Food in Thailand is ALWAYS cheap compared to the NZ dollar, but we have noticed a trend in how food is priced when eating out in Thailand. Branching out of more western ways of eating can help find some pretty unforgettable food experiences. 

(From what we have experienced so far) the tiers of costs seem to go a bit like this:

• Cheapest: street stalls and food carts – 10 baht (50c) for a meat skewer, 40 baht ($2) for noodles, 20 baht ($1) for a donut etc. Food vendors tend to congregate together and we can generally fill our bellies and sample a variety of things for about 50baht each.
• 7/11 or other convenience stores – 60 baht ($3) for a large bottle of Chang (Thai beer)
• Extra for seating (ie basic canteen or restaurant): 60baht ($3) for noodles, pork laab, tom yum etc, 80baht ($4) for a Chang
• Extra for a view/shade/live music: 80 – 120 baht ($6) per meal, 100 baht ($5) for a Chang
• Extra for western food or restaurants catering to tourists: 200-300 baht ($15) per meal, 150 baht ($7.50) for a Chang, 300 baht ($15) for a cocktail

The biggest thing we’re struggling with is the amount of plastic packaging that seems to come with even roadside meals. 7-Eleven’s are the worst – banana’s wrapped in single heavy plastic bags, other fruit on cling-wrapped styrofoam trays and always a bag of trash regardless of what we buy.

Coffee is a particularly special interest for us, and searching for a decent iced latte is always part of our morning routine. We had an impromptu stop next to the river at Wat Nang Sao which lead to our holy grail of iced coffee – an ABSOLUTE BUCKET of the finest instant coffee for 30 baht ($1.50). I’m talking fishbowl cocktail, but make it Nescafé, condensed milk and a shit ton of ice. We have looked and looked but haven’t been able to find a coffee like it since. 

Most roadside coffees or sodas are a similar price (25-30 baht), just not as limitless in volume. We always try to support the roadside stalls, and you’ll often hear the screeching of our brakes when we see a row of syrups lined up under an awning – a sure sign that an ice-cold coffee or Italian-style soda is available on the cheap.

If desperate in the south of Thailand, we didn’t need to bike more than what felt like 5km without seeing a convenience store (7/11, CJ Moores or Lotus), and they sell coffee for 45-60 baht ($3). Then there are the chain coffee shops (Cafe Amazon, Starbucks etc) where an iced coffee can be 70 baht or more. The north of Thailand is less populated and 7-Eleven’s more sporadic – but still we’ve always found our thirst quenched when required.

Our favourite cheap eat so far has been a 40 baht ($2 NZD) omelette and rice from a street vendor in Hua Hin. A local said to us in passing ‘oh she’s the best in town’ and so we thought, why not? It might seem pretty plain and simple, but that woman packed those eggs with a whole lotta savoury goodness (and a bit of voodoo) that with a dash of hot sauce that had us coming back for more … 3 nights in a row. We felt bad for the other farang sitting in the touristy restaurants eating their 300 baht ($15) mains whilst we sat on a closed shop stoop, like a couple of street rats launching into our omelette parcels. 

What is expensive in Thailand? Dairy products! Real cheese is mega expensive here, and everyone tends to use condensed milk or a creamer over fresh milk. Anything that has dairy tends to also be incredibly sweet, bordering on sickly – I’m talking cream, milk teas and desserts. Also chocolate bars are pretty equivalent in price to back home. 

Anyway, since being here, we’ve only really had a couple of disappointing food experiences (but one was more down to our Thai-English translation skills more than anything). The other was when we tried to order western-style food – a burger and some spaghetti during a weaker moment … we heard the microwave beeping in the background and knew then it was a bad idea. Our advice is to trust the street vendors and roadside stalls – the Thais do local food amazingly! A simple chicken skewer can be absolutely transformed with some charcoal and a spicy sauce. Pork shoulder cooked all day in a moreish stock that just falls off the bone over rice – yes, please. Frozen watermelon and mint whipped in a blender until it is frosty and refreshing after a long day biking in 30+ degree heat – we’d never say no. It’s best to just try it all  and even if you happen to not like it, you spent what, NZD$3 at most?