Shopping How to say “how much?” in Thai
The short answer
How much in Thai is เท่าไหร่tâo-rài. Point and ask อันนี้เท่าไหร่an níi tâo-rài, "how much is this?", adding ครับkráp (men) or คะká (women). The answer is a number plus บาทbàat, baht. If it's more than you want to pay, smile and say แพงไปpaeng bpai ("too expensive") or ลดได้ไหมlót dâi mǎi ("can you lower it?").
“How much?” in Thai
Tap a Thai word for its meaning
Men say
Women say
Audio: AI voices, quality-checked for tones. No sign-up needed.
Other spellings you'll see
There's no single official way to write Thai in English letters, so you'll see เท่าไหร่tâo-rài spelled many ways. We write it with the tone of every syllable marked; online you'll also find:
- tao rai
- tow rai
- tao lai
- tao rai krap
- tao rai ka
- an nee tao rai
- an ni tao rai
- paeng pai
- lot dai mai
Other ways to say “how much?”
- อัน anนี้ níiเท่าไหร่ tâo-ràiครับ kráp Menอัน anนี้ níiเท่าไหร่ tâo-ràiคะ ká Women
how much is this?
Point and ask: works in any market.
- ทั้งหมด táng-mòtเท่าไหร่ tâo-ràiครับ kráp Menทั้งหมด táng-mòtเท่าไหร่ tâo-ràiคะ ká Women
how much altogether?
For the total when you're buying several things.
- กิโล gì-looละ láเท่าไหร่ tâo-ràiครับ kráp Menกิโล gì-looละ láเท่าไหร่ tâo-ràiคะ ká Women
how much per kilo?
ละlá means 'per'. Fruit, meat and vegetables at markets are priced by the kilo.
- ไป bpaiสนามบิน sà-nǎam-binเท่าไหร่ tâo-ràiครับ kráp Menไป bpaiสนามบิน sà-nǎam-binเท่าไหร่ tâo-ràiคะ ká Women
how much to the airport?
Agree the fare before you get into a tuk-tuk or a songthaew.
- ราคา raa-kaaเท่าไหร่ tâo-ràiครับ kráp Menราคา raa-kaaเท่าไหร่ tâo-ràiคะ ká Women
what's the price?
A little more formal; ราคาraa-kaa means price.
- แพง paengไป bpai
too expensive
Say it lightly, with a smile.
- ลด lótได้ dâiไหม mǎiครับ kráp Menลด lótได้ dâiไหม mǎiคะ ká Women
can you lower the price?
The standard bargaining line at markets.
- ลด lótหน่อย nàwyได้ dâiไหม mǎiครับ kráp Menลด lótหน่อย nàwyได้ dâiไหม mǎiคะ ká Women
could you knock a little off?
Softer with หน่อยnàwy, 'a little'.
How to reply
- ห้าสิบ hâa-sìpบาท bàat
fifty baht
Vendors often drop บาทbàat and just say the number.
- ราคา raa-kaaเดียว diaw
fixed price
Literally 'one price': no bargaining here.
- ลด lótให้ hâiแล้ว láew
I've already given you a discount
The friendly way of saying the price won't go lower.
Example sentences
- อัน anนี้ níiห้าสิบ hâa-sìpบาท bàatใช่ châiไหม mǎiครับ kráp Menอัน anนี้ níiห้าสิบ hâa-sìpบาท bàatใช่ châiไหม mǎiคะ ká Women
This one is fifty baht, right?
- ซื้อ súueสอง sǎwngอัน anลด lótได้ dâiไหม mǎiครับ kráp Menซื้อ súueสอง sǎwngอัน anลด lótได้ dâiไหม mǎiคะ ká Women
If I buy two, can you lower the price?
- สแกน sà-gaenจ่าย jàaiได้ dâiไหม mǎiครับ kráp Menสแกน sà-gaenจ่าย jàaiได้ dâiไหม mǎiคะ ká Women
Can I pay by scanning a QR code?
- แพง paengไป bpaiหน่อย nàwy
It's a bit too expensive.
- ดู duuก่อน gàwnครับ kráp Menดู duuก่อน gàwnค่ะ kâ Women
Just looking for now.
Tao rai: how much
เท่าไหร่tâo-rài goes after the thing you're asking about, where the answer will go: ข้าวมันไก่เท่าไหร่kâao-man-gài tâo-rài ("how much is the chicken rice?"), ห้องนี้เท่าไหร่hâwng níi tâo-rài ("how much is this room?"). It also asks about any amount, not just money: อายุเท่าไหร่aa-yú tâo-rài is "how old?".
