Published 27 October 2026 · Last updated 10 November 2026 · By the Nova Laundry team
Laundry shops charge in three main ways: by the kilo, by the piece, or with a monthly package. By the kilo is cheapest for everyday clothes that don’t need ironing. By the piece suits dress shirts and work clothes. A monthly package only pays off if you send a lot of laundry, consistently, every week. Which one is cheaper for you depends on what’s in your basket, not on which shop has the lowest number on its sign.
You can see Nova’s rates on our laundry price page. This guide explains what the numbers on a price list actually mean, then works through three real-life examples.
How do laundry shops price their services?
Laundry shops in Thailand charge per piece, per kilo, or by type of fabric. Some stick to one method. My Laundry Thai, for example, only charges per piece and doesn’t price by weight at all. Most shops mix the two: everyday clothes by the kilo, anything that needs ironing or dry cleaning by the piece.
| Per kilo | Per piece | Monthly package | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Home clothes, towels, sheets | Dress shirts, work clothes, suits, coats | People who send laundry every week in similar amounts |
| Upside | The more you send, the less each item costs | You know the price before you drop off | No thinking each time, and the per-kilo rate is usually lower |
| Watch out for | Usually doesn’t include ironing, and there’s often a minimum per order | Adds up fast with a big load | Unused quota is money you’ve paid for nothing |
If a sign says “wash and iron, per kilo,” read the small print. Plenty of shops only charge by weight for the wash and fold part and charge ironing separately by the piece. Ask before you hand anything over.
How much per piece, and why do some items cost more?
Prices per piece differ because the time and risk involved differ. A T-shirt can be washed with everything else, dried, and folded in seconds. A dress shirt has to be ironed one at a time. A suit needs dry cleaning in a dedicated machine. A single duvet takes up an entire washer.
Four things push the price up.
Does it need ironing? This is the biggest one. The same garment switches from being priced by weight to being priced by the piece the moment you ask for it pressed.
Does it need washing separately? Fabrics that bleed color, delicates that need a mesh bag, or anything that needs a different temperature can’t go into a big mixed load.
How big is it? Duvets, blankets and mattress toppers need a large-capacity machine and take far longer to dry than regular clothes.
Does it need dry cleaning? Suits, wool coats and silk need a solvent and specialist equipment. We explain why in wash and fold vs wash and iron vs dry cleaning.
Starting prices at Nova for the items people ask about most. Full prices are on our price page.
| Item | Starting price |
|---|---|
| Dress shirt (wash and iron) | From tens of baht |
| Trousers, skirt (wash and iron) | From tens of baht |
| School uniform, 1 shirt + 1 pair of trousers or skirt | From tens of baht |
| Two-piece suit (dry cleaning) | From a few hundred baht |
| Coat (dry cleaning) | From a few hundred baht |
| 6-foot duvet | From a few hundred baht |
Three worked examples
The prices in this section are made up to show how the math works. They aren’t any particular shop’s rates: wash and fold at 40 baht per kilo, dress shirts at 25 baht, work trousers at 30 baht, and a monthly package at 1,000 baht for 30 kilos with any extra charged at 40 baht per kilo. Swap in the prices from whichever shop you use. The formula stays the same.
Every household’s laundry weighs something different. The most accurate way to find out is to weigh one week’s worth with a bathroom scale: weigh yourself, then step back on holding the basket, and subtract.
Example 1: Living alone in a condo, working full time 4 kilos of everyday clothes a week, 5 dress shirts a week, 2 pairs of work trousers a week.
| Per month | |
|---|---|
| Everyday clothes, 16 kg × 40 baht | 640 baht |
| Dress shirts, 20 × 25 baht | 500 baht |
| Trousers, 8 × 30 baht | 240 baht |
| Total, paying per visit | 1,380 baht |
| Using a monthly package for the everyday clothes instead | 1,000 + 500 + 240 = 1,740 baht |
The package costs 360 baht more, because you’d only use 16 of your 30 kilos. Most people living alone won’t save money on a monthly package.
Example 2: A family of four with two school-age kids 9 kilos of everyday clothes a week, plus 10 school uniforms a week between them.
| Per visit | Monthly package | |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday clothes, 36 kg | 1,440 baht | 1,000 + (6 × 40) = 1,240 baht |
| School uniforms, 40 × 55 baht | 2,200 baht | 2,200 baht |
| Total | 3,640 baht | 3,440 baht |
The package saves 200 baht. But look where the real money goes: school uniforms, not everyday clothes. If someone at home can do the ironing, sending everything as wash and fold and pressing the uniforms yourself saves far more than switching to a package.
Example 3: Just back from a trip to Japan 6 kilos of everyday clothes from the suitcase, 1 coat, 1 down jacket.
| One-off | |
|---|---|
| Everyday clothes, 6 kg × 40 baht | 240 baht |
| Coat, dry cleaned | 350 baht |
| Down jacket | 400 baht |
| Total | 990 baht |
The two winter jackets make up more than three quarters of the bill. For a one-off like this there’s no reason to think about packages; paying per visit is simplest. And if your down jacket’s label says it’s washable, read how to clean a down jacket first. Some can be done at home, which saves you another chunk.
If your household looks like Example 2, have a look at our monthly laundry plan.
The costs people forget about
The number on the sign isn’t always the whole bill. Whichever shop you’re considering, ask these five questions first.
- Is there a minimum per order? Some shops set a minimum weight, so a small bag still costs the minimum.
- How much extra for express? Get a clear number or percentage.
- Is pickup and delivery free? If not, is it charged per trip or by distance?
- Do hangers and garment covers cost extra? This matters most for dry cleaning, which usually comes back hung.
- Are heavy stains extra? Some shops charge separately for oil, blood or old stains.
A shop that can answer all five straight away is rarely the one you end up arguing with at pickup.
Frequently asked questions
How much does laundry cost per piece? It depends on the item and the shop. Dress shirts and work trousers are the cheapest per-piece items. Suits, coats and duvets cost several times more because they need dry cleaning or a large machine. Nova’s prices are on our price page.
Is per kilo or per piece cheaper for wash and iron? For clothes that don’t need ironing, per kilo is cheaper. For clothes that do, most shops charge per piece anyway. If a shop offers wash and iron by the kilo, ask whether every item really gets ironed or only certain types.
Why are suits, coats and duvets priced separately? Suits and coats need dry cleaning with a solvent and specialist machines. A single duvet fills a whole washer and takes much longer to dry than regular clothes, so shops price it apart from normal laundry.
Is a monthly laundry package cheaper than paying each time? Only if you use close to your full quota every month. If you send much less than the quota, paying per visit is cheaper. Weigh one week of laundry, multiply by four, and compare that with the package.
How are school uniforms priced? Usually per piece: one shirt plus one pair of trousers or a skirt. Some shops have a set price per uniform. In homes with several kids, uniforms are often the single biggest part of the monthly laundry bill.
See Nova’s laundry prices
Don’t feel like doing the math? Send a photo of your laundry basket on LINE and the Nova team will tell you which option works out cheapest for your clothes. We’re on Phet Kasem Soi 58 in Phasi Charoen and take laundry 24 hours a day.
See all our prices and the full wash and iron service.