Thailand Trip Cost from India 2026: Every Rupee, Sourced

Photo: Bjørn Erik Pedersen / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0), cropped.

Short answer: A 7-day Thailand trip from India costs about ₹61,000 per person on a tight budget, about ₹1.14 lakh in mid-range comfort and ₹2 lakh or more in four- and five-star style.

Since 15 September 2026, Indian passport holders get 30 days visa-free for tourism, and the mandatory Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) is free.

Those totals cover a return flight from Delhi, a Bangkok–Phuket hop, hotels, food, local transport and sightseeing (rough estimate). Entry itself costs nothing.

Below, every line of the budget has a date and a source. Where we had to do our own arithmetic, the figure is marked as a rough estimate, so you can swap in your own numbers.

Key Takeaways

• Indians can stay up to 30 days visa-free for tourism from 15 September 2026 (it was 60 days). Longer trips need a tourist visa, which costs INR 3,000 single entry (Royal Thai Embassy, New Delhi, updated 16 September 2026).
• The TDAC is free on the official site and must be filed within 3 days before arrival (Thai Immigration Bureau, checked 24 October 2026).
• Return flights to Bangkok typically cost ₹18,700–₹27,000 from Kolkata, ₹22,400–₹30,400 from Mumbai and ₹26,000–₹33,700 from Delhi (Kayak India route data, checked 24 October 2026).
• Carry proof of funds. Immigration officers may ask for it, and we suggest ฿20,000 per person (about ₹56,200) to be safe (TAT Newsroom, 6 July 2026).
• We convert at ₹2.81 per baht, the XE mid-market rate at 15:29 IST on 24 October 2026 (₹2.809).

How Did We Build This Thailand Budget?

We priced each cost line from the most primary source we could find on 24 October 2026. Entry rules come from the Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi, Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Immigration Bureau.

Fares come from Kayak India's 12-month route data. Food and local prices come from Numbeo's crowdsourced Bangkok and Phuket pages.

A few rules keep the numbers honest:

• Exchange rate: ₹2.81 per Thai baht (฿), rounded from XE's 24 October 2026 mid-market rate of ₹2.80932. Over the previous 30 days the rate moved between ₹2.809 and ₹2.889, so a 3% swing is normal. Your card or forex counter will give you a worse rate than mid-market.
• Base city: Sample budgets use Delhi fares. If you fly from Kolkata or Mumbai, subtract the difference shown in the flights section.
• Estimates: Hotel, daily food, local transport and activity allowances are our own per-day assumptions built on the cited prices. They are marked as a rough estimate.
• Not included: Shopping, nightlife, travel insurance, forex markups and checked-bag fees on basic fares.

What Does It Cost to Enter Thailand As an Indian?

For a tourist trip of up to 30 days, entering Thailand costs Indian passport holders nothing. There is no visa fee and no TDAC fee. Thailand had not started charging a tourist entry fee as of 24 October 2026.

The only money you need to show, not spend, is proof of funds if an officer asks for it.

What Changed on 15 September 2026?

Thailand cut its visa-exemption stay from 60 days to 30 days and trimmed the list of eligible countries.

The Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi announced on 15 September 2026 that Indian passport holders can now stay up to 30 days visa-free.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs list puts India among the 60 countries and territories in the new 30-day group.

The Government Public Relations Department summarised the change on 2 September 2026.

Visa on arrival is no longer an option for Indians. Under the same MFA revision, visa on arrival now covers only Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia. Any blog that still budgets a visa-on-arrival fee for Indians is out of date.

Thailand's 2026 revision describes the 30-day exemption as for tourism (PRD; Royal Thai Embassy, Doha; GOV.UK).

The New Delhi embassy's visa page also mentions "short-term business engagements", but the official announcements don't.

If your trip includes work meetings, ask the embassy or apply for a Non-Immigrant B (business) visa.

One more caution: the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Kolkata still had a November 2025 advisory showing the old 60-day rule on 24 October 2026.