Two syllables: tâo falls (start high, drop) and rài is low. The dictionary spelling is เท่าไรtâo-rai, but everyone says and texts เท่าไหร่tâo-rài. You'll see it romanized as tao rai or tow rai.
Understanding the answer
The question is easy; the answer is where learners get stuck. Prices come as a number + บาทbàat: ยี่สิบบาทyîi-sìp bàat (20 baht), ห้าสิบบาทhâa-sìp bàat (50), ร้อยห้าสิบráwy hâa-sìp (150). Vendors shorten round numbers, so ร้อยห้าráwy hâa means 150, not 105. If you're lost, it's completely normal to ask the vendor to type the price on a calculator or a phone, and many will do it without being asked. Our Thai numbers page has every number with audio.
Bargaining the Thai way
Bargaining is normal at markets, souvenir and clothes stalls, and with tuk-tuks. It isn't done at 7-Eleven, supermarkets, malls, food stalls or anywhere with a ราคาเดียวraa-kaa diaw (fixed price) sign. Keep it light and friendly: ask ลดได้ไหมlót dâi mǎi, accept a small discount, and buying two of something is the classic way to earn a better price. If the vendor says ลดให้แล้วlót hâi láew, that's the final price: pay or thank them and walk on. Getting heated over 20 baht costs you face, not the vendor.
Paying
Cash is still king at markets, though many stalls now show a PromptPay QR code; if you have a Thai banking app, ask สแกนจ่ายได้ไหมsà-gaen jàai dâi mǎi. Malls and chain stores take cards. At 7-Eleven, the cashier tells you the total and asks whether you want a bag.
Too expensive?
แพงไปpaeng bpai means "too expensive"; แพงจังpaeng jang is a jokey "so pricey!". Both are fine with a smile. If the price is great, ถูกมากtùuk mâak means "very cheap", but careful: ถูกtùuk also means "correct".
How much? in Thai: questions people ask
How do you say how much in Thai?
เท่าไหร่tâo-rài, with ครับkráp (men) or คะká (women): เท่าไหร่ครับtâo-rài kráp / เท่าไหร่คะtâo-rài ká.
How do you say how much is this in Thai?
อันนี้เท่าไหร่an níi tâo-rài, 'this one, how much?'. Point at the item as you ask.
How do you say too expensive in Thai?
แพงไปpaeng bpai, 'too expensive'. To bargain, follow up with ลดได้ไหมlót dâi mǎi, 'can you lower the price?'
How do you bargain in Thai?
Smile and ask ลดได้ไหมlót dâi mǎi, or ลดหน่อยได้ไหมlót nàwy dâi mǎi for 'a little discount'. Buying more than one helps. Only bargain at markets and stalls, never at shops with fixed prices.
What does tao rai mean?
เท่าไหร่tâo-rài means 'how much' or 'how many'. It asks about prices, ages, times and any amount.
Related phrases
- Phrase How to say “what is this?” in Thai How to ask what is this in Thai: นี่อะไร, อันนี้คืออะไร and what is it called in Thai, plus how to understand the answer at markets and restaurants. With audio.
- Phrase How to say “check, please” in Thai How to ask for the bill in Thai: เช็คบิล (check bin), เก็บเงินด้วย, can we split the bill, and how paying works at Thai restaurants and stalls. With audio.
- Phrase How to say “thank you” in Thai How to say thank you in Thai: ขอบคุณครับ for men, ขอบคุณค่ะ for women, thank you very much, casual thanks and how to reply. Hear it and practise free.
- Phrase How to say “no” in Thai How to say no in Thai: ไม่ (mai) before a verb, ไม่ใช่ (not right), ไม่เอา (no thanks) and ไม่เป็นไร, plus how Thais soften a no. With audio.
- Phrase How to say “please” in Thai How to say please in Thai: there's no one word, so Thais use ขอ (may I have), ช่วย (please do) and หน่อย (just a little). Learn the patterns with audio.
Hear it in songs and culture
- Song Khu Khong (คู่คอง) With more than half a billion views, this Isan-language love song is one of the most-watched Thai music videos ever, and you will hear it in taxis, markets and karaoke rooms all over the country. It is the perfect first taste of Isan, the language of Thailand's northeast, which many Thai partners and friends speak at home: each line maps neatly onto Central Thai.
Culture Thai Street Food: How to Order Like a Local (with Phrases) How Thai street food works: finding a good stall, ordering with a few phrases, spice levels, takeaway bags, paying by QR, and street-food manners.
Learn this in Unit 4, free
Unit 4 · How much is it? · Paying at 7-Eleven. Short lessons with audio for every word, speaking practice and spaced review. No sign-up needed.
Written by the Learn Thai For Free team
Audio: AI voices, quality-checked for tones