Home › Good-value exchange
Arrived in Thailand and do not know where to exchange money so as not to lose on the rate? We explain how to find a good-value exchange in any city, how a good counter differs from a tourist trap, and where the rate is closest to the market.
Where to exchange wellA good-value exchange in Thailand is almost always a question of place, not luck. The same dollar will be exchanged at three different rates at the airport, near a hotel and at a large chain in the center, and the difference reaches 15-20 percent. Arrived and changed everything at the airport right away? Consider that you overpaid.
The logic here is simple. At the airport and on the tourist streets the rate is always worse, because people exchange there out of necessity. For honest figures people go where competition and turnover are high: large licensed chains, banks, online exchange with delivery. The markup is minimal, and the rate stays close to the market.
| 1 ฿ | ≈ 2,53 ₽ |
| 1 $ | ≈ 33,69 ฿ |
| 1000 ฿ | ≈ 2 530 ₽ |
Indicative market rate, updated 06.10.2026. At exchange offices the rate differs because of the markup. The full calculator is on the baht rate page.
| Airport | poor rate | only for a taxi and the first day |
| Exchangers near hotels and resorts | rate worse than market | convenient but not a good deal |
| Street exchangers | rate jumps around | rubles are not taken everywhere, the dollar rate is better and even then only for large banknotes |
| Licensed chains and online | rate closer to market | convenient and safe, delivery available |
A legal exchanger operates under a license from the Bank of Thailand. This is not bureaucracy but your insurance: the office has a physical location, reporting and a reputation it values.
Compare the figure on the display with the market one on the calculator. Noticeably worse than the market? Move on. Promising far better than the market? That is a reason to be wary.
A proper exchanger has a physical address and genuine reviews. A counter with no address that works only through messaging is pure risk.
It is good when the rate is locked in at the moment of the request and the payout amount is visible in advance. That way you will not be recalculated at a different figure at the last moment.
We recommend a trusted licensed exchange chain with offices throughout Thailand: a good rate, a safe deal, Russian cards and SBP.
⚠️ Promised a "much better rate" in a random Telegram chat? It is almost always a scam. Exchange only at licensed exchangers.
Currency exchange in Bangkok, where to exchange ›
Currency exchange in Pattaya, where to exchange ›
Currency exchange on Phuket, where to exchange ›
Currency exchange in Chiang Mai, where to exchange ›
Currency exchange in Patong, where to exchange ›
Currency exchange on Phangan, where to exchange ›
At the large licensed chains in the city center and through online exchange with delivery. The worst rate is at the airport and near hotels. The difference between the best and worst option reaches 15-20 percent.
In any tourist city in Thailand there are many exchangers, but their rates vary. Do not grab the first one near your hotel. A trusted chain exchanges with delivery, so you often do not need to look for a counter nearby at all, the baht will be brought to you.
Yes. Licensed exchangers accept Russian cards and SBP transfers, and pay out baht in cash or to a Thai account. This is more convenient than bringing cash rubles, whose rate is usually worse.
Compare the offered figure with the market one on our calculator. An exchanger always adds its own markup, and for the ruble it is noticeably larger than for the dollar. But a rate far better than the market is almost always a scam.
Many people chase the biggest figure on the board and get caught by it. An exchanger may show an excellent rate and then lower it for small banknotes, add a fee or count the amount in its own favor. Look not at the display but at how much you will actually receive in hand.
And stay away from offers in random chats. On Telegram, money changers with a rate far better than the market constantly pop up. Some of them are honest, but you cannot check this in advance, and you hand over the money first. A license, an office and reviews protect you more reliably than a generous promise from a stranger.