Which place is cheaper, Koh Samui or Doha?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Doha or Koh Samui?
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 Koh Samui 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 Koh Samui?
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.
Koh Samui
The largest island on the east coast of southern Thailand, Ko Samui (or Koh Samui) sees a good number of visitors every year who come for its lush rainforest, beautiful shores, and undersea wildlife. The size of the island is still small enough to allow visitors to circumnavigate it with a taxi or motorbike in a day, while hikers and outdoor enthusiasts can find plenty of inland activities in the hills and jungle.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours Under $1000 in Thailand, and The Best Budget Tours to Thailand.
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Doha Prices
Qatar PricesKoh Samui Prices
Thailand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDoha $245Koh Samui $75
The average daily cost (per person) in Doha is $245, while the average daily cost in Koh Samui is $75. 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 Koh Samui in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDoha $120Koh Samui $25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDoha $240Koh Samui $50
Compare Hotels in Doha and Koh Samui
Looking for a hotel in Doha or Koh Samui? 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 Koh Samui Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Doha $23Koh Samui $18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Doha
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Doha:
- CO2-Offset | RoundTrip Transfer from DOH Airport to Doha/West Bay: $194
- Entry to Angry Birds World with Transfer to Park and Top Up- Private Tour: $174
- Doha Desert Horse Riding: 2-Hour Ride & Private Transfer: $160
- Doha Horseback Riding Adventure in Desert with Transfers: $139
- Departure Transfer: Doha to Hamad Airport DOH by Luxury Van: $126
- Airport Transfer: Doha Airport DOH to Doha by Luxury Van: $126
- Doha Mangrove Kayaking Al Thakira & Purple Island With Transfer: $100
- Hamad Airport Transfer Service – 24/7 Door-to-Door Transport: $98
- Private Transfer from Doha Hamad Airport(DOH) to Doha Cruise Port: $93
- From North of Qatar Guided Tour with Transfers: $90
- Private Arrival Transfer - Al Khor: $81
- Doha Attractions -4 Hour City Tour & Transfer from Hotel/Airport: $70
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Koh Samui
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Koh Samui:
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Scooter Rental$2.24
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Gas for Scooter$1.19
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Airport Taxi$13
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Taxi- Na Thon Pier to Lamai Beach$13
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Minibus- Airport to Chaweng$3.58
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Koh Samui
Also for Koh Samui, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Ferry Transfers between Ko Pha-ngan and Koh Tao: $21
- Ferry Transfers between Koh Samui and Ko Pha-ngan: $15
- Ferry Transfers between Koh Samui and Koh Tao: $25
- Full Moon Party by Speed Boat Transfer from Koh Samui: $34
- Full Moon Party in Speedboat Transfer From Samui: $59
- Ko Samui Airport (USM) to Ko Samui Round Trip Private Transfer: $34
- Ko Samui Airport to Ko Samui - Arrival Private Transfer: $17
- Koh Pha Ngan to Phuket Scenic Catamaran and Bus Transfer: $60
- Koh Phangan Full Moon Party Small-Group Transfers from Koh Samui: $50
- Koh Phangan to Krabi Hassle Free Catamaran and Bus Transfer: $51
- Koh Phangan to Krabi Transfer by Catamaran and Bus: $49
- Koh Samui Airport Private Arrival or Departure Minivan Transfer: $40
Is it cheaper to fly into Doha or Koh Samui?
Prices for flights to both Koh Samui 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 $106Koh Samui $37
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Doha
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Doha.