Go by the New Delhi embassy and the MFA list.

What Documents Do You Need at Immigration?

Expect to show a passport valid for at least six months (GOV.UK; Royal Thai Embassy, Brussels), a confirmed return or onward ticket, your accommodation booking, the TDAC and, if asked, proof of funds.

The Kolkata consulate's advisory lists the ticket, accommodation and TDAC conditions for Indian visitors. Those conditions match current embassy pages, even though the advisory's stay length is outdated.

On money, a Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) reminder dated 6 July 2026 says officers may ask for evidence of funds.

It gives ฿10,000 per person or ฿20,000 per family for some visa-exempt and transit entries, and ฿20,000 per person or ฿40,000 per family for tourist-visa holders. Children under 12 are exempt, and the officer decides.

Some Royal Thai Embassy pages for the new 30-day exemption (Doha, Brussels) still list ฿20,000 per person or ฿40,000 per family, so carry that much to be safe.

That's about ₹56,200 or ₹1.12 lakh. Cash, a forex card balance or a recent bank statement are the usual forms.

Is the TDAC Free, and When Should You File It?

Yes, the TDAC is free. The official portal's title reads "Official Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) – No Fees Required", checked 24 October 2026. Any site charging you for it is a third-party agent.

The TDAC FAQ says:

• You file within 3 days before arrival, counting the arrival day.
• Every non-Thai traveller needs one, including children, whether arriving by air, land or sea.
• One submission can cover up to 10 people. It takes about 3–5 minutes and is valid for one entry.
• Passengers transiting airside without passing immigration are exempt.
• Kiosks are available at Suvarnabhumi (BKK), Don Mueang (DMK), Phuket (HKT), Chiang Mai (CNX) and Hat Yai (HDY) airports.

The Embassy of India in Bangkok confirmed in April 2025 that the TDAC became mandatory on 1 May 2025.

What If You Want to Stay Longer Than 30 Days?

Get a tourist visa before you fly. It costs INR 3,000 for a single entry, valid for three months with stays of up to 60 days per entry, or INR 13,500 for multiple entries over six months.

The Royal Thai Embassy, New Delhi lists these fees (updated 16 September 2026).

Applications go through the official Thai e-Visa portal, live for Indian applicants since 1 January 2025. The same page lists the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) at INR 30,000 for remote workers and long stays.

The Royal Thai Embassy in Brussels says visa-exempt visitors can apply once at an immigration office to extend by up to 30 days (Royal Thai Embassy, Brussels), for ฿1,900 (about ₹5,300) (Immigration fee schedule), at the officer's discretion.

We found no official source confirming how this is applied to Indian nationals, and Immigration's older 2023 extension guidance listed shorter extensions for some cases.

So don't plan a 40-day trip around an extension. If you need more than 30 days, get the visa in India.

Overstaying is costly: ฿500 a day, capped at ฿20,000, and it can lead to a re-entry ban of up to 10 years (GOV.UK).

Is There a New Tourist Fee or Departure Tax?

Not yet. Thailand has proposed a flat ฿450 tourist entry fee (about ₹1,265).

As of October 2026 it still needed approval from the National Tourism Policy Committee and the Cabinet, then publication in the Royal Gazette and would take effect within 180 days of publication.

Officials are targeting early 2027 for air arrivals; land and sea arrivals would be exempt at first (Thai Examiner, 7 October 2026).

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports said on 19 October 2026 that a draft announcement was under consideration. Budget ₹0 for now, and recheck before you fly in 2027.

How Much Are Flights from India to Thailand?

Return economy flights from India to Bangkok typically cost ₹18,700 to ₹33,700. Kolkata is the cheapest Indian gateway, Delhi the priciest.

These ranges come from Kayak India's route pages, based on the last 12 months of searches and checked on 24 October 2026. Basic fares on some airlines exclude checked bags, which Kayak says can add about ₹1,500–₹9,500 depending on route and airline.

