Last Updated on May 28, 2023 by Ellen
The numbers are in! Our Bangkok travel budget was $2,000 for a month-long stay in 2022.
Thailand was our first budget slow travel stop of the COVID ‘endemic’ era. We had some anxiety about all aspects of ‘new normal’ travel.
Our monthly spending goal is the same as when we started this adventure in 2015.
But prices are higher today, and there are additional COVID-related travel costs.
To help readers see exactly what a four-week stay in Bangkok cost us, we tallied up expenditures from April 11 to May 11.
Here’s the budget breakdown.
Bangkok travel budget 2022
- $682 – Housing
- $382 – Groceries & Beer
- $289 – Restaurant / Bar
- $144 – Local travel (subway, taxi, bus)
- $88 – Donations / Gifts
- $84 – Entertainment
- $84 – Supplies
- $56 – Thai visas (prorated)
- $34 – Clothing
$1,842 for two people
Woohoo! We came in under budget — at first glance.
Hold on a minute…
A few items are conspicuously absent. Indeed, my previous budget update is incomplete.
The above numbers accurately show our cost-of-living expenses in Bangkok.
The below numbers show our expenses to get into Thailand (paid prior to April 11).
- $445 airfare & baggage from Philippines
- $218 Thai COVID entry testing and mandatory quarantine (1 night)
- $115 Mandatory COVID health insurance
- —$778 in transit costs
- PLUS
- —$1,842 in cost of living
$2,620 for two people
More like boohoo!
You might not have COVID-related additional travel costs. Thailand – and other countries – canceled most entry requirements. (The IATA has a good page for your initial research.)
Further, our upcoming summer stays in Thailand and Malaysia won’t involve air travel. We expect our ‘land-based’ costs will be within budget.
BUT: we do have some medical checks and tests scheduled during that time, too.
Bottom line: it’s a reminder to us and others interested in budget slow travel that ‘one time’ expenses — whatever the reason — are common and must be expected and accounted for.
We have a 20-25% monthly budget cushion and an emergency fund that can be tapped as needed. This wiggle room is critical in the current time of health, financial, and geo-political uncertainties.
We spent all of our ‘COVID crisis’ time in the Philippines, where we overspent and helped friends and neighbors.
Now, as the world continues to normalize, we will get back to using – and sharing – our budget slow travel techniques, tips, and expense breakdowns.
As always, be thankful and generous, happy trails & more beer.
Life is NOW!
Thanks for reading, “Bangkok travel budget 2022.”
Read additional budget slow travel breakdowns linked on this page.