Which place is cheaper, Khao Lak or Beirut?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Beirut or Khao Lak?
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 Beirut and Khao Lak. 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.
Where Should I go: Beirut or Khao Lak?
Beirut
Some travelers are seeking the hustle, bustle and posh atmosphere that only comes from a big city. Those travelers should have Beirut, Lebanon at the top of their list. The capital city is jam packed with 2.1 million people that are constantly on the go. As the commercial and financial hub of Lebanon, this city is fast-paced, fashion conscious and always ready for a night on the town.
Khao Lak
Resiliency and relaxation. Those are the two words used to describe one of Thailand's most breathtaking cities. Khao Lak is located in southern Thailand, and when the tsunami of 2004 hit, this area saw the most damage. With more than 4,000 fatalities, 3,000 still unaccounted for and enormous structural damages, many thought Khao Lak would not be able to bounce back. They have proved everyone wrong with a strong and impressive recovery. Now it has returned to its status of vacation hotspot. Unlike neighboring Phuket, though, the resorts in Khao Lak are designed for families and some peace and quiet.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Thailand, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Thailand.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBeirut $2.25Khao Lak $122
The average daily cost (per person) in Beirut is $2.25, while the average daily cost in Khao Lak is $122. 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 destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Beirut and Khao Lak in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBeirut $1.26Khao Lak $55
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBeirut $2.52Khao Lak $110
Compare Hotels in Beirut and Khao Lak
Looking for a hotel in Beirut or Khao Lak? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Beirut Hotel Prices and Khao Lak Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Beirut $0.44Khao Lak $57
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Beirut
Also for Beirut, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Arrival Transfer to Your Beirut Hotel: $10
- Airport Transfer and Pickup Services in Beirut: $13
- Beirut Airport Transfer in a Limousine: $201
- Beirut Airport one Way Private Transfer to the hotel: $15
- Beirut Arrival Airport Transfer: $13
- Beirut Arrival Airport Transfer Pickup: $9.89
- Hiking Day Trip to Chouwen Lake with Hotel Transfers: $86
- Departure Transfer:From Hotel To Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY): $10
- Private Arrival Transfer: Beirut International Airport to Hotel: $18
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Beirut International Airport: $18
- Private Transfer from Beirut Hotels to the Beirut Airport: $10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Khao Lak
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Khao Lak:
- Transfer Service from Khao Lak to Krabi: $117
- Similan Island Snorkeling Adventure -Full-Day Tour with Transfers: $131
- Private Transfer from Phuket Airport to Khao Lak: $49
- Private Transfer from Khao Lak to Phuket (HKT) Airport: $104
- Private Airport Transfer in Khao Lak: $37
- Premium Similan Island Day Trip with lunch and transfer pick up: $107
- Phuket: Private One-Way Transfer to/from Khao Lak by Car: $33
- Krabi Airport: Private Transfer to/from Khaolak: $122
- Ko Lanta: Private Transfer to/from Hotels in Khao Sok Area: $209
- Khaolak: Elephant Sanctuary Guided Tour with Hotel Transfers: $48
- KhaoLak: Elephant Sanctuary Guided Tour with Hotel Transfers: $54
- Khao Sok: Private Night Safari Adventure w/ Hotel Transfer: $47
Is it cheaper to fly into Beirut or Khao Lak?
Prices for flights to both Khao Lak and Beirut 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.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayBeirut $0.71Khao Lak $33
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Beirut
For Beirut, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Authentic Lebanese Virtual Cooking Class Live from Lebanon: $30
- Traveling Spoon Lebanese Mezze Private Online Cooking Class : $40
- Motorbike Tour with Local Street Food Dinner: $50
- Private Lebanese Home Cooking Class in Byblos with a Local Family: $86
- Beirut Street Food Tour, Lebanon: $93
- Authentic Lebanese Cooking Lesson and Meal with Tania's Family in Beirut: $100
- Private Lebanese Cooking Class in Beirut with Amal + Transfers: $142
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Khao Lak
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Khao Lak.