Kayak's figures update daily, so recheck on the day you book.

Which Indian Cities Have Direct Flights to Thailand?

Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata have the most non-stop flights, and several more cities have direct links. Here's what we found on 24 October 2026:

• Delhi–Bangkok: Air India and Thai Airways each fly about 28 times a week, plus IndiGo (14) and SpiceJet. The flight takes about 4 hours 15 minutes (Kayak).
• Mumbai–Bangkok: IndiGo (21 a week), Thai Airways (14), Air India (13) and Thai Vietjet (Kayak).
• Kolkata–Bangkok: Thai Airways, SpiceJet, IndiGo, Bhutan Airlines and Thai Vietjet. The flight takes about 2 hours 36 minutes (Kayak).
• Mumbai–Phuket: IndiGo (14 a week), Akasa Air and SpiceJet (7 each) and Thai Vietjet (Kayak).
• Bengaluru–Phuket: Air India Express started this route on 1 June 2026 and flies 3 times a week from 2 August 2026 (AeroRoutes).
• To Don Mueang (Bangkok): Thai AirAsia is resuming flights at 4 a week each from Ahmedabad (6 November 2026), Guwahati, Hyderabad and Lucknow (16 November) and Jaipur (17 November) (AeroRoutes, 23 September 2026).
• Krabi: IndiGo suspended Krabi from 1 July to 30 September 2026 (IndiGo; Nation Thailand, 12 June 2026). Its daily Delhi–Krabi flight was back in the air in October 2026, according to FlightAware tracking for 10–24 October. Check IndiGo's schedule for your dates, and for other cities, before you book.

What Makes Thailand Flight Fares Go Up or Down?

Season, booking window and fuel costs drive most of the swing. Kayak's data points to February (Delhi, Kolkata) and March (Mumbai) as the cheapest months, and December, May and June as the dearest.

Kayak suggests booking about 7 weeks ahead from Delhi, which saves about 10%, and about 23 weeks ahead from Mumbai, which saves about 27%.

Fuel is the wild card in 2026. In June, Nation Thailand reported jet fuel at two to three times pre-conflict levels, which helped lead IndiGo to pause Krabi.

If fuel stays high, expect fewer cheap fares in the December peak (rough estimate).

How Much Do Hotels Cost in Bangkok and Phuket?

Kayak India shows Bangkok rooms from under ₹1,000 a night. Its popular, well-reviewed budget and mid-range hotels mostly cost ₹1,800–₹2,600, a four-star averages about ₹6,250 and a five-star about ₹13,000 (checked 24 October 2026).

Banana Beach in Phuket, Thailand, with limestone cliffs and longtail boats in the bay

Phuket swings more by season: September is cheapest and April most expensive. Our sample budgets assume ₹2,000, ₹6,000 and ₹13,000 per room per night (rough estimate).

Kayak's monthly averages lean high because they include luxury resorts. Use them to see which months are cheaper, not as the price you will pay. Beach areas such as Patong and Karon usually cost more than Phuket Town (rough estimate).

Where Should You Stay to Save Money?

In Bangkok, staying near a BTS or MRT station saves more than a cheaper room far out. Taxi and Grab rides in traffic add up fast. Sukhumvit (around Asok), Silom and the riverside Old Town near Khao San Road are the usual first-timer bases.

In Phuket, Phuket Town is cheaper than the beaches and close to the Rassada Pier ferries.

How Much Should You Budget for Food in Thailand?

Plan on about ฿400 a day (₹1,125) if you eat at street stalls and local restaurants, about ฿900 (₹2,530) with one sit-down dinner and ฿1,800 (₹5,060) or more if you eat mostly in hotels and international restaurants (rough estimate).

Those allowances are built on Numbeo's crowdsourced Bangkok and Phuket prices, updated 24 October 2026.

Is Vegetarian and Indian Food Easy to Find?

Yes in Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya, though Indian restaurants cost more than street food. Bangkok's Pahurat (Little India), Sukhumvit and Patong in Phuket have many Indian restaurants.

