The aims of this study were to compare recovery by clinical tests, the Perceptual Speed Test (PST) and the Ball Bearing Test (BBT), home recovery, side effects and satisfaction of anesthesia between total intravenous anesthesia using propofol and inhalation anesthesia using halothane in day case surgery and to determine average cost per case of each technique from the provider's the perspective. Forty patients were randomly allocated into TIVA and IA groups. The anesthetic times were 42.1 +/- 26.47 minutes and 37.6 +/- 14.75 minutes respectively. Recovery was assessed by the time to orientation, sitting up, standing up and to success in obtaining baseline values of the PST & BBT. The observer was blinded to the anesthetic technique that the patient received. Recovery tests showed no difference between the two groups. The recovery times of TIVA and IA as assessed by the PST and BBT were 1.2 +/- 0.41 and 1.1 +/- 0.31 hour respectively. From a home questionnaire, both groups showed no difference in the first 2-3 hours of home recovery, incidence of side effects and satisfaction of anesthesia. When asked about the difficulty in getting home, no TIVA patients complained of sleepiness whereas 6/16 IA patient did (p = 0.018). The average cost per case of TIVA and IA was 642.15 and 363.15 bahts respectively.