Can we all agree that the cost of living in Australia has been doing the absolute most lately? Between rent, Myki, bills and “accidentally” buying a $7 latte every day, there’s not always a lot left for eating out. As a uni student trying to survive Melbourne CBD, I still want to enjoy good food with friends, just not at the expense of my grocery budget for the week.
That’s where Thai food comes in. When I’m craving something hot, saucy and comforting, I know I can usually find a generous plate of rice or noodles for under $25. The problem is, a lot of visitors and even locals end up at the same expensive, touristy spots and miss the tiny, casual restaurants that students and city workers actually go to.
This guide is my little love letter to those places, I just can’t wait to share these places to more people, helping them grow puts a smile on my face. I’ve rounded up seven venues for affordable Thai food in Melbourne, mostly around the CBD, including one special-occasion BBQ spot that’s absolutely worth saving up for.
Thai Food 101: Why It’s the Perfect Budget Comfort Food
Before we dive into the restaurants, it’s worth asking: why is Thai food so good, where does all this flavour come from, and why does Thai food work so well as a cheap, satisfying meal?
Thai cuisine has evolved over centuries, shaped by trade routes, migration and royal courts. Early dishes revolved around rice, river fish and herbs, then absorbed Chinese stir-frying and noodle techniques, Indian spices and influences from neighbours like Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia. Later, European traders brought chilli from the Americas, which slowly became the fiery backbone of many Thai dishes.
What makes Thai food special and addictive is the balance. A single plate can hit sweet, sour, salty, spicy and aromatic all at once, satisfying every tasting pallet at once. Central Thailand gives us the dishes most people recognise here like green and red curry, mellow coconut broths and pad thai. In the North and South you find hearty noodle soups like khao soi, slow-cooked massaman curries and seriously spicy southern curries. Up in Isaan, food is smokier and sharper such as grilled meats, papaya salad, sticky rice.
For Melbourne life, this style of cooking is perfect. It’s fast to cook, built on wok-fried dishes and street-food culture, and the flavours are big enough that you feel like you’ve had a proper meal, even if you only ordered one plate and a drink.
Cheap Thai Fusion in Melbourne CBD: Zawaddi Thai Cafe & Restaurant
Tucked away on A’Beckett Street, Zawaddi Thai Cafe & Restaurant is one of those places you walk past a hundred times before you finally try and then wonder why you waited so long. From the outside it looks like a simple café. Step through the door and suddenly you’re in a cosy, colourful space filled with wai statues, shelves of Thai snacks and a mix of students and office workers.
The menu covers all the comfort-food classics: pad thai, fried rice, curries, stir-fried basil on rice. But Zawaddi also has a playful side. Regulars swear by the Signature Tom Yum Carbonara and Phuket-style spaghetti, where creamy pasta somehow works perfectly with hot-sour Thai flavours. On nights when I finish class late and can’t face cooking, this is my go-to for something warm, carby and slightly chaotic in the best way.
What really makes Zawaddi special is the price. Most mains sit around $16.90, which is almost unheard of for a sit-down restaurant in the CBD now. There’s only one premium dish that reaches $28.90. The portions are generous, one plate is usually enough to fill you up and still have a bit to take home. For anyone watching their budget, Zawaddi hits that sweet spot where you can experiment with fusion dishes without your bank account crying.
Comforting Chicken Rice: Khao Man Gai on Lonsdale Street
If your comfort food love language is chicken and rice, put Khao Man Gai on your list. The owners are a Bangkok-born couple who built the menu around the dish they grew up eating, tender chicken over fragrant jasmine rice cooked in rich broth, served with clear soup and punchy dipping sauces.
You’ll find Khao Man Gai on the corner of Lonsdale Street and Hardware Lane. The set-up is simple and welcoming: order at the counter, grab a seat, and wait for your tray to arrive looking like it’s come straight from a Bangkok street stall. There are around nine versions of khao man gai: original poached chicken, crispy fried chicken, half-half combos, peanut-sauce variations and even tofu options, plus a few curries and tom yum noodles.