For Thai food, ask for "jay" (vegan, no meat, fish sauce or eggs) or "mangsawirat" (vegetarian). Plenty of Thai dishes use fish sauce or shrimp paste, so ask.

If you plan on Indian meals twice a day, use the mid-range food line, not the budget one (rough estimate).

How Much Does It Cost to Get Around Thailand?

Getting around Bangkok by train costs ฿17 to about ฿65 a ride. The airport train is ฿45 into the city. A day of mixed trains and a couple of Grab rides runs about ฿400 (₹1,125, rough estimate).

The Airport Rail Link accepts contactless Visa and Mastercard cards at the gates, so you can ride before you change money.

In June 2026 the Cabinet scrapped Bangkok's ฿20 flat-fare plan (Royal Thai Government, 23 June 2026).

A ฿45-per-trip cap proposed for 1 January 2027 is for Thai nationals registered through the government's Paotang app (Khaosod English, 21 October 2026), so budget normal fares.

How Much Do Tours and Activities Cost in Thailand?

Budget ฿300–฿1,500 per person a day for sightseeing, depending on how many paid tours you take (rough estimate). Temples are cheap. Island boat trips are the big-ticket line. A few fixed fees anchor the budget:

Maya Bay at Koh Phi Phi Leh in Thailand, with steep cliffs around a pale sand beach

• Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Bangkok: ฿500 (₹1,405) for foreigners. The ticket also covers the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles and a Khon performance, and is valid for 7 days (Royal Grand Palace, checked 24 October 2026).
• Phi Phi islands national park fee: ฿400 (₹1,124) per foreign adult and ฿200 per child for Phi Phi Don, Phi Phi Leh (Maya Bay) and Bamboo Island, under the Department of National Parks fee table revised 2 June 2023. Pay at the gate unless your tour includes it (Thaipedia, citing DNP, checked 18 October 2026).
• Maya Bay season: The bay closes to landings from 1 August to 30 September each year and reopened on 1 October 2026. Swimming there is banned (The Thaiger).
• Phi Phi day trip from Phuket: Speedboat and catamaran tours vary widely by operator and season. Get two or three quotes and ask whether the ฿400 park fee is included (rough estimate).

What Do 5-, 7- and 10-Day Thailand Trips Cost from India?

A 5-day Bangkok trip from Delhi costs about ₹46,000 per person on a budget. A 7-day Bangkok–Phuket trip is about ₹1.14 lakh mid-range and a 10-day three-stop trip runs about ₹1.52 lakh mid-range (rough estimate).

Couples pay less per head because they share a room.

What Goes Into a 7-Day Mid-Range Budget, Line by Line?

Here is one solo traveller, Delhi to Bangkok and Phuket, 6 nights, in mid-range style. Every line shows its source or is marked as a rough estimate.

Add 10% as a buffer for bags, tips, a SIM or eSIM and card markups (rough estimate).

What Do Solo Travellers and Couples Pay?

The table below uses the same method for three styles and three trip lengths. Assumptions per person per day: food ฿400 / ฿900 / ฿1,800, local transport ฿150 / ฿400 / ฿900 and activities ฿300 / ฿700 / ฿1,500.

Hotels are ₹2,000 / ₹6,000 / ₹13,000 per room per night. Delhi fares run from the low end of Kayak's range (budget) to the average (mid-range) to the high end (comfort).

The 7- and 10-day trips add a Bangkok–Phuket flight, and the 10-day trip adds ferries to Phi Phi or Krabi (฿1,300). All totals are a rough estimate and rounded to the nearest ₹100.

Flying from Kolkata instead of Delhi cuts about ₹7,000 per person off each line, and Mumbai about ₹3,700, based on the difference in Kayak's average fares (rough estimate).

Is a Thailand Tour Package Cheaper Than Planning It Yourself?