- Khao Sok: Private Authentic Jungle Cooking Experience: $55
- Authentic Thai Cooking Class in Khao Lak with Market Tour by Pakinnaka School: $56
- Riverside Thai Cooking Half Day Class: $62
- Authentic Thai Cooking Class from Khao Lak: $65
- Thai Cooking Class in a Garden with Transfer: $66
- Thai cooking class &Market tour by Amazon Prime Series Chef.: $66
- Thai Cooking Class in Khaolak: $67
- Half-Day Cooking Class and Ingredient Hunt: $74
- 3 hours Khao Lak Cooking Class and Market Visit: $74
- Half-Day Small Group Thai Cooking Class from Khao Lak : $75
- 3-Hour Khaolak Cooking Class with Food Market Visit: $76
- Khao Sok: Private Day Trekking, Jungle Dinner & Night Safari: $89
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Beirut $0.26Khao Lak $21
Tours and Activities in Beirut
For Beirut, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Small Group Tour to Jeita Grotto, Harisa & Byblos with Hotel pickup: $10
- Discovering Lebanon: Jeita Grotto, Harissa, and Byblos Tour: $15
- City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $25
- City Sightseeing Beirut Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $25
- Beirut Walking Tour - Discover Beirut by foot: $25
- Hidden Gems of Hamra and Ras A Walking Tour: $30
- Beirut Walking Tour: $35
- Beirut Like a Local: Customized Private Tour: $35
- Lebanon's Historic Gems: Private Tour of Jeita, Byblos & Harissa: $40
- Beirut Full Day Walking Tour: $41
- Private Walking Tour With A Guide (Private tour): $50
- Historical Beirut Tour (AM) Half Day - (4G on Board): $50
Tours and Activities in Khao Lak
Here are a few actual costs in Khao Lak for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2 Hours-Early Bird Guide Tour in Khao Lak Elephant Sanctuary: $74
- 30 Minutes Khaolak ATV Quadbike & Waterfall Adventure: $58
- 30-Minutes ATV Quads and Waterfall Experience in Khaolak : $61
- Adventure Off Road Safari to Khao Lak National Park: $110
- Bamboo Rafting and Sea Turtle Conservation Center Half Day Tour From Khao Lak: $41
- Cheow Lan Lake: 2-Day Guided Tour with Meals and Activities: $194
- Day Tour with Sea Canoeing at Hong Island from Khao Lak: $89
- Early Bird Phi Phi Islands Adventure From Khao Lak: $112
- Eco Grand Canyon with Hot Springs and Elephant Retreat Tour: $107
- From Khao Lak Or Khok Kloi : Phi Phi Islands Adventure Day Trip with Lunch: $113
- From Khao Lak or Phuket: 2-Day Cheow Lan Lake Tour: $282
- From James Bond Sunset & Canoe Adventure Tour: $119
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBeirut $0.23Khao Lak $15
Sample the Local Flavors in Beirut
Also in Beirut, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Bekaa Valley Wine Tour: Savour Lebanon's Finest: $50
- Full-Day Private Wine Tasting Tour: $56
- Uncorking Splendor: A Journey Through Private Wine Tasting Tours: $60
- Full-Day Private Wine Tour in Bekaa Valley with Tasting : $60
- Wine Tasting and Culture : $69
- Fabulous Wine Tour in Central Bekaa Valley: $88
- From Full Day Wine Tasting in the Bekaa Valley Tour: $90
- Lebanon Wine Tasting Tour From Beirut: $91
- Full-Day Private Bekaa Valley Wine Tour from Beirut: $106
- Wine Tasting Tour: $160
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Beirut and Khao Lak, we can see that Khao Lak is more expensive. And not only is Beirut much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Beirut is in Middle East and Khao Lak 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 Beirut would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Beirut 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 Khao Lak would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Khao Lak than you might in Beirut.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Beirut Expensive? and Is Khao Lak Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Beirut or Khao Lak?