For a laneway restaurant in the middle of the CBD, prices are kind. Most mains sit in the low-to-mid $20s, with the biggest combo plate still just under $30. Portions are serious, one dish is usually enough for lunch or dinner, especially if you add a Thai milk tea. It’s no surprise this spot keeps appearing in cheap-eats lists; it’s exactly the kind of place you want on a cold, wet Melbourne day when you need a hug in bowl form.
DoDee Paidang Thai Bar & Cafe: Street-Food Chaos on a Budget
Walking into DoDee Paidang on Little Collins feels like dropping into a Bangkok basement. It’s loud, busy and a little chaotic in the best way, there are robot waiters weaving between tables, live music some nights, and steam rising from bowls of tom yum as soon as you step down the stairs.
The menu is huge and leans hard into Thai street food: tom yum noodle soups, grilled meats, salads and curries with plenty of add-ons if you’re sharing with friends. When I want something spicy and soupy that won’t kill my budget, I grab a small tom yum noodles and it’s more than enough.
DoDee shines for its constant deals. At the Swanston Street venue there’s a $15.90 lunch combo (a dish plus drink, Monday to Friday). They run weekly specials like $12 chilli & basil chicken on rice, and smaller noodle bowls at Little Collins start from around $12. Their socials are always full of new promos, so there’s almost always some discount you can jump on. On weekends, they even offer a $40 bottomless Bangkok brunch (a main, entrée and unlimited drinks) which, split with friends, is still great value for a big afternoon out.
Eek Charm: $12 Noodle Boxes in a Tiny Laneway Kiosk
Blink and you’ll miss Eek Charm. This tiny kiosk in The Causeway off Little Collins Street might be one of Melbourne’s smallest Thai “restaurants”, but it’s also one of the best for a fast, cheap lunch. There are a few stools outside, but most people including me just grab a box and eat on the go.
The menu is built around Thai-style dry noodle boxes. You pick your noodle (egg or rice) and a sauce such as original soy, tom yum, chilli pork or yen ta fo (a pinkish sauce made with fermented bean curd). Each box is loaded with shredded chicken, chicken balls, quail eggs, Chinese broccoli and crispy wonton skins. There’s also a self-serve station with extra chilli, vinegar and lime so you can customise the heat level.
Noodle boxes start at around $11.90, and everything on the main menu sits under $15. Most reviewers and my own stomach agree that one “box” is basically a full meal. It’s the perfect spot when you’ve only got a ten-minute break between classes, a tight wallet and a huge craving for something hot, salty, sour and a little bit spicy.
Khaosan Lane: Bangkok Party Vibes with Under-$15 Feeds
If you want dinner that feels like a night on Khao San Road but your bank account says “be serious”, Khaosan Lane is the move. Hidden in the GPO off Bourke Street, it’s all neon signs, loud music and buckets of cocktails is a mini Bangkok party in the middle of Melbourne.
For a venue with this much energy, the prices are surprisingly gentle. They run $10 Khao Mun Gai every lunch and a $9.90 Dinner Drop special every night, so you can get a hot plate of Thai comfort food for less than a tenner. Classics like Moo Tod Jeh Jong (legendary Thai fried pork on rice) sit around $13.90, and plates are huge with lots of rice, plenty of meat, lots of crunch.
It’s the kind of place I’d pick for a birthday pre-drink or a “we survived this week” celebration: cheap daily deals, live tunes, laneway atmosphere and food you can share without doing mental maths over every dish.
Nana Thai: Basil Rice, Tom Yum and Street-Style Plates from $16
Nana Thai on Bourke Street gets a lot of hype for its mookata sets, but if you’re watching your budget, the real magic is in the single-plate meals. Most rice and noodle dishes sit around $16-20, and the portions are big enough that one plate plus a drink will absolutely do the job.
