Which place is cheaper, Gili Trawangan or Eilat?
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 Eilat or Gili Trawangan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Eilat or Gili Trawangan? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Eilat or Gili Trawangan?
Eilat
Eilat serves as the gateway to Israel from Egypt. It's located at the southern tip of the country and sits on the Red Sea with views of the Gulf of Aqaba. It's location in the Negev Desert along the beautiful coast make it appealing to both domestic and international vacationers.
Eilat is a resort town with many dive shops and snorkeling opportunities. The population of about 50,000 can easily be overshadowed by vacationers. With no shortage of sun, entertainment, bars, and partying, you will find both Israeli and international tourists looking for an oasis of fun and relaxation.
Although the area's coral reefs were being damaged by overuse, the removal of contraversial fish cages in 2008 has led to a slow recovery and an improvement in the quality of diving and snorkeling in the area. There are also less crowds than you will find in Sharm el-Sheikh or Dahab, Egypt.
Eilat has a hot desert climate. The summers are hot and dry and the winters are warm and dry. Temperatures in the winter can range from 52 to 73 degrees Fahrenheit and summer temperatures are usually between 79 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
Gili Trawangan
Gili Trawangan, known as Gili T, is the most visited of the three Gili Islands, located on the northeast side of Lombok. These islands are known for world-class diving and snorkeling spots. It's not hard to see why, considering that any direction you step off the shoreline, there's a beautiful underwater world to explore.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Israel, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Israel, The Best Tours for Seniors to Indonesia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Indonesia.
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Eilat Prices
Israel PricesGili Trawangan Prices
Indonesia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayEilat $203Gili Trawangan $37
The average daily cost (per person) in Eilat is $203, while the average daily cost in Gili Trawangan 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 Eilat and Gili Trawangan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personEilat $114Gili Trawangan $21
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomEilat $228Gili Trawangan $42
Compare Hotels in Eilat and Gili Trawangan
Looking for a hotel in Eilat or Gili Trawangan? 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: Eilat Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Eilat $16Gili Trawangan $2.48
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Eilat
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Eilat:
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Local Bus$4.57
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Gili Trawangan
Also for Gili Trawangan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Trawangan: to Padang Bai Luxury Boat Transfer: $33
- Ticket Gili Trawangan Luxury Speedboat Transfer to Bali: $28
- Private Speedboat transfer Between Lombok and Gili Islands: $14
- Padang Bai: Bali Fast Boat Transfer to Gili Trawangan: $38
- Sanur Fast Boat Transfer with Luggage: $32
- Fast Ferry Transfer to Serangan Bali: $29
- Fast Ferry Transfer To Padang bai: $32
- Fast Boat Transfer to Serangan, Bali: $29
- Fast Boat Transfer to Serangan, Bali: $43
- Fast Boat Transfer to Sanur via Penida: $29
- Boat to Nusa Lembongan with Hotel Transfer: $32
- Bangsal Harbor Speed Boat Transfer: $38
Is it cheaper to fly into Eilat or Gili Trawangan?
Prices for flights to both Gili Trawangan and Eilat 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 dayEilat $75Gili Trawangan $11
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Eilat
For Eilat, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- The Feast at the Camel Ranch in Eilat with Dinner Alcohol Event: $95
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Gili Trawangan
For Gili Trawangan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Indonesian Food Cooking Class of Gili Air: $39
- Learn to cook Indonesian food at Gili Cooking Classes Trawangan: $39
- Gili Trawangan Sunset Cruise with Snorkeling & Dinner: $120
- Private Sunset Beach Dinner with Wine: $142
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Eilat $20Gili Trawangan $3.57
Tours and Activities in Eilat
For Eilat, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Day Tour to Petra from Eilat: $289
- Eilat Mountains: Sunset Jeep Adventure to Mount Joash: $63
- Morning Jeep Tour of Eilat Mountains: $63
- Summer Night Guided Tour with Picnic in the Mountains: $63
- From Red Canyon Guided Tour: $78
- From Timna Park Guided Jeep Tour: $78
- Glass Bottom Boat Cruise in Eilat: $22
- Jeep tour adventure Eilat mountains: $75
- Petra 1-Day Tour from Eilat + FREE Traditional Lunch: $199
- Private Scuba Diving Tour with Transportation and Guide: $220
- Summer night jeep tour in Eilat mountains: $75
- Timna park Jeep tour adventure: $98
Tours and Activities in Gili Trawangan
For Gili Trawangan, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 3 Island Snorkeling Tour and Turtle Sanctuary with GoPro: $14
- 4-in-1 • Gili Islands Half-day Snorkel & Lunch Catamaran Tour: $102
- 4-in-1 • Gili Islands Snorkel & Sunset Half-day Catamaran Cruise: $102
- From Gili Islands Snorkeling Boat Tour: $16
- From Small-Group Sunset Snorkeling Tour: $20
- From Whale Shark & Komodo 4-Day Adventure: $566
- From Lombok: Gili Islands Private Snorkeling & Turtle Tour: $68
- Gili Air 1 Hour Horseback Beach Adventure: $48
- Gili Air Private Snorkeling Tour with Sea Turtles & Free GoPro: $57
- Gili Air: Gili Islands Snorkeling Tour: $87
- Gili Hai 3 Islands BBQ Cruise: $90
- Gili Hai 3 Islands BBQ Sunset Cruise: $90
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayEilat $33Gili Trawangan $3.30
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Eilat and Gili Trawangan, we can see that Eilat is more expensive. And not only is Gili Trawangan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Eilat is in Middle East and Gili Trawangan 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 Gili Trawangan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Gili Trawangan 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 Eilat would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Eilat than you might in Gili Trawangan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Eilat Expensive? and Is Gili Trawangan Expensive?.
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.