The price of a bottle of domestic beer in Thailand: cheaper than the US and Europe?
With so many people asking me the cost of typical items here in Bangkok, one of the things I thought I would talk about is the cost of a bottle of domestic beer in Thailand.
Domestic beer, of course, is usually Singha, Chang, and Leo beer with a few other non-premium or less popular Thai beers like Archa, Thai Beer, and Phuket Beer as well . (Phuket Beer, by the way, is an excellent Thai beer that has won a number of awards. It is just relatively new on the market so not as well known).
So how much is a bottle of domestic beer in Thailand? Cheaper than the US and Europe, that’s for sure.
Typical price of a bottle of domestic beer in Thailand?
Of course, like anywhere, the price of a bottle of domestic beer in Thailand is based on the brand you are drinking.
Singha is usually slightly more expensive than Chang and Leo, whereas Phuket Beer, often only found in more exclusive hotels and bars, is generally a little higher in price than Singha.
If you were to buy an individual bottle of domestic beer in Thailand, though, the average price would be between 50-55 baht per .5 liter bottle, which is around $1.61 to $1.77 depending on brand.
That is if you buy the bottle in a supermarket, a 7-11 or other convenience store. Of course, if you buy a six-pack or a case, it is much cheaper per bottle.
Related: Which Thai beer is better? Chiang or Singha?
Buying a bottle of domestic beer in Thailand at a restaurant is also quite cheap, as the price of the beer doesn’t get marked up as high as it would in many other countries.
Usually 70 baht ($2.25) will get you a bottle of most of the Thai domestic beers I mentioned, with the possible exception of Phuket Beer as that is a bit more ‘exclusive’ so often more expensive.
A couple of quick facts about Thai domestic beer
Singha Beer – I often hear non-Thais pronouncing Singha the way it looks. That’s not how it should be pronounced. Thais pronounce ‘Singha’ as ‘Sing’. If you want to sound like you know what’s what, you should pronounce it the same way, and particularly when you are in Thailand.
Chang Beer – If you have drunk Chang outside Thailand and decided you didn’t like it, you may be surprised to learn it doesn’t taste remotely the same in country.
That’s because the Chang Beer made for export is made with malt. The Chang Beer sold and drunk in Thailand, however, is brewed with rice, which produces a completely different, much lighter and, I think, better taste.
Chang Beer for export is also only 5% alcohol by volume whereas the real deal, the Chang Beer sold in Thailand, is 6.4% alcohol by volume. That means it’s not just the sun that’s making you feel a bit drunker.
Personally, I love Chang, in fact it it my favorite Thai beer. Although you won’t hear me complaining no matter which Thai domestic beer someone buys me (I’m a girl, I don’t buy my own!), as I enjoy drinking all of them.