Which place is cheaper, Khao Lak or Doha?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Doha or Khao Lak?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Doha and Khao Lak can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Doha or Khao Lak?
Doha
Doha is the capital city of Qatar, modern and rapidly developing with much construction underway. It is home to Doha International Airport, the main point of entry for Qatar, as well as many of the country's best museums and examples of cultural heritage.
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 Family-Friendly Tours to Thailand, and The Best Wildlife Tours to Thailand.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDoha $199Khao Lak $122
The average daily cost (per person) in Doha is $199, 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 Doha and Khao Lak in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDoha $119Khao Lak $55
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDoha $238Khao Lak $110
Compare Hotels in Doha and Khao Lak
Looking for a hotel in Doha 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: Doha Hotel Prices and Khao Lak Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Doha $23Khao Lak $57
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Doha
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Doha:
- Airport Transfer - TO or FROM Hammad International Airport: $25
- Airport Transfer: Doha Airport DOH to Doha by Luxury Car: $112
- Airport Transfer: Doha to Doha Airport DOH by Business Car: $81
- Airport Transfer: Doha to Doha Airport DOH by Luxury Car: $112
- Airport Transfer: Doha to Doha Airport DOH by Luxury Van: $124
- BF Doha | Hamad Int. Airport Transfer Meet & Greet: $68
- Doha Airport Transfer: $99
- Doha Airport Transfers: Your Swift Gateway to Luxury Travel: $50
- Doha Airport to City Transfer: $38
- Doha City Tour From Cruise Terminal With Transfer: $43
- Doha City Tour including Airport Transfer /Max 4 person: $300
- Doha City Tour including Airport Transfer /Max 6 person: $360
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Khao Lak
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Khao Lak:
- 2-Hour Guided Eco-Tour & Transfer to Khaolak Elephant Sanctuary: $61
- 30-Minutes Guided Tour & Transfer to Khaolak Elephant Sanctuary: $46
- Carnival Magic Phuket Show Ticket with Transfer from Khao Lak: $103
- From Carnival Magic Phuket Ticket with Transfer: $118
- Kata Lux Transfers, Tour and Travel: $42
- Khao Lak To Khao Sok Private Minivan & Car Transfer: $62
- Khao Lak any hotel to Koh Lanta any hotel Private transfer: $189
- Khao Lak/Bang Sak: 1-Way Private Transfer to Phuket Airport: $45
- Khao Sok: Private Night Safari Adventure w/ Hotel Transfer: $47
- KhaoLak: Elephant Sanctuary Guided Tour with Hotel Transfers: $54
- Khaolak: Elephant Sanctuary Guided Tour with Hotel Transfers: $48
- Ko Lanta: Private Transfer to/from Hotels in Khao Sok Area: $212
Is it cheaper to fly into Doha or Khao Lak?
Prices for flights to both Khao Lak and Doha 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 dayDoha $61Khao Lak $33
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Doha
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Doha.
- Private Dinner on Safliya Island: $76
- Private Dinner on Al Safliya Island: $76
- Food Tour in The Pearl Qatar Island: $119
- The Pearl-Qatar Food Tour & Boat Ride: $119
- BBQ Dinner at desert resort +Dune bashing & camel ride: $165
- Full-Day Desert Safari with Buffet Dinner: $175
- Full Day Desert Safari Doha/dinner included: $190
- Doha Private Full Day Desert Safari Lunch | Dinner Included: $190
- Full Day Desert Safari with Camp Access, Buffet Dinner,Camel Ride: $195
- Private Desert Safari with BBQ Lunch/Dinner at Souk Al Wakra: $202
- Private Desert Safari with BBQ Lunch/Dinner at Souk Al Wakra Tour: $202
- Doha Overnight Desert Safari Dinner/Breakfast included: $215
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 Small Group Thai Cooking Class from Khao Lak : $75
- Half-Day Cooking Class and Ingredient Hunt: $75
- 3 hours Khao Lak Cooking Class and Market Visit: $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.Doha $18Khao Lak $21
Tours and Activities in Doha
Here are a few actual costs in Doha for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Discover Souq Waqif and Musherib: An Almost Free Walking Tour: $5.00
- Private Desert Safari Tour With Sand Boarding: $17
- Private Guided City Tour with Airport & Hotel Pickup.: $18
- Doha Tour App Hidden Gems Game and Big Qatar Quiz: $20
- Al Safliya Island Boat Tour: $25
- Al Safliya Island Photo Tour: $25
- Guided Walking Tour of Souq Waqif: $30
- Transit Exclusive Discover Doha Tour: $32
- City Highlights Layover Tour: $32
- From Doha Cruise Terminal: Doha City Tour (Private Tour): $35
- Doha Geocaching & City Tour Combo: $35
- City Highlights Sharing Tour: $35
Tours and Activities in Khao Lak
Here are a few actual costs in Khao Lak for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Guided Walk & Feed Elephant Experience with Pickup: $39
- Bamboo Rafting and Sea Turtle Conservation Center Half Day Tour From Khao Lak: $41
- Guide Tour to Khaolak Elephant Sanctuary in Small Group: $49
- Elephant Sanctuary Guided Tour: $51
- Little Amazon Canoe Ride & Tam Nang Waterfall Tour: $56
- Khaolak: Begin the Day with Elephants - Walk and Feed Tour: $57
- 30 Minutes Khaolak ATV Quadbike & Waterfall Adventure: $58
- 30-Minutes ATV Quads and Waterfall Experience in Khaolak : $61
- Historical And Cultural Day Tour To Takuapa Old Town From Khao Lak: $66
- Khaosok Night Safari Experience (From Khaolak): $72
- Temples Tour in Thailand: $73
- Full-Day Temple Tour Including Dragon Cave from Khao Lak: $73
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDoha $14Khao Lak $15
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Doha and Khao Lak, we can see that Doha is more expensive. And not only is Khao Lak much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Doha 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 Khao Lak would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Khao Lak 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 Doha would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Doha than you might in Khao Lak.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Doha Expensive? and Is Khao Lak Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Doha or Khao Lak?
Doha has a larger population, and is about 200 times larger than the population of Khao Lak. When comparing the sizes of Doha 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.
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.