Should you visit Bali or Koh Tao?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Bali and Koh Tao can help you decide which place is right for you.
Bali
Known as the "Island of the Gods," it's not difficult to see why the Gods would want to set up shop in Bali. With a beautifully diverse landscape of hills, mountains, coastlines, beaches, vibrant rice fields and volcanic hillsides, you'll easily go into sensory overload.
Bali is home to 4 million people who all hold true to a deeply spiritual and unique culture. With champion surfing, world class resorts and challenging hiking trails, this Indonesian island accommodates travelers from every walk of life. It's often called, "paradise on earth, " and no one disagrees.
Koh Tao
With a name that literally means, "Turtle Island," Koh Tao, Thailand is the type of vacation spot divers dream of. There is the faintest current and a buffet of dive sites and shops.
This tiny island hosts hundreds of thousands of visitors a year, but take not that there are no garbage disposal facilities. Everything that can't be burnt needs to be taken from the island. Avoid plastic bags, and don't dump your trash in the open landscape (then again, why would you?) because there are no departments for road clean up. Water and electricity on the island are scarce, so use them wisely.
Keep in mind that monsoon season from November to January so you may be faced with constant rain for days at a time in those months.
Which city is cheaper, Koh Tao or Bali?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Bali is $65, while the average daily cost in Koh Tao is $33. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Bali and Koh Tao in more detail.
Accommodation
Bali's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $74. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $37.
The prices for places to stay in Koh Tao can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is $13, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around $26.
Food
Bali food costs typically run travelers around $18 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
In Koh Tao travelers spend around $8.31 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
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Food
Meals for one day
Bali $18
Koh Tao $8.31
Typical Food prices in Bali
Some typical examples of dining costs in Bali are as follows:
-
Coffee
$1.40
-
Lunch for Two
$15
-
Bali Cafe for Two
$30
-
Lunch for Two
$9.12
-
Lunch for 2
$10
-
Dinner for 2
$11
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bali
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bali.
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Seafood Dinner in Jimbaran Bali:
$4.59
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Bandung Street Food Tour:
$5.40
-
Omah Kecebong Fun Outbound and Dinner Experience in Yogyakarta:
$11
-
Yogyakarta Historical Walking and Food Tour:
$13
-
Pirate Dinner Cruise by Sea Safari Cruise in Bali:
$13
-
Online Cooking Class with Chef Juna by Kelas.com:
$18
-
Cooking Class in Ubud:
$21
-
Indonesia Food Online Cooking Class by Masakonline:
$21
-
Cooking Class and Village Tour Experience at Bukit Lawang:
$21
-
Eat while chef is cooking in front of you:
$24
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Jambangan Bali Cooking Class in Ubud:
$25
-
Visesa Cooking Class in Ubud :
$27
Typical Food prices in Koh Tao
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Koh Tao:
-
Sit Down Lunch (for One)
$6.12
-
Breakfast
$4.59
-
Casual Breakfast (for Two)
$3.67
-
Fancy Dinner (for Two)
$15
-
Pancake
$2.14
-
American Breakfast (for Two)
$8.56
-
Dinner at Bam Bam (for Two)
$8.26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Koh Tao
For Koh Tao, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Thai Akha Kitchen Cooking Class & Local Market Tour:
$23
-
Tom Yum Thai Cooking Class with Market Tour in Chiang Mai:
$23
-
Asia Scenic Thai Cooking Class:
$25
-
Siamese Cookery House Thai Cooking Class in Bangkok:
$26
-
InFusion Cooking Classes in Koh Samui:
$26
-
Sompong Thai Cooking Class:
$27
-
Galangal Cooking Class with Market Tour in Chiang Mai:
$28
-
Lanna Smile Thai Cooking Class in Chiang Mai:
$29
-
Pum Thai Cooking Class in Patong Beach:
$31
-
Chocolate Cooking Class at SO Sofitel Bangkok:
$31
-
Thai Cooking Course Hua Hin:
$31
-
Bangkok Thai Cooking Academy:
$31
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Bali is $8.17 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Koh Tao than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $7.78 on transportation in Koh Tao on average per day.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Bali
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Bali:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bali
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bali:
-
Plataran Canggu Resort & Spa 3 Night Villa Staycation with Dining, Spa and Airport Transfers:
$906
-
Private Transfer from Bali to Sitia (JSH) Airport:
$394
-
Bandung Intercity Private Transfer to Surabaya:
$336
-
Surabaya Intercity Private Transfer to Cirebon:
$275
-
Surabaya Intercity Private Transfer to Purwokerto:
$260
-
Bandung Intercity Private Transfer to Jogjakarta:
$233
-
