How much does a good date in Bangkok actually cost?

With just B500 between two people, trying to squeeze in a meal, drinks and an activity is probably going to result in a pretty terrible date. The smarter move is to pick a neighbourhood where simply being there gives you something to do.

Ari is perfect for that.

Start at NANA Coffee Roasters, hidden inside a leafy house down Ari Soi 4. Nana has become one of the biggest names in Bangkok’s specialty coffee scene, but this branch still feels tucked away enough to work for a date rather than a caffeine pit stop.

Two iced lattes at B145 each come to B290, leaving just over B200 without making the afternoon feel like a budgeting exercise.

From there, don’t rush anywhere.

Ari is one of those Bangkok neighbourhoods where wandering is half the point. Walk through the quieter sois, browse the small shops and see what you find along the way. One thing I’ve noticed while exploring Bangkok is how much of the fun happens between the things you actually plan. You start walking, spot somewhere interesting and suddenly the part of the afternoon you hadn’t organised becomes the best bit.

You’ve still got B210 left, which is enough for a couple of small street-food snacks or something sweet if you spot something along the way.

The whole date can therefore stay comfortably below B500 without feeling like you’ve spent the afternoon hunting for the cheapest possible things to do.

No reservations, no dress code and no pressure. For a first date, that might actually be an advantage. And spontaneity is an attractive trait, too. 

NANA Coffee Roasters Ari, 24/2 Ari 4 Alley, Samsen Nai, Phaya Thai. Call 083 908 2222. Mon-Fri 7am-6pm; Sat-Sun 8am-6pm

At B2,000, you can start thinking beyond a single stop and turn the date into a proper afternoon.

Start at Babyccino in Ekkamai. I tried this one myself, and it has exactly the sort of relaxed, polished atmosphere that works for a daytime date. It’s bright, surrounded by greenery and the place where going in for ‘just a coffee’ can very quickly turn into staying for brunch… given you hit it off.

Two lattes at B140 each and the truffle scrambled eggs at B343 to share bring brunch to B623, leaving plenty of the budget for what comes next.

And here’s where the date gets even easier. Babyccino and Health Land Ekkamai are practically neighbours, so you can go from brunch to a massage without even really changing locations.

 A 60-minute foot massage costs B400 per person and, if you feel comfortable doing it together, ask to have your massages in the same room. That’s what I did, and it works surprisingly well as a date. One minute you’re talking over coffee, the next you’re both switching off for an hour before heading back out.

By this point, you’ve spent B1,423 between two people, which still leaves enough room for one more stop.

To recover from the calm massage, head towards Thonglor and finish with mango sticky rice at Mae Varee. The fruit shop near the entrance to Thonglor is famous for its mangoes, and a box of mango sticky rice costs around B150.

In my opinion, this is a much sweeter ending to the date than simply adding another coffee shop. You get ripe mango, sticky rice and coconut milk, and something unmistakably Thai to finish the afternoon.

The complete date comes to roughly B1,573 for two, leaving more than B400 for transport, another snack or anything that catches your eye.

Babyccino, 53 Ekkamai Soi 12, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana. Call 065 463 2356. Daily 8am-6.30pm

Health Land Ekkamai, 96/1 Sukhumvit 63, Phra Khanong Nuea, Watthana. Call 02 392 2233. Daily 9am-11pm

Mae Varee, 1 Thonglor Road, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana. Daily from early morning until late evening

At B5,000, we’re entering proper date-night territory.

This is the budget where I’d stop trying to stretch the day for as long as possible and instead spend the money on two places that feel worth going out for.

Start at Charmgang in Charoenkrung.

I tried Charmgang myself, and this is where the mood shifts from casual afternoon to proper date night. The small, red-lit dining room feels intimate without being overly formal, while the menu takes familiar Thai flavours in more creative directions.

What’s great about Charmgang is that it doesn’t have the stiff atmosphere that can sometimes come with restaurants carrying Michelin labels. It still feels lively, colourful and very Bangkok.

The set menu is currently listed at B1,850 per person, putting dinner at B3,700 for two before any applicable service charge and VAT.

That leaves B1,300 in your pocket and, rather than spending it on more food, change the mood completely and head to Thaipioka for some well deserved cocktails.