- Traditional Sunset Dhow Cruise Tour with BBQ Buffet Dinner: $25
- Traditional Dhow Cruise Dinner with BBQ Buffet & Transfers: $26
- Starlight Dhow Cruise Dinner Experience on Doha Waterfront: $34
- Traditional Arabian Dhow Cruise with Sunset and Skyline Dinner: $40
- Moonlight on Marina Traditional Dhow Cruise With Optional Dinner: $42
- Traditional Dhow Cruise Tour with Dinner on board: $50
- Sunset Dinner Cruise in Doha Bay A Traditional Dhow Experience: $55
- Qatar Desert Safari Tour with Bedouin Camp Lunch or Dinner: $130
- Doha Desert Safari: Sunset Dune Bashing Camp Access & Dinner: $135
- Overnight Private Desert Safari with Buffet Dinner and Camel Ride: $149
- 5-Hour Private Night Tour with Dinner: $158
- Full Day Desert Safari in Qatar with Lunch/Dinner by sea side: $159
Typical Food Prices in Koh Samui
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Koh Samui:
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$6.42
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Koh Samui
For Koh Samui, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Koh Samui Local Market Hin Ta Hin Yai and Beach Dinner: $36
- Half Day Pig Island Snorkeling Trip with Sunset Dinner from Samui: $58
- Coconut Corners Samui Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $59
- Thai Cooking Class with Local Market Tour in Koh Samui: $68
- Thai Cooking Masterclass by the Sea on Koh Samui: $71
- Sunset Dinner Cruise: $76
- Cooking Class by Samui Native Instructor Geng and O Family: $76
- Thai Cooking Class in Koh Samui with Market Tour: $77
- Idyllic Half Day Sunset Cruise and Dinner in Koh Samui: $77
- Red Baron Sunset Dinner Cruise with Buffet & Transfer: $78
- Cooking Class in Ko Samui for Small Group: $79
- Cooking Class in Koh Samui with Micro Organic Garden: $81
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Doha $18Koh Samui $11
Tours and Activities in Doha
Here are a few actual costs in Doha for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2 Hours Private Dhow Boat Cruise of Doha: $95
- 3-2-1 Olympic and Sports Museum ticket | Qatar: $23
- 4 Hour Doha City Night Private Tour with Pickup from Doha: $50
- 4 Hours-Doha City Tour from AirPort/ Hotel: $54
- 4 Hrs Private Doha Tour: Discover the City’s Premier Attractions!: $115
- 4 hours Desert Safari Experience in Doha up to Group of 5: $260
- 4-Hours Guided City Tour in Doha (Souq, Katara, Pearl, Lusail): $60
- 6 Hours Private Full Day Tour in Doha: $109
- 8 Hours Doha City and West of Qatar Private Tour: $145
- 8-hour Doha tour: Cultural site, Heritage market, Modern Landmark: $149
- Arabian Dhow Cruise in Doha with Sunset and Skyline Views: $37
- Attractions of Doha City Exploration ( 4-Hours Doha City Tour): $60
Tours and Activities in Koh Samui
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Koh Samui.
- Coconut Soap Making Demo and Experience Koh Samui Class@13:30 pm.: $2.29
- Kanchanaburi Mallika City Thai Cultural Tour Experience: $7.64
- Sky Bicycle Jungle Adventure Tour from Koh Samui: $17
- Koh Samui Paris Follies Cabaret Spectacular Evening Show Ticket: $18
- Paris Follies Cabaret Evening Entertainment Ticket from Koh Samui: $19
- Create Your Own Crystal Aroma Oil Ritual Experience: $20
- Koh Samui Half Day Island Guided Tour: $23
- Top Sights of Samui City Tour: $24
- Koh Samui Sightseeing Tour by Minivan: $24
- Koh Samui Sightseeing Tour Around The Island: $25
- Koh Samui High-Speed Go Karting Adventure: $27
- City Tour Around Koh Samui: $29
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDoha $15Koh Samui $5.07
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Doha and Koh Samui, we can see that Doha is more expensive. And not only is Koh Samui much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Doha is in Middle East and Koh Samui 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 Koh Samui would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Koh Samui 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 Koh Samui.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Doha Expensive? and Is Koh Samui Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Doha or Koh Samui?
Doha has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Koh Samui. When comparing the sizes of Doha and Koh Samui, 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.