A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Athens vs. Phuket for Food, Nightlife, Backpackers, and Families

Should you visit Athens or Phuket?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Athens and Phuket. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Athens

Athens is a vibrant, energetic, and historic city. Travelers will also find plenty of sights and attractions here, as it's a big city that attracts lots of visitors. Athens is a beautiful place to visit, too. And you can't forget about the shopping, museums, and nightlife. See Athens travel costs.

Phuket

Phuket is a energetic, party-hard, and stunning resort island. Phuket offers plenty of beauty for visitors. It's also popular because of the food, scuba diving and snorkeling, and beaches. See Phuket travel costs.

Athens and Phuket: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Athens or Phuket?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Athens than Phuket, as it is bigger with more sights, attractions, and activities for visitors. Athens is more popular for its museums and attractions, food, historical sights, and big city activities, while Phuket is known for its resorts, scuba diving & snorkeling, and beaches. Phuket is more touristy than Athens and is popular for its long sandy beaches, wild nightlife, colorful resorts, and easy access to day tours. Athens is popular for its ancient temples and landmarks as well as its influence as the birthplace of democracy. It is also home to The Acropolis.

The Acropolis

How is Athens different from Phuket?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Phuket and Athens. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Athens or Phuket?

Athens is an amazing city to visit for its museums and landmarks. However, Phuket does not have museums and landmarks.

The museums, monuments, and landmarks in Athens are among the most recognizable in the world. As a historical capital of the world, this city has countless museums and archeological sites including the famous Acropolis, the National Archaeology Museum, and the Ancient Agora.

Phuket does not have museums and landmarks.

Is the Food Better in Athens or Phuket? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Athens is an amazing city to visit for its restaurant scene. Also, Phuket is still popular, but not quite as popular for its local flavors and cuisine.

Known for it's food and restaurant scene, Athens is always at the top of any foodie's travel list. Make sure you try the souvlaki, moussaka, and dolmades at any of the many local restaurants throughout the city.

Phuket has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. Because it served as an international port for so long, food around the island has many international influences. For the most authentic local food, head into Phuket Town. Many dishes include seafood, but there are also chicken curries and noodle soup. Like elsewhere in Thailand, the food can be quite spicy but because the island is so touristy, they're accustomed to people asking for "no spice."

Is Athens or Phuket Better for Nightlife?

The vibe at night is world-class in both Athens and Phuket.

The nightlife in Athens is well established with world renowned clubs and venues. There are all-night dance clubs as well as local bars and chill live music venues.

Phuket is a world class party destination. The island has a long running reputation as a party destination and it lives up to expectations. The biggest party area is Patong, particularly around Bangla Road, but even in Kata and Karon, it's hard to escape the party atmosphere.

Is Athens or Phuket Better for Resorts?

Phuket is an unbeatable place for its luxury resorts. However, Athens is not a resort destination.

Vacationers flock to Phuket for its luxury resorts. It's easy accessibility and larger size make this the premiere resort destination in Thailand. There are five star resorts, family-friendly resorts, and everything in between. Many people use the island as a base for exploring other nearby islands. Any resort or tour company can arrange excursions or activities for guests.

Athens is not a resort destination.

Is Athens or Phuket Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Phuket is great for snorkeling and scuba diving. However, Athens is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

There are many scuba diving and snorkeling spots near Phuket. You can dive and snorkel year round, but the visibility is usually best between November and May. There are countless boat tours available and the easy accessibility make this a good base for snorkeling and diving. Many areas are overrun with tourists though, so it'll be hard to find a quiet, undisturbed location.

Athens is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is Athens or Phuket Better for Beaches?

Phuket is an unbeatable place for the beach. However, Athens is not a beach destination.

Phuket offers stunning beaches that attract visitors from around the world. The island has more than 30 beaches to choose from, ranging from party hard areas to a few quieter gems in more remote locations. The area became a world-famous destination because of its white sand beaches and crystal clear waters, and the beaches will not disappoint, even if development has taken over the island.

Athens is not a beach destination.

Is Athens or Phuket Better for its Old Town?

Athens is an amazing city to visit for its old town. However, Phuket does not have a historic old town.

