Travel money guide
Money in Thailand: Cash or Card, ATM Fees and Exchanging Baht
Thailand is easy to pay your way through, as long as you know where the line between card and cash runs. Hotels, malls and 7-Eleven take cards; the street food stall, the night market and the tuk-tuk want baht. The two things that cost visitors the most are avoidable: a flat fee on every ATM withdrawal and a poor exchange rate at the wrong counter.
Cash or card in Thailand: where the line runs
In Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai you can pay by card in hotels, shopping malls, international chains, supermarkets, convenience stores and most sit-down restaurants aimed at visitors. Contactless payment is common in those places, and many hotels take a card deposit at check-in.
Cash still runs a large part of daily life. A Bank of Thailand and Visa study found that cash made up 78% of what tourists spent in Thailand in 2024. Street food, markets, songthaews, tuk-tuks, motorbike taxis, small family restaurants, massage shops and island boat transfers usually want baht, and small vendors often cannot change a 1,000 baht note. Thais themselves pay by scanning QR codes with local banking apps, but that generally needs a Thai bank account or a banking app from one of the few linked countries, so for most visitors from Europe and North America it does not replace cash.
The further you go from big cities and resorts, the more cash you need. On smaller islands ATMs can be few, and a power or network outage can take out card terminals for a day. Plan to carry enough baht for a couple of days in those places.
- Card works: hotels, malls, chain restaurants, supermarkets, 7-Eleven and FamilyMart, flights, larger tour operators.
- Cash needed: street food, markets, tuk-tuks and songthaews, small restaurants, massages, tips, island boats.
- Bring both: a card for the big costs and baht in small notes for everything else.
Thai ATMs: the flat fee and how to keep it small
Thai banks charge a foreign card a fixed fee on each ATM withdrawal, on top of whatever your own bank charges. It used to be 220 baht almost everywhere; since 2026 some large banks charge 250 baht for Visa and 350 baht for Mastercard, and the ATM shows the fee before you confirm. Because the fee is flat, it hurts small withdrawals the most: 250 baht on a 2,000 baht withdrawal is over 12%, on 20,000 baht it is just above 1%. Withdraw rarely and in large amounts, up to the machine's limit, which is often 20,000 to 30,000 baht per withdrawal.
The screen will usually also offer to show the amount in your home currency or to apply a conversion. Decline it and choose to be charged in baht. Accepting lets the ATM operator set its own rate, which is typically several percent worse than your card network's.
Before you fly, check your own card's terms for foreign withdrawals and card payments. A card without a foreign transaction fee does not remove the Thai ATM fee, but it stops your bank from adding another 1 to 3% on top.
Exchanging cash: at home, at the airport or in town?
Exchanging at home is usually the most expensive option, because banks outside Thailand rarely hold baht and price it accordingly. If you want some baht before you land, buy only a small amount, or skip it and withdraw at the airport.
In Thailand, money changers are where most visitors get their baht: in the Bank of Thailand study, tourists exchanged about seven times more cash at counters than they withdrew from ATMs. The large chains in Bangkok publish their rates and often quote close to the market, far better than hotel desks. Bring your passport, because changers ask for it.
Rates are best for large banknotes in good condition. At one large Bangkok changer in November 2026, a 100-dollar note bought about 0.8% more baht than the same amount in 1-dollar notes, and euros and pounds showed a smaller gap in the same direction. Torn or marked notes can be refused. At the airport, change just enough for the trip into town and do the rest in the city.
How much cash to carry
Start from what you will pay in cash, not from a round number. Add up a typical day of street food, local transport, small entrance fees and tips in baht, multiply by the days, and keep a buffer of around 20%. Pay the larger items, such as hotels, flights and organised tours, by card where you can.
Thai immigration can also ask a visitor for proof of funds: 10,000 baht per person or 20,000 baht per family for visa-free visitors, and 20,000 or 40,000 baht with a tourist visa, in cash or an equivalent. Children under 12 are exempt. Officers do not check every arrival, but the Tourism Authority of Thailand confirmed the rule in 2026, so do not arrive with an empty wallet. Large sums are a different matter: foreign banknotes worth more than 15,000 US dollars must be declared to customs, and you can take only 50,000 baht in cash out of Thailand to most countries.
High season: November to March
The high season runs from November to March, when most of the country is cooler and drier, and the Christmas and New Year weeks are among the busiest. Hotel prices peak, ferries and popular tours sell out, and on small islands ATMs can run out of cash over a long holiday weekend. Book the big items early and pay them by card, and make sure you have enough baht before heading to a small island.
The exchange rate itself does not follow the tourist season. If you want to know whether the baht is expensive right now, look at its history over several months rather than at this week's movement, and remember that no chart can tell you what next month brings.
Keep the trip budget in your own currency
- Add THB next to your home currency. In WaveRate, put your home currency first and add the baht, so every price you see converts in one glance. Recently loaded rates stay available offline, on a beach without signal or on a ferry.
- Create a trip before you fly. Log expenses in the currency you paid, card or cash. Each entry keeps the reference rate of its day, so the total in your own money stays honest even if the baht moves during the trip.
- Log ATM fees as expenses. Record the 250 or 350 baht ATM fee too. Seeing what withdrawals cost over a trip is the best argument for making fewer of them.
- Compare a changer's board with the reference rate. Before you hand over your notes, compare the board with the rate in WaveRate. The gap is the changer's margin, and a good one keeps it small.
Questions people ask
Is it better to use cash or a card in Thailand?
Both. Cards work in hotels, malls, chain restaurants and convenience stores, but street food, markets, tuk-tuks, small restaurants and tips are paid in baht. Carry a card for large costs and cash in small notes for everyday spending.
How much do ATMs charge foreign cards in Thailand?
A flat fee per withdrawal, plus any fee from your own bank. It used to be 220 baht; since 2026 some large banks charge 250 baht for Visa and 350 baht for Mastercard. Because the fee is fixed, a few large withdrawals cost much less than many small ones.
Should I exchange money before going to Thailand or when I arrive?
Usually when you arrive. Banks outside Thailand rarely offer good baht rates, while money changers in Thai cities often quote close to the market rate. Change only a small amount at the airport, then exchange cash in town or withdraw from bank ATMs in large amounts.
Can I pay with US dollars or euros in Thailand?
Rarely. Prices are in baht and almost all shops, restaurants and transport expect baht. Bring dollars or euros only to exchange them, preferably as large notes in good condition, which get the best rates.
Do I need to show cash when entering Thailand?
You can be asked to. Thai rules let immigration request proof of funds: 10,000 baht per person or 20,000 per family for visa-free visitors, and 20,000 or 40,000 baht with a tourist visa. Not every arrival is checked. Separately, foreign banknotes worth more than 15,000 US dollars must be declared on arrival.
How much cash should I bring to Thailand for a week?
Base it on what you will pay in cash, not on a fixed number. Add up a typical day of street food, local transport, entrance fees and tips in baht, multiply by seven and add a 20% buffer. Hotels and tours paid by card do not belong in that total.
WaveRate provides reference exchange-rate information only. It does not execute currency exchanges and is not financial, investment, or trading advice.