Cost of Trip to Bangkok

[katoeylover]

I thought I would put this here first and then move it to the Travel Info Thread later.

Over time people always ask the costs involved in a trip to LOS, so thought I would share this with you.

As in the title i don't scrimp and cut corners and I am sure it can be done for a lot less, but this is the way I do it:

Hope you find it useful:

Flight LHR-BKK Economy, Gulf Air £430.00 (Inc C/C Surcharge)

2 Nights Majestic Grande BKK @2700 bt = £78

Taxis, meals, extras in hotel, Bar drinks 2 days: £120

Hua Hin - Villa + Transfers £200

Spending in Hua Hin: £200

LB Costs: LT 13 days £300
ST x 2 £70

Majestic Suites 1 night , Maj Grande 3 nights: £140
Hotel Extras: £25

Spending in Bkk, 4 days, £300 inc Taxis

Gifts/Fakes/Cigs for home: £170

Total: £2010/ $3780

Better start saving again for August!!!!!

[PigDogg]

Always interesting to see numbers KL!

[Guest]

You've inspired me to calculate how much I spent on my last trip. I cannot remember the actual distribution of funds for most things but will try my best. All prices are in AUD.


$1401 - Qantas, Melbourne - BKK return.
$853 - 9 nights Majestic Grande Hotel.
$310 - Room Service/Laundry etc Majestic Grande.
$176 - 3 nights Patong Villa, Bungalow (checked out after 2).
$90 - BKK to Phuket, Bangkok Airways.
$90 - Phuket to BKK, Bangkok Airways.
$160 - Duty Free (Sunglasses and After shave)
$2682 - Food, Girls, Taxis, Alcohol, Internet etc, anything I paid cash for also includes accommodation at "The place to Stay" in Phuket for 6 nights.

Total $5762 AUD

[katoeylover]

so at 2.5 aud/£ = £2305,

roughly the same!!

[stogie bear]

Wow... It soons mounts up doesn't it!

Hey KL... What you spent on holiday is what I spend on rent... every 3 years and 4 months!

[SamplerDoc]

Your rent is what a month?

I think you are getting a good deal eh? SB

I also think those trip costs seem high or is it I am not understanding the length of stay and codes....  

Oh well, I will bring cash and a credit card for August's trip and see how it plays out.  My best guess from all the research is about 6k bhat a day for all items.  That may be too low or high but its just my guess at this point (being first trip there)

[dummy_plug]

Interesting post idea KL! My cost for my last trip in $USD (20 days):

- Airfare from SFO to BKK = $1,100
- Hotel stay at Dynasty Inn including tips @ 1,300 baht is $32.50/day = $650
- Laundry costs over the entire trip = $60
- Food, entertainment, and transportation cost @ $50/day = $1,000
- Barfines for 10 days (see trip report) @ $15/time = $150
- LT costs for Jane @ 13,000 baht (12 days) = $325
- LTs with Helen, Ra, Pattaya freelancers = $250
- Other costs = $200

Total cost for 20 days of debauchery is roughly $3,800 USD. Seems in line with what KL and Ozzie seem to spend. But man...3 trips a year is really killing my pocketbook hehe...

[dummy_plug]

Should be noted that I'm staying in a low-end hotel, so if you want to stay upmarket your hotel costs will basically double, if not triple, from what I'm paying. In the future, I'll probably stay at the Marriott (need more stays to maintain Gold status) but the Dynasty is a good place for first-timers due to its proximity and status as a 'punter' hotel. I know at first, I was very uncomfortable about brining girls back to my room - a problem that is solved easily b/c thats what everyone is doing at these establishments.

[stogie bear]

(SamplerDoc @ Jun. 04 2006,00:39) Your rent is what a month? I think you are getting a good deal eh?

My rent is 3,500 Baht (50 Pounds - 85US$) a month. I like where I live and have been here for 4 years now.

With a cleaner/maid service, DSL, electric and water and trash removal etc I can live comfortably here for 10,000 Baht a month plus whatever I need for food and drink!

[SamplerDoc]

(stogie bear @ Jun. 04 2006,00:49) With a cleaner/maid service, DSL, electric and water and trash removal etc I can live comfortably here for 10,000 Baht a month plus whatever I need for food and drink!

     

Holy Cow.....

Does that include sexual romps  

I spend more a month on my car

SD, please find a home nearby, I will be moving in in August geez, what a frickin deal eh

[Lotusman]

DP,

Jane for 12 days for $325..... Fuck can't beat that.  The ladies here (SF, CA)want that for 20 min.



Lotusman

[katoeylover]

(stogie bear @ Jun. 03 2006,23:12) Wow... It soons mounts up doesn't it!

Hey KL... What you spent on holiday is what I spend on rent... every 3 years and 4 months!  

Especially when you do it 4 times/year!!

No wonder my life in the UK is non-existent.

Must get a place down there, at least you can get some rental income while not there and have money waiting for you.

[katoeylover]

(SamplerDoc @ Jun. 03 2006,23:39) I also think those trip costs seem high or is it I am not understanding the length of stay and codes....  

I always thought Bangkok was a cheap city, but not anymore. Yes, you can live there cheaply as Stogie does, but staying in International Chain Hotels, eating decent (not street) food, etc all cost money. A coffee in starbucks is £1.20, beer is over $2 in the bars, same as in most countries.

As is said, like Ozzie, we don't cut corners but again, apart from accomodation costs, don't know where the obvious places to save are.

LT's and ST's are what they are, and this is the major reason for the trip. Be prepared to spend 3K+ a day just on the girld and bars.

[PigDogg]

Way to control costs if on holiday for the financially challenged:

1) fly for free.  with United (in the USA), there are lots of ways to get FF miles without flying.  United/Star Alliance miles alsogood on Sing, That, and Lufthansa.

2) control hotel costs.  this doesn't mean stay ibn a shithole.  in pattaya i'm quite happy with a 500 baht place.  in lamai, the place i stay for 950 baht is as nice as places three times that cost.  in phuket, nice places are les than 1000.  and in bkk lots of 1000 baht hotels and the more upscale omni is only 2000.

i'll spend the bucks for an expensive hotel if i have too such as on ko samet where the cheap hotels suck.  also i will stay in more expensive places if i'm traveling with a ladyboy as opposed to butterflying.

3) if money's an issue go to pattaya where shortimes are 500 amd longtimes are 1000 and thaqi massage is 150.

4) don't use the hotel's laundry service.  who needs a middleman.  

5) stock the fridge with stuff u like.

6) other than that i don't think too much about money and spend whatever i want

[dummy_plug]

PD - good suggestions. Except for #1! Flying for free, is generally not a good option for most people. A few reasons for this include:

1. Award travel is getting harder to redeem these days, with fewer seats available. I tried to use an award ticket with United this year for my trip in August and no dates available for a Saver ticket (60,000 miles). The only way was a Regular ticket which was 100,000 miles. At that many miles, it was worth it to pay the $1,00 for me.

2. Do the math on racking up 60,000 miles (or even 100,000 miles). To get to 60k miles, you'd need to do approximately 6 trips RT from San Francisco to Bangkok. Yup...plan on flying a lot to get that free ticket.

3. Earning miles with United usually requires you to spend money (if you're not earning them by flying). You can do this with their affinity credit card from Chase, earning 1 mile per $1 you spend. Yeah there are other promotions to earn miles such as staying at hotels, refinancing your home, car rentals, and signing up for promotions (that cost money) but its not a realistic way to earn free travel.