Thaipioka is exactly the kind of cocktail bar that makes Bangkok’s nightlife interesting. The drinks play with Thai and Southeast Asian flavours rather than simply reproducing the classics, with ingredients like pandan, Thai tea, tropical fruits and local herbs showing up across the menu.

The Lemongrass G&T and Pandan G&T are both B400, while Salted Guava and Orange Thai Milk Tea are B420. Order one B400 cocktail each and the evening comes to B4,500 for two.

If you don’t splurge on a second round, you're left with B500, which is enough to cover part of the journey between Charoenkrung and Thonglor or pick up something late at night if you’re still hungry.

This is probably my sweet spot of the four budgets. You get a restaurant that feels genuinely special, followed by cocktails somewhere completely different and the evening still has enough flexibility that it doesn’t feel over-planned. What happens after is really up to how well the date went.

Charmgang, 14 Charoenkrung Soi 35, Talat Noi, Samphanthawong. Call 098 882 3251 to book. Mon-Fri 6pm-9.30pm; Sat-Sun noon-1pm and 6pm-9.30pm

Thaipioka, The Salil Hotel, 44/7 Thonglor Soi 1, Sukhumvit 55, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana. Call 063 432 1496 to book. Daily 7pm-2am

If I had B10,000 to spend on a date in Bangkok, I wouldn’t blow it all on a tasting menu unless my date was a real foodie – but even then there’s the risk they’ve tried it before.

Instead, start with an experience, because they’re far more memorable and also ensure you dont set a bar too high for every meal that follows. Rajadamnern Stadium’s Muay Thai spectacle is one that most people know but few have actually visited themselves.

It’s easily one of the most memorable date nights I’ve had in Bangkok, and that’s the key. You don’t need to follow the sport to get pulled into it either. There’s the traditional music, the wai khru before the fights, the crowd and then the sudden change in atmosphere when the bell rings.

Rajadamnern opened in 1945 and is one of the most historic venues in Muay Thai. Since this is the biggest budget, skip the cheaper seats and go ringside. Tickets are around B2,500 each, putting the first part of the date at B5,000.

Once the fights are finished, switch the mood completely.

Keep the glitzy vibe going by swapping ring-side lighting for the city skyline and head to The Speakeasy Rooftop Bar at Hotel Muse Bangkok. Spread across the 24th and 25th floors, it leans into a 1920s-inspired atmosphere rather than the ultra-modern look of many Bangkok rooftops, with the skyline surrounding you once you reach the upper level.

Start with drinks. The Blonde Bombshell is B460 and the Silky Tease is B490.

Then stay for dinner instead of squeezing another restaurant into the itinerary. The grilled beef picanha is B850, the miso black cod B520 and the Thai satay peanut fries B350. Share those and finish with the B320 Chocolate Fire Ball, which arrives with enough drama to feel appropriate for the most expensive date in the experiment.

Together, the Muay Thai tickets, two cocktails, dinner and dessert come to around B8,800 including vat. 

That leaves enough breathing room inside B10,000 for the journey between venues and potentially another drink afterwards.

More importantly, the money has actually changed the experience.

You’ve gone from sitting metres away from Muay Thai fighters inside one of Bangkok’s most famous stadiums to eating dinner and drinking cocktails above the skyline a few hours later.

That contrast is exactly what I’d want from the B10,000 date. Not simply more expensive food, but more Bangkok packed into one night.

Rajadamnern Stadium, 8 Ratchadamnoen Nok Road, Wat Sommanat, Pom Prap Sattru Phai. Fight schedules vary; advance booking recommended

The Speakeasy Rooftop Bar, Hotel Muse Bangkok, 55/555 Lang Suan Road, Lumphini, Pathum Wan. Call 02 630 4000 to reserve. Daily 4pm-1am

After trying everything from cafés and massages to Thai restaurants, Muay Thai and cocktail bars, I don’t think the expensive dates automatically win.

What changes with each budget isn’t necessarily how good the date becomes. It’s how much freedom you have to build an experience around it.

 And the biggest surprise is probably how quickly Bangkok makes the cheaper budgets feel generous.

You don’t need B10,000 to have a good date here, but either way, these are my tried and tested dates in the city that come strongly recommended. Just remember, when you’re with the right person, sometimes all you need is good coffee, somewhere interesting to walk and someone you actually want to spend the afternoon with.  And that part, thankfully, isn’t included in the bill.