Which place is cheaper, Koh Tao or Doha?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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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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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDoha $200Koh Tao $37
The average daily cost (per person) in Doha is $200, while the average daily cost in Koh Tao is $37. 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 $14
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDoha $238Koh Tao $28
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 $8.67
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Doha
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Doha:
- Private Full Day City Sightseeing Tour with Transfer: $270
- Private Transfer from Doha City to Doha (DOH) Airport: $191
- Qatar Doha Hamad Airport (DOH): Transfer to Doha city: $175
- Doha Hamad Airport (DOH) to Doha - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $131
- ONE WAY: Doha International Airport - Private Transfer From/to Hotels: $122
- Departure Transfer: Doha to Hamad Airport DOH by Luxury Van: $120
- Airport Transfer: Doha to Doha Airport DOH by Luxury Van: $120
- Private Arrival Transfer - Al Khor: $120
- Private Sightseeing Tour in Doha with Roundtrip Transfer: $115
- Private transfer from Qatar Doha Hamad Airport (DOH) to Doha city: $115
- Airport Transfer: Doha to Doha Airport DOH by Luxury Car: $108
- Doha Airport Transfer: $99
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$5.18
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Chumpon to Koh Tao Ferry$18
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 $61Koh Tao $9.21
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Doha
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Doha.
- Private Dinner on Al Safliya Island: $76
- Half Day Doha City Tour with Lunch or Dinner: $143
- BBQ Dinner in the desert resort; Dune bashing & camel ride: $165
- Doha Private Full Day Desert Safari Lunch | Dinner Included: $190
- Full Day Desert Safari with Camp Access, Buffet Dinner,Camel Ride: $195
- Doha : Full Day Desert Safari | BBQ Dinner | Inland sea: $197
- Private Desert Safari with BBQ Lunch/Dinner at Souk Al Wakra: $202
- Private Overnight Desert Safari, Dune bashing, dinner & Breakfast: $220
- Full Day Desert Safari With BBQ Dinner: $234
- From Overnight Desert Safari with BBQ Dinner: $240
- Overnight Private Desert Safari with Buffet Dinner and Camel Ride: $299
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)$5.46
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Breakfast$4.09
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Casual Breakfast (for Two)$3.27
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Fancy Dinner (for Two)$13
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Pancake$1.91
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American Breakfast (for Two)$7.64
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Dinner at Bam Bam (for Two)$7.36
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Doha $18Koh Tao $26
Tours and Activities in Doha
Here are a few actual costs in Doha for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Transit/Layover Tours from Doha Airport – Explore Doha City : $105
- (Private Combo Tour) Sheikh Faisal Museum And Camel Race Track : $130
- (Private) Quickie to the Desert Safari Experience - Inland Sea Visit: $100
- 1 Hour Camel Ride Experience in Sealine Beach: $172
- 3-Hour Kayaking Eco Adventure - Mangrove Purple Island : $70
- 4 Hours Purple Island Mangroves Kayaking Adventure in Qatar: $130
- 4 Hours-Doha City Private Tour: $74
- 4-Hour Private Group City Tour in Doha, Qatar: $72
- 4-Hour Private Tour to Msheireb Museums: $100
- 4-Hour Private Tour to Msheireb Museums and city tour: $75
- 8-Hour Private Cultural Tour: $288
- Al Safliya Island Photo Tour: $25
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)$6.82
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Snorkel Rental$2.73
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Kayak and Snorkel (2)$2.73
Tours and Activities in Koh Tao
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Koh Tao.
- Full day snorkeling adventure around Koh Tao: $22
- Snorkel Tour to Koh Nangyuan and the hidden bays of Koh Tao onboard the Oxygen: $22
- Koh Nang Yuan and Koh Tao 5 Point Snorkeling Tour: $23
- 5 Islands Full-Day Tour Around Koh Tao and Koh Nangyuan: $24
- Koh Tao Snorkeling Tour to Hidden Bays and Koh Nang Yuan : $28
- Premium Snorkel Tour to the Bays of Koh Tao onboard the Oxygen: $33
- Koh Tao Viewpoint and Snorkeling Tour: $55
- Basic Diver ( One Day Experience): $124
- Koh Tao Cliff Jumping Snorkeling Experience: $135
- Koh Tao Snorkeling and Island Hopping Tour (Private) : $175
- Advanced Adventurer - 2 days ( Advanced Open Water): $277
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDoha $15Koh Tao $7.14
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$1.77
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Bottle of Wine$10
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.