Which place is cheaper, Koh Tao 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 Tao?
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 Tao 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 Tao?
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 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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to Thailand, and The Best Contiki Tours to Thailand.
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Doha Prices
Qatar PricesKoh Tao Prices
Thailand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDoha $245Koh Tao $48
The average daily cost (per person) in Doha is $245, while the average daily cost in Koh Tao is $48. 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 Tao in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDoha $119Koh Tao $16
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDoha $238Koh Tao $32
Compare Hotels in Doha and Koh Tao
Looking for a hotel in Doha or Koh Tao? 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 Tao Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Doha $23Koh Tao $9.62
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Doha
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Doha:
- Entry to Angry Birds World with Transfer to Park and Top Up- Private Tour: $174
- Doha Horseback Riding Adventure in Desert with Transfers: $139
- Doha Arabian Horse Riding Adventure in the Desert with Transfer: $135
- Departure Transfer: Doha to Hamad Airport DOH by Luxury Van: $124
- Doha Arabian Horseback Riding Adventure in Desert with Transfers: $120
- Combo City Tour and Desert Safari with Private Transfers: $99
- Doha Private Airport Transfer: $99
- Hamad Airport Transfer Service – 24/7 Door-to-Door Transport: $98
- Private Transfer from Doha Hamad Airport(DOH) to Doha Cruise Port: $96
- From North of Qatar Guided Tour with Transfers: $90
- Private Arrival Transfer - Al Khor: $81
- Doha Hamad Airport (DOH) to Doha - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $81
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$5.75
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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:
- Convenient Catamaran and Bus Transfer from Koh Tao to Krabi: $62
- Koh Tao to Krabi High Speed Catamaran with Bus Transfer: $56
Is it cheaper to fly into Doha or Koh Tao?
Prices for flights to both Koh Tao 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 Tao $18
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Doha
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Doha.
- Starlight Dhow Cruise Dinner Experience on Doha Waterfront: $27
- Traditional Sunset Dhow Cruise Tour with BBQ Buffet Dinner: $32
- 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
- Full-day Desert Beach Camp with Buffet lunch/dinner: $60
- Private Souk Waqif Tour with Lunch/Dinner: $85
- Sunset Desert Safari, Dune Bashing & BBQ Camp Dinner: $110
- Full Day Desert Safari with Inland Sea Visit and Buffet Dinner: $150
- Doha Desert Safari Full day With Dinner,Dune Bashing,Sandboarding: $152
- Full-Day Desert Safari With Lunch or BBQ Dinner at Camp: $152
Typical Food Prices in Koh Tao
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Koh Tao:
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Sit Down Lunch (for One)$6.05
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Breakfast$4.54
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Casual Breakfast (for Two)$3.63
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Fancy Dinner (for Two)$15
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Pancake$2.12
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American Breakfast (for Two)$8.47
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Dinner at Bam Bam (for Two)$8.17
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:
- Half Day Thai Cooking Class with Sea View from Koh Tao: $62
- Memorable Thai Cooking Class with Stunning View from Koh Tao: $66
- Private Thai Cooking Class at Rooftop Kitchen on Koh Tao: $253
- Koh Tao Private Rooftop Thai Cooking Class with Scenic View: $271
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Doha $18Koh Tao $29
Tours and Activities in Doha
Here are a few actual costs in Doha for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 3-2-1 Olympic and Sports Museum ticket | Qatar: $23
- 4 Hour Doha City Tour from Airport, Hotel & Cruise Terminal: $57
- 4 Hours Kayaking Adventure in Qatar Purple Island Mangroves: $125
- 4 Hours-Doha City Tour from AirPort/ Hotel: $54
- 4 Hrs Private Doha Tour: Discover the City’s Premier Attractions!: $115
- 4-Hour Private Group City Tour in Doha, Qatar: $45
- 4-Hours Guided City Tour in Doha (Souq, Katara, Pearl, Lusail): $60
- 6 Hours Private Full Day Tour in Doha: $117
- 6 Hrs Doha City Tour Including National Museum Entrance: $110
- Arabian Dhow Cruise in Doha with Sunset and Skyline Views: $37
- Attractions of Doha City Exploration ( 4-Hours Doha City Tour): $60
- Brouq Reserve and East to West 4WD Private Tour: $140
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)$7.57
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Snorkel Rental$3.03
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Kayak and Snorkel (2)$3.03
Tours and Activities in Koh Tao
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Koh Tao.
- No Rush Morning & Afternoon 5 Stop Snorkeling tour for Koh Tao: $28
- Snorkelling Trip 5 Island Tour Around Koh Tao and Koh Nang yuan: $29
- 5 Islands Full-Day Tour Around Koh Tao and Koh Nangyuan: $30
- Ko Tao: Ko Nangyuan & Hidden Bays Snorkeling Tour with Lunch: $30
- Koh Tao Top Crystal Clear Snorkeling Day Tour by Big Boat: $30
- Koh Nang Yuan and Koh Tao 5 Point Snorkeling Tour: $30
- Snorkel Tour to Koh Nangyuan and the hidden bays of Koh Tao onboard the Oxygen: $33
- Full day snorkeling adventure around Koh Tao: $34
- Koh Tao's First Light Snorkel Adventure with Oxygen Tours: $35
- Koh Tao 5 Best Snorkeling Sunset Tour by Big Boat: $39
- Koh Tao Snorkeling Tour to Hidden Bays and Koh Nang Yuan: $42
- Premium Snorkel Tour to the Bays of Koh Tao onboard the Oxygen: $46
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDoha $15Koh Tao $7.92
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$1.97
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Bottle of Wine$11
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Doha and Koh Tao, we can see that Doha is more expensive. And not only is Koh Tao much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Doha is in Middle East and Koh Tao 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 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 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 Tao.
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 Tao Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Doha or Koh Tao?
Doha has a larger population, and is about 250 times larger than the population of Koh Tao. When comparing the sizes of Doha and Koh Tao, 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.