How much does it cost to travel to Chiang Rai?
You should plan to spend around $39 (฿1,432) per day on your vacation in Chiang Rai. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.
Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:
- $12 (฿423) on meals
- $3.18 (฿117) on local transportation
- $35 (฿1,282) on hotels
A one week trip to Chiang Rai for two people costs, on average, $547 (฿20,049). This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.
All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.
Independent Travel
Traveling Independently to Chiang Rai has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.
All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.
Is Chiang Rai expensive to visit?
Chiang Rai is a very affordable place to visit. Located in Thailand, which is a reasonably affordable country, visitors will appreciate the lower prices of this destination. It is in the top 25% of cities in the country for its affordability. Budget travelers enjoy spending long periods of time exploring Chiang Rai in depth.
Within Asia, Chiang Rai is a reasonably affordable destination compared to other places. It is in the top 25% of cities in Asia for its affordability. You can find more affordable cities such as Luang Prabang, but there are also more expensive cities, such as Taipei.
For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is Chiang Rai Expensive?
How much money do I need for a trip to Chiang Rai?
The average Chiang Rai trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Chiang Rai travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.
|
Category
|
Cost
|
|
Accommodation 1
(Double Occupancy)
|
฿1,282
($35)
|
|
Local Transportation 1
|
฿117
($3)
|
|
Food 2
|
฿423
($12)
|
|
Entertainment 1
|
฿271
($7)
|
|
Tips and Handouts 1
|
฿99 -
298
($3 - 8)
|
|
Alcohol 2
|
฿152 -
457
($4 - 12)
|
Accommodation Budget in Chiang Rai
Calculated from travelers like you
The average price paid for one person for accommodation in Chiang Rai is $17 (฿641). For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in Chiang Rai is $35 (฿1,282). This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.
Looking for a hotel in Chiang Rai? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.
Transportation Budget in Chiang Rai
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The cost of a taxi ride in Chiang Rai is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $3.18 (฿117) per person, per day, on local transportation in Chiang Rai.
-
Transportation1
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
$3.18
฿117
How much does it cost to go to Chiang Rai? Naturally, it depends on the dates. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all airlines.
The price of renting a car in Chiang Rai will depends on dates, the type of car, the location, and your age. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all car rental companies.
Typical prices for Transportation in Chiang Rai are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Chiang Rai, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.
Food Budget in Chiang Rai
Calculated from travelers like you
-
While meal prices in Chiang Rai can vary, the average cost of food in Chiang Rai is $12 (฿423) per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Chiang Rai should cost around $4.61 (฿169) per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Chiang Rai is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
-
Food2
Meals for one day
$12
฿423
Entertainment Budget in Chiang Rai
Calculated from travelers like you
-
Entertainment and activities in Chiang Rai typically cost an average of $7.38 (฿271) per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
-
Entertainment1
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
$7.38
฿271
Tips and Handouts Budget in Chiang Rai
Calculated from travelers like you
Alcohol Budget in Chiang Rai
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The average person spends about $8.32 (฿305) on alcoholic beverages in Chiang Rai per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
-
Alcohol2
Drinks for one day
$8.32
฿305
Water Budget in Chiang Rai
Calculated from travelers like you
-
On average, people spend $3.90 (฿143) on bottled water in Chiang Rai per day. The public water in Chiang Rai is considered safe to drink.
-
Water2
Bottled water for one day
$3.90
฿143
Chiang Rai On a Budget
Chiang Rai, Thailand
If you find yourself dreaming of a vacation in Northern Thailand, consider the metropolitan city of Chiang Rai. This centrally located capital of the Chiang Rai province provides an excellent home base for exploring the surrounding areas. While it serves well as a home base, it has its own charms worth wandering.
Sights
Some of the most iconic and beautiful sights you'll find in Thailand are the temples and local art. The Baan dam Museum, or Black Temple, was created by a Thai artist and includes nearly 40 black houses constructed with wood, glass, concrete, bricks, or terracotta in various, unique styles and designs. The houses contain collections of paintings, sculptures, animal bones, skins, horns and silver and gold items from all over the world. The artist often gathers inspiration from animal skeletons so if you're an animal lover, you may not want to visit. It can be a bit disturbing.
Then there's the White Temple, or Wat Rong Khun. This modern temple was designed and built in 1998. There are large mural paintings of the Buddha, and beautiful white halls decorated with glittering mirrors. There are halls of reciting prayers, museums and reception pavilions.
Remember, if you're visiting these temples these, you must not forget that these are temples. Cover your shoulders and your knees. Especially in the White Temple, where they still take this very seriously. Show up with your knees exposed, they'll likely hand you a skirt for cover up.
Another temple worth exploring is the Wat Phra Kaeo. This Buddhist temple is most known for its 14th century housing Emerald Buddha. It is one of the most famous images in all of Thailand, and according to legend, the statue was discovered when a bolt of lightning hit a stupa on the grounds. The stupa cracked open and inside was this stunning Buddha. Today, a near exact replica of the Emerald Buddha is on display for all visitors.
Activities
Thailand is full of amazing rocks to scale and Chang Rai is no exception. The limestone rocks shoot up miles into the air. There are at least two dozen routes cleared for climbers of every experience level.
For the most marvelous viewpoints in the city, take the old road, Thamon Ratchayotha, for a few kilometers. Take the hill on the left toward the temple at the top to arrive at Buffalo Horn Hill. There's also the views worth seeing from Rice Box Hill, otherwise known as Doi Kong Kao, just west of town.
For a shower like you've never had before, visit the Kun Korn waterfall. Follow a winding road to the end and you've arrived. You can also find the smaller waterfalls in the Mae Sai Hill tribe village, or the larger ones at the Akha Village.
A nice spot to spend a day trekking and relaxing is at Lion Hill Cav. On the west side there's a Buddha Cave and a picnic area, while the east side is home to a three chambered cavern. Each chamber is filled with its own, natural skylight. Visitors can hike through the hills from the south side to the north. This area is home to the country's largest red fig tree. If you happen to be visiting during early summer, have your camera ready to tae photos of its enormous branches covered in beautiful, pink figs.
Food and Dining
There are a lot of good meals to be had in Chiang Rai. A favorite of most tourists is the Night Bazaar. Here you'll find a Western-Thai restaurant, and the night bazaar food court. Both of these are perfect for a night out in Chiang Rai, as there are free music and dance performances every night. With over 50 stalls and a great atmosphere, there are plenty of things to eat, though they may not be authentically Thai. For that, you'll want to peruse the restaurants in town.
Transportation
The public transportation in Chiang Rai is mostly tuk-tuks and songthaews, with a handful of taxis seen around. Walking the city is completely possible, and recommended, but if you plan on exploring other parts of the province, you'll probably want to go by car. If you're a very experienced driver who's ready to take on unfamiliar environments, feel free to rent your own car. If not, consider hiring a driver for the day.
Related:
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Thailand?
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We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.