Athens offers visitors a world-class historical old town to explore. The city's "historic triangle" is between Syntagma, Omonia, and Monastiraki Squares. This area is also at the political and financial heart of the city.

Phuket does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Athens or Phuket?

If you're looking to go shopping, Athens and Phuket both offer plenty of good spots.

Athens has a variety of shopping areas worth visiting. Most neighborhoods have a shopping street but head to Ermou Street for some of the city's best shopping.

Phuket is a great destination for shopping. Shopping malls offer a range of stores, air conditioning, and fixed prices while markets have more local items and unique souvenirs. There are also galleries and other souvenir shops all over the island.

Is Athens or Phuket More Beautiful?

You'll find a similar quality of good scenery and beauty in both Athens and Phuket.

Athens offers plenty of beauty for visitors. With it's stunning archaeological sites, Athens is most beautiful at night, when things light up.

Phuket is a gorgeous place to visit. It is a mix of beautiful beaches and tourist crowds. The island is very developed with a combination of 5 star hotels, souvenir shops, and tour companies. Because of the many excursions leaving from the island, many visitors find it a makes a good base for exploring the area.

Is Athens or Phuket Better for Families?

Athens is a great destination for its family-friendly activities. Also, Phuket is still popular, but not quite as popular for its kid-friendly activities.

Athens is a very kid-friendly city. With its rich history, beautiful outdoor activities, and kid-friendly food, Athens is a fun place to explore with the whole family.

Phuket offers lots of family activities. Many people visit this island with kids because it has beautiful beaches and tons of activities including water sports, water parks, and amusement areas. The island is filled with a diversity of tourists, so you'll encounter a number of areas with party-hard atmospheres, but there are also tons of family-friendly resorts to choose from as well.

Is Athens or Phuket Better for Couples?

Phuket is great for couples. Also, Athens is not as popular, but is still a nice city for romance.

Phuket is a great resort island if you're traveling as a couple. The island is filled with beautiful beaches and plenty of activities for all travel styles. It's a tourist and party mecca in Thailand with many resorts and restaurants to choose from.

Athens is a nice destination for couples. The city is historical, fascinating, and romantic, making it a beautiful place to explore as a couple.

Is Athens or Phuket Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Athens is an amazing city to visit for backpackers. Also, Phuket is still popular, but not quite as popular for backpackers and budget travelers.

Backpackers and budget travelers come from all over the world to visit Athens. The city has long been established as a backpackers destination with budget friendly food and plenty of hostels around town.

Phuket is a good city to visit for backpackers. It has a long history as a party island with expensive prices and hordes of tourists. While it gets its share of backpackers, many visitors complain about the lack of authenticity and prefer to spend their time elsewhere.

Is Athens or Phuket Better for Students?

Athens is a great destination for students. However, Phuket is not popular with students.

Athens is a great city to visit as a student. International students will appreciate the rich history, archaeological ruins, and unique opportunities that are available here.

Phuket is not popular with students.

Is Athens or Phuket Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Athens is a great destination for its public transit. Also, Phuket is still popular, but not quite as popular for times when you don't have a car.

The public transit in Athens can get you around easily. The city's metro system has 3 lines that connect to bus, tram and commuter rail lines.

While Phuket offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. Tuk tuks, buses, and motorbike taxis are all available on the island. The buses are usually Songtaew, which have open air seating areas.

Is Athens or Phuket a more walkable city?

Athens is a great destination for its high level of walkability. Also, Phuket is still popular, but not quite as popular for its ease of walking around.

Athens is a very walkable city. You'll find the city's most walkable area's in the historical heart, where there are many pedestrian only streets and shopping areas.

Phuket is a somewhat walkable city. Most of the hotels and resorts are walking distance to the beach and many resort areas are small enough to be explored on foot.

For even more information, also check out Is Athens Worth Visiting? and Is Phuket Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Phuket or Athens?

How long in Athens or Phuket?

Both Athens and Phuket have a number of activities to choose from. In our opinion, Athens has more to see and do, so we recommend that you spend more time in Athens than Phuket. However, 3-7 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

Families should spend more time in Athens than Phuket. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Athens, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Phuket than Athens. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Phuket that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Athens than Phuket if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Athens.

One day in Athens or Phuket?