The menu is stacked with kapao (basil stir-fries) with options like crispy pork, minced pork, chicken, prawns, calamari or mixed seafood, plus Thai basil fried rice, crab meat fried rice, tom yum noodles, papaya salad and sides. Everything arrives on retro floral plates that make the table look like a family feast, even if you’re just there with one friend.
Regulars are loud about their love. One calls it “authentic Thai food with very cheap price” and singles out the crab fried rice with egg. Another says every dish is “bursting with bold, authentic flavours,” especially the Tom Yum Mama and crispy pork with water spinach, and swears the vibe feels like “true Bangkok street food”. A third regular, who admits they eat there “a lot”, recommends the Thai basil fried rice and basil crispy pork on garlic rice, and warns that the desserts (especially the banoffee pie) are “underrated but very filling”.
Nana is my pick when I want to feel like I’ve gone out for dinner without actually spending “going out” money. Grab a $16 basil pork, share a salad and maybe split a dessert, it’s a proper Thai feast that still fits a student budget.
It’s family entertainment without being sugary. A little rebellious, a little loud and a whole lot of fun. For theatre lovers, music fans and anyone who once dreamt of being in a band, this is an easy recommendation.
Aunglo: Laneway Thai-Japanese BBQ That’s Worth the Splurge
Last but not least is my “treat yourself” pick. Aunglo isn’t really a cheap-eats spot, but it deserves a place in any conversation about Thai food and BBQ in Melbourne. Hidden behind a roller door down Flanigan Lane, it feels like a secret BBQ club.
The menu focuses on moo kata which translates to Thai hotpot meets BBQ, but with a twist. You can mix classic Thai flavours with Japanese, Korean and Chinese influences, cooking everything on white charcoal in the middle of the table. Sets range from more affordable pork and chicken platters to serious upgrades like A5 wagyu and oxtongue, plus sides like fried chicken, grilled mackerel, garlic rice and cold seafood salads.
Google reviewers say they usually spend $40-60 per person, and big groups can go higher, which is why I treat it as a payday or birthday spot. But the feedback is consistent: well-balanced broth, high-quality meat, friendly staff and a relaxed open space that’s perfect for gatherings. One reviewer mentioned a dish coming out cold; staff replaced it straight away and still earned 5/5 for service.
If you love BBQ and want to experience moo kata done really, really well, Aunglo is where I’d send you. It might not be under $25, but it’s worth saving up for as a memorable night out.
FAQs: Eating Affordable Thai Food in Melbourne
Q: Where can I find the cheapest Thai food in Melbourne CBD?
A: For the absolute lowest prices, check out Eek Charm (noodle boxes from about $11.90) and Khaosan Lane with its $10 lunch and $9.90 Dinner Drop. DoDee Paidang’s small noodle bowls and lunch combos are also great value if you want a sit-down meal with lots of atmosphere.
Q: Are these Thai restaurants good for students and solo diners?
A: Yes. Places like Zawaddi, Eek Charm, Nana Thai and Khao Man Gai are very student-friendly, you can comfortably eat alone, share a table with a friend, or grab takeaway on your way home from class. Portions are big enough that one dish is usually plenty.
Q: Do these venues cater for spice wimps (or spice lovers)?
A: Most spots will happily adjust the heat level if you ask. At Nana Thai and DoDee Paidang, you can choose your spice level or customise with extra chilli at the table. If you’re nervous, start mild and build up; if you love heat, tell them you want it “Thai spicy” and prepare yourself.
Q: Are there vegetarian or halal-friendly options?
A: Many of these venues offer tofu or veggie versions of classic dishes, and some have seafood-heavy options. If you need halal or specific dietary options, it’s best to check each venue’s website or ask staff when you arrive – they’re usually very helpful with swaps and suggestions.
Q: Do I need to book in advance?
A: For smaller casual spots like Eek Charm and Khao Man Gai, you can usually walk in. Aunglo, Nana Thai and Khaosan Lane can get busy during peak times and weekends, so I’d recommend booking ahead, especially if you’re coming with a bigger group.
