a card, set up an eSIM for Thailand before you fly. It activates on arrival, and you have a connection right away.

Final budget for five days

Add up the transport, tickets, and SIM lines, and you get the fixed part of your expenses. Fixed costs are predictable. They barely depend on the season, while accommodation and food are the variable part, where you control the budget.

The easiest places to save are transport and food. The river ferry, bus, and metro are the cheapest, followed by Grab, then tuk-tuk and regular taxis. The most expensive is a private driver for the day, and it's also the most convenient if you're traveling with a group and splitting the bill.

Prices on the ground are rising: the MRT metro updated its fares on July 3, 2026 (as of 09/2026, MRT fare update in July 2026). Temple tickets are also being revised. Check the amounts before your trip, not based on old reports.

⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

How much money do you need for five days in Bangkok?

Calculate the fixed part separately from accommodation and food. Tickets to the four main temples, getting around the city, the airport transfer, and a SIM card together come to a few thousand baht per person (as of 09/2026, ticket prices in Bangkok). Accommodation and food you adjust to your own level: a mid-range hotel and a street market instead of a restaurant save you the bulk of the amount.

Do you need a visa to travel to Bangkok in 2026?

EU citizens do not need a visa, the five-day visa-free period is more than enough (official information from Auswärtiges Amt, as of 09/2026). Fill out the TDAC before departure and keep your return ticket handy.

How much does entry to the Grand Palace and Wat Pho cost?

The Grand Palace costs 500 baht, the ticket includes Wat Phra Kaew and the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles (as of 09/2026, official Grand Palace website). Wat Pho costs 300 baht, children under 120 cm enter free (as of 09/2026, temple tickets and opening hours). Wat Arun costs 200 baht (as of 09/2026, official Thailand portal), Wat Traimit costs less than the others. Grand Palace tickets are sold until 3:30 PM, so plan it for the morning.

How do you get from Suvarnabhumi Airport to the center?

The most predictable option is the Airport Rail Link: 15-45 baht per trip, travel time depends on the station (as of 09/2026, Airport Rail Link tickets). Grab will get you to Chinatown faster if there is no traffic, but the bill will be several times higher. Trains do not run at night, so a car is the only option then.

When is the best time to visit Bangkok?

The most stable days fall between November and February: less rain and no exhausting heat. From March to May the city heats up, and from June to October short downpours arrive, which in turn lower hotel prices. For five days, allow extra time if you are traveling during the rainy season.

In short: what to book

Five days in Bangkok is inexpensive if you stay in a mid-range hotel and eat where locals eat. Fixed costs are temple tickets, transport, and a SIM card. Everything else depends on your comfort level, and you control that yourself.

• If you're flying in for the first time and staying five days: stay in Chinatown near Yaowarat Road and check Bangkok hotel prices on Trip.com.
• If you want to see the floating market and the train at the stalls: book a tour to Damnoen Saduak and Maeklong markets in advance, departure is early.

For connectivity and maps, one week of internet is enough, so activate an eSIM for Thailand before your flight.

One last tip. Keep small cash on hand for markets and tuk-tuks, and buy temple tickets at the entrance in the morning. That way you won't overpay or lose a day standing in lines.