Daily Food Budget for Bangkok: Street Food vs Mall Food Courts vs Dining Out
Daily Food Budget for Bangkok: Bangkok is one of the world’s great food cities — and it covers every price point from a 50-baht street noodle soup to a 3,000-baht tasting menu. Understanding what things actually cost and where to eat them is the difference between spending £8 a day on food or £40. Here’s an honest breakdown with real 2026 prices.
Street Food: Bangkok’s Best Value
Bangkok’s street food scene remains genuinely world-class and genuinely cheap. These are real 2026 prices at legitimate street stalls and local shophouses:
| Dish | Price (THB) | Price (£) |
|---|---|---|
| Pad Thai (street stall) | 60–80 | £1.30–1.80 |
| Khao man gai (poached chicken rice) | 55–70 | £1.20–1.55 |
| Khao pad (fried rice, street cart) | 50–70 | £1.10–1.55 |
| Boat noodles (kuay teow reua) | 25–35 per bowl | £0.55–0.80 |
| Som tam + sticky rice (papaya salad) | 50–70 | £1.10–1.55 |
| Grilled meat skewers (moo ping, 2-3 skewers) | 30–60 | £0.65–1.30 |
| Roti + egg (street crepe) | 20–40 | £0.45–0.90 |
| Fresh cut fruit (bag) | 20–40 | £0.45–0.90 |
| Thai iced coffee (oliang) or Thai tea | 25–45 | £0.55–1.00 |
| Chang or Singha beer (7-Eleven/street) | 55–65 | £1.20–1.45 |
| Coconut water (fresh, from the coconut) | 30–50 | £0.65–1.10 |
Street food daily total: Eating breakfast, lunch, dinner and a couple of drinks entirely from street stalls and local shophouses: 300–450 THB per day (£6.60–10). This is not difficult — Bangkok’s street food is genuinely excellent and you’re not making any sacrifices.
Mall Food Courts: The Air-Conditioned Middle Ground
Bangkok’s food courts deserve more credit than they get. They’re not tourist traps — they’re where Bangkok office workers eat lunch. The quality is good, the hygiene standards are high, and the prices are only marginally above street food.
Best Bangkok Food Courts
Terminal 21 Food Court (Asok BTS) — The most famous budget food court in Bangkok. Dishes are priced at 35–50 THB — you buy tokens at the entrance and spend them at stalls. Thai food, Japanese, Korean, fresh juices. Immaculate. One of the best food court experiences in the city.
MBK Food Court (4th floor, Siam) — Slightly more expensive at 50–90 THB per dish but a wider variety including some western options. Good for groups with different preferences.
Eathai at Central Embassy — Upscale food court experience with premium Thai dishes at 80–200 THB. Higher quality ingredients, some dishes from well-known Bangkok restaurateurs. Worth visiting at least once for the cooking and aesthetic, even at the higher price point.
SookSiam at Icon Siam — Technically a market, not a food court, but priced similarly (50–150 THB per dish) with extraordinary variety from all 77 Thai provinces. Some of the best regional Thai food in Bangkok.
Food court Daily Food Budget total: Eating mainly from food courts: 400–700 THB per day (£9–15).
Sit-Down Restaurants: Mid-Range Bangkok
Bangkok’s restaurant scene has expanded dramatically in the past decade. These are the realistic price ranges for different types:
| Restaurant Type | Price Per Person | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Local Thai shophouse (khantoke/rice shop) | 80–150 THB | Multiple dishes, rice, drink |
| Casual Thai restaurant (tourist area) | 200–450 THB | Main + drink + dessert |
| Japanese / Korean restaurant | 300–600 THB | Ramen, sushi, Korean BBQ |
| Western restaurant (burger, pizza, pasta) | 350–700 THB | Main + drink |
| Quality Thai restaurant (Gaggan, Nahm tier) | 1,500–5,000 THB | Set menu, world-class |
| Hotel restaurant dinner | 600–1,800 THB | 3 courses with drinks |
Drinks: What Beer and Cocktails Actually Cost
| Drink | 7-Eleven/Shop | Local Bar | Tourist Bar | Rooftop Bar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chang / Singha beer (330ml) | 55–65 THB | 80–100 THB | 100–150 THB | 200–280 THB |
| Cocktail (mojito, G&T etc.) | – | 150–250 THB | 200–350 THB | 350–500 THB |
| House wine (glass) | – | 150–250 THB | 200–350 THB | 350–600 THB |
| Bottle of water (600ml) | 7–15 THB | 15–30 THB | 30–60 THB | 60–120 THB |
Daily Food Budget Summary
| Eating Style | Daily Budget | In £ |
|---|---|---|
| Street food only, local drinks | 300–450 THB | £6.60–10 |
| Mix of street food + food courts | 450–700 THB | £10–15.50 |
| Mix of food courts + restaurants + a few drinks | 800–1,400 THB | £18–31 |
| Restaurants + bars every evening | 1,500–2,500 THB | £33–55 |
| Fine dining + hotel dining + bars | 3,000–6,000+ THB | £66–133+ |
Practical Tips for Eating Well in Bangkok
- Eat where Thais eat. If a stall has Thai customers at lunchtime, it’s almost certainly good. If a restaurant only has tourists and has pictures of every dish on a laminated menu, expect inflated prices for mediocre food.
- 7-Eleven is your friend. Sandwiches and ready meals from 25–45 THB, decent coffee, beer at wholesale prices. Open 24 hours. Essential for late-night hunger or early flights.
- Look for the lunch set. Many Bangkok restaurants offer a lunch set (khao Gaeng, rice + 2 curries) for 60–80 THB that’s not available at dinner. This is the best value hot meal in the city.
- Avoid Khao San Road restaurants for actual meals. Prices are 40–60% higher than equivalent food two blocks away and the quality often doesn’t justify it. Khao San is fine for drinks; eat elsewhere.
- Supermarket happy hours. Tops Market and Big C often discount prepared food in the late afternoon/evening. Decent sushi rolls, sandwiches and ready meals at significant reductions.
For the full cost picture of a Full daily budget breakdown with real prices.
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Discover top local food markets with our SookSiam Indoor Street Food Guide.
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