Chon Buri is a coastal province on Thailand's Eastern Seaboard, best known for the resort city of Pattaya and its string of sun-drenched beaches along the Gulf of Thailand. The province blends vibrant beach tourism with industrial heritage, traditional fishing villages, and lush tropical landscapes just 80 km from Bangkok.
Local currency: Thai Baht (THB).
Daily budget by traveller style
Typical per-person daily spend in Chon Buri.
Cost breakdown
Typical price ranges across major spending categories.
Accommodation
- Hostel
- $8–15/night (dorm bed)
- Budget
- $15–30/night (budget guesthouse or budget hotel)
- Midrange
- $40–90/night (3-4 star hotel)
- Luxury
- $120–400+/night (5-star resort)
Food
- Street
- $1–3 (pad thai, skewers, rice dishes at market stalls)
- Local
- $4–8 (sit-down local Thai restaurant, per meal)
- Midrange
- $12–25 (restaurant meal with seafood and beer)
- Fine
- $40–80+ (fine dining at Mantra, Horizon, Glass House)
Transport
- Bus
- $0.30–0.60 (songthaew shared truck, per ride)
- Taxi
- $2–8 (Grab or taxi for typical city trip)
- Airport
- $8–15 (taxi from U-Tapao Airport to Pattaya)
- Daytrip
- $2–5 (minivan or bus to Si Racha, Bang Saen, Rayong)
Activities
- Museum
- $4–11 (Underwater World, Mini Siam)
- Sites
- $0–5 (temples free; Ko Si Chang ferry $1.40)
- Tour
- $14–28 (Sanctuary of Truth, Nong Nooch, Khao Kheow Zoo)
- Excursion
- $5–30 (Ko Lan full day with snorkeling; half-day boat tours)
Trip budgets by length
What a typical trip to Chon Buri costs end-to-end.
Budget traveller
$210 for 7 days (hostels, street food, free beaches, local transport)
Midrange traveller
$595 for 7 days (mid-range hotels, mix of restaurants, paid attractions)
Luxury traveller
$2,240+ for 7 days (5-star resorts, fine dining, private tours)
Money-saving tips
Practical ways to stretch your budget further.
Eat at local markets and food courts instead of tourist restaurants — save 60-70%
Use songthaews (10-20 THB) instead of taxis for short Pattaya trips
Ko Lan public ferry (30 THB) is identical to the $10 speedboat, just slower
Visit attractions on weekdays — same price but far less crowded
Book accommodations directly via hotel websites — often 10-15% cheaper than OTAs
Buy water from 7-Eleven (7 THB/bottle) rather than hotel mini-bars
Visit temples (free) before paid attractions to soak up Thai culture at no cost
Happy hour deals at bars (4-7 PM) offer buy-one-get-one beers at most venues
Mini Siam is far cheaper than major theme parks but equally entertaining at night
Combo tickets at Ripley's Royal Garden Plaza complex save $8-12 vs. individual entry
Free things to do
Memorable experiences that cost nothing.
Walking Street evening stroll
Browse the neon-lit entertainment strip at no cost
Pattaya Beach
Swim and sunbathe at the public beach — no entry fee
Jomtien Beach
Quieter beach free to access with sunbeds at ~$2/day if desired
Bang Saen Beach
Popular local beach with free access and sea swimming
Khao Sam Muk Viewpoint
Hilltop panorama with monkeys and Gulf views — completely free
Wat Yansangwararam
Beautiful royal temple complex open free to visitors daily
Pratamnak Hill Viewpoint
Best free panoramic view of Pattaya Bay — amazing at sunset
Thepprasit Night Market browsing
Free entry to browse — just bring cash for food and finds
Big Buddha Temple (Wat Khao Phra Bat)
Hilltop temple with city views — free with modest dress
Lan Pho Park, Na Kluea
Seafront park with sea views — perfect for morning exercise
Ko Si Chang island explore on foot
The island's temple trails and coastal paths are free to walk
Pattaya Walking Street architecture
Strolling and people-watching on Walking Street is entirely free