Beirut has a larger population, and is about 1130 times larger than the population of Khao Lak. When comparing the sizes of Beirut and Khao Lak, 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 Beirut or Khao Lak?
Both destinations experience a warmer climate most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season. Although in the rainy season, it doesn't necessarily rain every day.
Should I visit Beirut or Khao Lak in the Summer?
Both Khao Lak and Beirut during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Beirut because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Khao Lak year-round.
Khao Lak gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Beirut usually gets less rain in July than Khao Lak. Beirut gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Khao Lak receives 284 mm (11.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
In Khao Lak, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Beirut. In the summer, Beirut often gets more sunshine than Khao Lak. Beirut gets 369 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Khao Lak receives 206 hours of full sun.
In July, Beirut is generally around the same temperature as Khao Lak. Daily temperatures in Beirut average around 27°C (81°F), and Khao Lak fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyBeirut 27°C (81°F)Khao Lak 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Beirut or Khao Lak in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Beirut and Khao Lak. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Beirut year-round. Khao Lak attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
November to April in Khao Lak is the dry season. Also, May to October is the rainy season in Khao Lak. Khao Lak receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Beirut usually receives less rain than Khao Lak. Beirut gets 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Khao Lak receives 351 mm (13.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
In Beirut, it's very sunny this time of the year. Beirut usually receives more sunshine than Khao Lak during autumn. Beirut gets 254 hours of sunny skies, while Khao Lak receives 181 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Beirut is around the same temperature as Khao Lak in the autumn. The daily temperature in Beirut averages around 25°C (77°F) in October, and Khao Lak fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberBeirut 25°C (77°F)Khao Lak 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Beirut or Khao Lak in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Beirut as well as Khao Lak. Beirut attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Khao Lak throughout the year.
Beirut receives a lot of rain in the winter. Beirut usually gets more rain in January than Khao Lak. Beirut gets 130 mm (5.1 in) of rain, while Khao Lak receives 42 mm (1.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Khao Lak. In the winter, Beirut often gets less sunshine than Khao Lak. Beirut gets 149 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Khao Lak receives 287 hours of full sun.
In the winter, Beirut is much colder than Khao Lak. Typically, the winter temperatures in Beirut in January average around 13°C (55°F), and Khao Lak averages at about 27°C (80°F).
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryBeirut 13°C (55°F)Khao Lak 27°C (80°F)
Should I visit Beirut or Khao Lak in the Spring?
Both Khao Lak and Beirut are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Beirut throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Khao Lak because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
The dry season in Khao Lak is November to April. The rainy season in Khao Lak is May to October. It rains a lot this time of the year in Khao Lak. In April, Beirut usually receives less rain than Khao Lak. Beirut gets 50 mm (2 in) of rain, while Khao Lak receives 157 mm (6.2 in) of rain each month for the spring.
It's quite sunny in Khao Lak. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Beirut. Beirut usually receives less sunshine than Khao Lak during spring. Beirut gets 225 hours of sunny skies, while Khao Lak receives 249 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Beirut is generally much colder than Khao Lak. Daily temperatures in Beirut average around 17°C (63°F), and Khao Lak fluctuates around 29°C (83°F).
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilBeirut 17°C (63°F)Khao Lak 29°C (83°F)
Typical Weather for Khao Lak and Beirut
| Beirut | Khao Lak | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 13°C (55°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) |
| Feb | 13°C (55°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Mar | 15°C (59°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Apr | 17°C (63°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 157 mm (6.2 in) |
| May | 22°C (72°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 345 mm (13.6 in) |
| Jun | 25°C (77°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 286 mm (11.3 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 284 mm (11.2 in) |
| Aug | 28°C (82°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 272 mm (10.7 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 417 mm (16.4 in) |
| Oct | 25°C (77°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 351 mm (13.8 in) |
| Nov | 19°C (66°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 188 mm (7.4 in) |
| Dec | 15°C (59°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) |
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.