Surabaya Intercity Private Transfer to Solo:
$204
-
Bandung Intercity Private Transfer to Semarang:
$198
-
Jogjakarta Intercity Private Transfer to Malang:
$186
-
Surabaya Intercity Private Transfer to Semarang:
$176
-
Surabaya Intercity Private Transfer to Jogja:
$158
-
Jogjakarta Intercity Private Transfer to Cirebon:
$140
Typical Local Transportation prices in Koh Tao
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Koh Tao:
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Motorbike Rental
$5.81
-
Chumpon to Koh Tao Ferry
$20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Koh Tao
Also for Koh Tao, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Shared Airport Bus Transfer Phuket :
$3.09
-
Tiger Kingdom Ticket in Chiang Mai with Transfers:
$5.59
-
Private Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) Transfers for Chiang Mai by TTD:
$12
-
Private Krabi (KBV) or Phuket Airport Transfers (HKT) for Krabi, Phuket, and More by TTD:
$15
-
Private Krabi/Phuket Airport Transfers (KBV/HKT) for Krabi & More:
$15
-
Samui Airport Transfers (USM) for Koh Samui and More:
$15
-
Private City Transfers for Ao Nang, Krabi Town, Phuket, and More by TTD:
$15
-
Private Chiang Mai International Airport Transfers (CNX) for Chiang Mai and More:
$16
-
Private City Transfers between Phuket, Khao Lak, Krabi and Koh Lanta:
$16
-
Private Suvarnabhumi Airport Transfers (BKK) for Bangkok, Pattaya, and More by Oriental Holiday:
$17
-
Private Don Mueang Airport (DMK) Transfers for Bangkok, Pattaya, Hua Hin, and Ayutthaya:
$18
-
Private Phuket Airport Transfers (HKT) for Phuket and Other Areas by Oriental Holiday:
$18
Is it cheaper to fly into Bali or Koh Tao?
Prices for flights to both Koh Tao and Bali change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Entertainment
Bali's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $9.79 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Sightseeing expenses in Koh Tao, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $24 per day, per person.
Typical Entertainment prices in Bali
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Bali are as follows:
-
Spa for Two
$61
-
Snorkelling Trip
$14
-
Cooking School
$32
Tours and Activities in Bali
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Bali are as follows:
-
2D1N Bromo and Ijen Crater Private Hiking Tour from Malang:
$93
-
Aristocrat Sailing Cruise Tour to Nusa Lembongan by Bali Hai Cruise:
$133
-
Best Rafting and Bali Bird Park Combo Experience in Bail:
$63
-
Borobudur Temple Tour:
$16
-
Elo River Rafting Experience by Citra Elo from Yogyakarta:
$42
-
FANPEKKA by Aeon Fantasy Ticket in Jakarta:
$6.49
-
Fast Boat Ticket between Sanur and Nusa Penida by The Angkal:
$5.19
-
Full Body Massage Experience at Bali Orchid Spa:
$18
-
Instagramable Kedung Pedut Waterfall and Borobudur Temple Tour:
$24
-
Nakamura Spa Experience in Jakarta, Tangerang, and Bekasi:
$11
-
Nusa Penida Tour from Bali :
$13
-
Prambanan Temple Sunset Tour:
$14
Typical Entertainment prices in Koh Tao
For Koh Tao, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Kayak Rental (One Hour)
$7.64
-
Snorkel Rental
$3.06
-
Kayak and Snorkel (2)
$3.06
Tours and Activities in Koh Tao
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Koh Tao.
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SHOCK PRICE!! Only at THB10 for Airport Rail Link (ARL) Single Journey Ticket with FREE EMS:
$0.30
-
Pattaya Pipo Pony Club Admission Ticket in Pattaya:
$1.55
-
Pattaya Sheep Farm Ticket:
$2.19
-
Nails, Eyelash, and Waxing Beauty Experience at Ju's Nail:
$3.75
-
Ramayana Water Park Ticket in Pattaya:
$3.75
-
Wakeboarding Experience at Thai Wake Park in Pattaya:
$4.19
-
Pong Yang Adventure Park Experience:
$4.49
-
Aquaria Phuket Ticket:
$4.95
-
Rejuv Salon Beauty Experiences at Sathon Bangkok:
$5.85
-
Nong Nooch Tropical Garden Ticket in Pattaya:
$5.89
-
Sleep Salon & Nails Experience in Bangkok:
$6.15
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Kanchanaburi Mallika City Ticket:
$6.19
Alcohol
The average person spends about $2.89 on alcoholic beverages in Bali per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Koh Tao, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $6.41.
Sample the Local Flavors in Bali
Also in Bali, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Sababay Winery Tour with Wine Tasting in Bali:
$13
Typical Alcohol prices in Koh Tao
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Koh Tao from other travelers:
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Beer
$1.99
-
Bottle of Wine
$11
Sample the Local Flavors in Koh Tao
Also in Koh Tao, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
PB Valley Vineyard and Wine Tasting Tour in Khao Yai:
$22
-
Bangkok Pub Crawl by Pub Crawls Thailand:
$22
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bali and Koh Tao, we can see that Bali is more expensive. And not only is Koh Tao much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Koh Tao would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Koh Tao 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 Bali would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bali than you might in Koh Tao.
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