A package can be cheaper in peak season if the operator has bought hotel rooms in bulk. Planning it yourself is usually cheaper and more flexible the rest of the year (rough estimate).

The fair test is to price the package line by line against the tables above.

When comparing, check:

• Flights: Is the airfare included, from which city and with checked bags?
• Hotel names and areas: "3-star Pattaya" can mean very different places. Look up the named hotel on a booking site for the same dates.
• Meals: Packages often include breakfast only. Add your food line for lunch and dinner.
• Tours: Are the park fees (฿400 at Phi Phi) and transfers included, or paid on the day?
• Visa line: Any package charging Indians a Thai visa or visa-on-arrival fee for a trip of up to 30 days is quoting outdated rules. Ask what the line covers.

Packages suit first-time travellers, families with elderly parents and groups who want airport pick-ups handled. Do-it-yourself suits anyone comfortable booking a Grab and a domestic flight on their phone.

How Should You Carry Money for Thailand?

Carry some baht for street food, markets and boat fees, and pay for the rest by card or with a forex card. Under Reserve Bank of India rules, a resident traveller can carry up to USD 3,000 (or equivalent) in foreign currency notes per trip.

Anything more should go on a forex card or traveller's cheques (RBI FAQ).

Practical tips:

• Exchange in Thailand, not at the airport counter. Airport exchange counters usually give worse rates than city exchange booths (rough estimate).
• Use contactless cards on trains. The Airport Rail Link accepts Visa and Mastercard tap-to-pay.
• Expect ATM fees. Thai ATMs charge foreign cards ฿250 (Visa) or ฿350 (Mastercard) per withdrawal, about ₹703–₹984, on top of your bank's charge (Krungsri fee schedule, effective 11 March 2026). Withdraw larger amounts less often, and decline the on-screen currency conversion.
• Keep your proof-of-funds money separate. The ฿20,000 you carry for immigration is not spending money until you're through.
• Declare large sums. Thai Customs requires a declaration if you carry foreign currency worth more than USD 15,000, on arrival or departure (CAAT AIP GEN 1.3; Thai Customs).

How Can You Cut the Cost of a Thailand Trip?

The biggest savings come from your departure city, your travel month and your hotel location. In order of impact:

1. Fly from Kolkata if you can. Its average return fare to Bangkok (₹22,907) is about ₹7,300 below Delhi's, per Kayak on 24 October 2026.
2. Travel in February or March. These are the cheapest flight months from Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai, and fall in Thailand's dry season.
3. Book ahead. Kayak suggests about 7 weeks ahead from Delhi and up to 23 weeks from Mumbai.
4. Stay near a train station in Bangkok and use the BTS and MRT instead of taxis.
5. Choose low-cost carriers but add bags early. Bag fees added at the airport cost more than bags booked online.
6. Eat where locals eat. A ฿100 street meal versus a ฿1,200 dinner for two is the biggest daily swing in the budget.
7. Fewer bases, longer stays. Each extra hop adds a domestic flight or ferry and a transfer day.
8. Watch the dates. Phuket hotels are cheapest in September, but that's monsoon season and Maya Bay is closed. Choose low price or calm seas.

For context, Thailand remains one of Indians' top foreign trips.

India was Thailand's third-largest source market in January–September 2026 with about 1.73 million arrivals, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, as compiled by VisitThailandToday and reported by Nation Thailand.

Popular weeks such as Diwali, Christmas and New Year sell out early.

What Do Indian Travellers Ask Most About Thailand Trip Costs?

What Should You Check Before You Book?

Prices and rules here were checked on 24 October 2026 and will move.

Before you pay, recheck the New Delhi embassy visa page, file your TDAC only on tdac.immigration.go.th, compare fares for your exact dates and redo the exchange-rate maths at today's rate.

Then plug your own numbers into the line-by-line table above.

Written by Editorial @ TF. Every fare, fee and rule in this guide was checked on 24 October 2026. They move, so recheck them for your dates before you book. Last reviewed 24 October 2026.