Athens is a bustling city that offers something for everyone. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

Many travelers enjoy the shopping and nightlife when visiting the destination of Phuket. It's a great spot for a beach vacation. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

A weekend in Athens or Phuket?

Athens is a great place to explore. With so much to do, a weekend is probably not enough time to see everything. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Phuket is a great place to explore. With so much to do, a weekend is probably not enough time to see everything. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Five days in Athens or Phuket?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Athens. For many, it makes a great getaway for five days. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill five days here. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Phuket. For many, it makes a great getaway for five days. Most people come for the beaches. With all of its activities, you can easily fill five days here. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A week in Athens or Phuket?

Athens is a bustling city that offers something for everyone. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. If you have one week, this is a great place to go. This would be the perfect place to spend one week, as it has just the right amount of activities.

Many travelers enjoy the scuba diving and snorkeling and shopping when visiting the stunning destination of Phuket. This resort island offers a variety of activities to choose from. Many visitors spend time at the beach while visiting the area. If you have one week, this is a great place to go. This would be the perfect place to spend one week, as it has just the right amount of activities.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Greece, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Greece, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Thailand, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Thailand.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Athens and Phuket, we can see that Athens is more expensive. And not only is Phuket much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Athens is in Europe and Phuket is in Asia, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Phuket would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Phuket and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Athens would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Athens than you might in Phuket.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Athens Expensive? and Is Phuket Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Athens or Phuket?

Athens has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Phuket. When comparing the sizes of Athens and Phuket, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.

When is the best time to visit Athens or Phuket?

Athens has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Phuket experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Athens or Phuket in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Athens as well as Phuket. Many visitors come to Athens in the summer for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences. The warm climate attracts visitors to Phuket throughout the year.

In July, Athens is generally around the same temperature as Phuket. Daily temperatures in Athens average around 27°C (81°F), and Phuket fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Phuket. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Athens this time of the year. In the summer, Athens often gets more sunshine than Phuket. Athens gets 357 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Phuket receives 206 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Phuket. Athens usually gets less rain in July than Phuket. Athens gets 6 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Phuket receives 287 mm (11.3 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Athens or Phuket in the Autumn?

Both Phuket and Athens are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Most visitors come to Athens for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area during these months. Plenty of visitors come to Phuket because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

Athens is cooler than Phuket in the autumn. The daily temperature in Athens averages around 19°C (67°F) in October, and Phuket fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Athens. Athens usually receives more sunshine than Phuket during autumn. Athens gets 206 hours of sunny skies, while Phuket receives 181 hours of full sun in the autumn.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Phuket. In October, Athens usually receives less rain than Phuket. Athens gets 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Phuket receives 304 mm (12 in) of rain each month for the autumn. The dry season in Phuket is December to March. The rainy season in Phuket is June to October.

Should I visit Athens or Phuket in the Winter?

Both Phuket and Athens during the winter are popular places to visit. The winter months attract visitors to Athens because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Phuket year-round.

In the winter, Athens is much colder than Phuket. Typically, the winter temperatures in Athens in January average around 10°C (51°F), and Phuket averages at about 28°C (82°F).

In Phuket, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, Athens often gets less sunshine than Phuket. Athens gets 143 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Phuket receives 287 hours of full sun.

Athens usually gets more rain in January than Phuket. Athens gets 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Phuket receives 31 mm (1.2 in) of rain this time of the year. December to March is the dry season in Phuket.

Should I visit Athens or Phuket in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Athens and Phuket. The activities around the city and the natural beauty are the main draw to Athens this time of year. Phuket attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In April, Athens is generally much colder than Phuket. Daily temperatures in Athens average around 16°C (60°F), and Phuket fluctuates around 29°C (84°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Phuket this time of the year. In Athens, it's very sunny this time of the year. Athens usually receives less sunshine than Phuket during spring. Athens gets 226 hours of sunny skies, while Phuket receives 249 hours of full sun in the spring.

Phuket receives a lot of rain in the spring. In April, Athens usually receives less rain than Phuket. Athens gets 25 mm (1 in) of rain, while Phuket receives 120 mm (4.7 in) of rain each month for the spring. Also, June to October is the rainy season in Phuket.

Typical Weather for Phuket and Athens