Which place is cheaper, Koh Tao or Guatemala City?
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 Guatemala City or Koh Tao?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Guatemala City or Koh Tao? 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: Guatemala City or Koh Tao?
Guatemala City
Referred to by the locals as "Guate," Guatemala City is the largest and most modern city in Guatemala, as well as its capital. While the atmosphere of the place is big, dirty, and dangerous with city fumes and skyscrapers, it is the hub of the country. It is the place where travelers first step foot into Guatemala and, though it is a place of modern chaos, it does have some of the best galleries and museums as well as a selection of bars, cafes, and restaurants.
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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Guatemala, The Best Adventure Tours to Guatemala, The Best Tours for Seniors to Thailand, and The Best Contiki Tours to Thailand.
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Guatemala City Prices
Guatemala PricesKoh Tao Prices
Thailand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGuatemala City $56Koh Tao $48
The average daily cost (per person) in Guatemala City is $56, 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 Guatemala City and Koh Tao in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGuatemala City $25Koh Tao $16
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGuatemala City $50Koh Tao $32
Compare Hotels in Guatemala City and Koh Tao
Looking for a hotel in Guatemala City 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: Guatemala City Hotel Prices and Koh Tao Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Guatemala City $6.30Koh Tao $9.48
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guatemala City
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Guatemala City:
- Private Transfer from Guatemala City to Panajachel or Atitlan: $254
- Private Museums Tour with Transfers: $225
- Private Transfer from Guatemala City to Puerto Quetzal Port: $206
- Private Transfer - Guatemala Airport (GUA) to Puerto Quetzal Port: $205
- Private Transfers from Guatemala city to Panajachel: $200
- Private transfer - San Pedro la Laguna to Guatemala City: $200
- Airport Transfer for Large Groups – Private Bus: $195
- Guatemala Airport (GUA) to San Felipe de Lara - Arrival Transfer: $185
- Guatemala City Airport (GUA) to Quetzaltenango-Arrival Transfer: $164
- Transfer Private Group Airport to Antigua or Viceversa: $120
- Private Transfer from Guatemala Airport GUA to Lake Atitlán: $96
- Private Transfer from Airport to Antigua: $90
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$5.67
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Chumpon to Koh Tao Ferry$19
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: $55
- Koh Tao to Krabi High Speed Catamaran with Bus Transfer: $55
Is it cheaper to fly into Guatemala City or Koh Tao?
Prices for flights to both Koh Tao and Guatemala City 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 dayGuatemala City $27Koh Tao $17
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guatemala City
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Guatemala City.
- Cooking Experience in Guatemala from Market to Table: $23
- Guatemala: Wine and Pizza Tasting Experience: $35
- Antigua: Authentic Guatemalan Cooking Class: $80
- Small-Group Cooking Class in Antigua from Guatemala City: $120
- Antigua Market, Cooking Class and Choco Museum from Guatemala City: $188
- Pacaya Volcano Vistas + Enjoy Pizza Surrounded by The Volcano: $195
- Pacaya Volcano Vistas + Enjoy Pizza with Great Volcano Views: $205
- Puerto Quetzal: Private Tour Pacaya Volcano 4x4 and Pizza: $550
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)$5.97
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Breakfast$4.47
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Casual Breakfast (for Two)$3.58
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Fancy Dinner (for Two)$15
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Pancake$2.09
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American Breakfast (for Two)$8.35
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Dinner at Bam Bam (for Two)$8.05
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: $61
- Memorable Thai Cooking Class with Stunning View from Koh Tao: $66
- Private Thai Cooking Class at Rooftop Kitchen on Koh Tao: $250
- Koh Tao Private Rooftop Thai Cooking Class with Scenic View: $268
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Guatemala City $1.23Koh Tao $29
Tours and Activities in Guatemala City
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Guatemala City are as follows:
- 1 Day Lake Atitlan Tour from Guatemala City: $150
- 2-Day Tour: Antigua Guatemala, Lake Atitlan and Hobbitenango: $299
- 2in1 Tour: Avocado Farm + Private Tour in Antigua Guatemala: $199
- 3-Day Antigua Guatemala and Pacaya Volcano Adventure: $256
- 4-Hour Bike Tour Guatemala City: $70
- Antigua + Guatemala City Full Day Tour - History Lovers Favorite: $245
- Antigua City Tour Full Day From Guatemala City: $60
- Antigua City Tour from Guatemala City: $78
- Antigua Guatemala Cultural Tour History and Gastronomy: $100
- Antigua Guatemala Full-Day Shared City Tour: $83
- Antigua Guatemala Full-Day Tour from Guatemala City: $79
- Antigua Guatemala NIGHT Photo Tour FROM Guatemala City: $125
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)$7.46
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Snorkel Rental$2.98
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Kayak and Snorkel (2)$2.98
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: $29
- Ko Tao: Ko Nangyuan & Hidden Bays Snorkeling Tour with Lunch: $29
- Koh Tao Top Crystal Clear Snorkeling Day Tour by Big Boat: $29
- Snorkel Tour to Koh Nangyuan and the hidden bays of Koh Tao onboard the Oxygen: $33
- Koh Nang Yuan and Koh Tao 5 Point Snorkeling Tour: $33
- Full day snorkeling adventure around Koh Tao: $34
- Koh Tao's First Light Snorkel Adventure with Oxygen Tours: $35
- Koh Tao Snorkeling Tour to Hidden Bays and Koh Nang Yuan: $37
- Premium Snorkel Tour to the Bays of Koh Tao onboard the Oxygen: $45
- CocoTipAdventures and Snorkel with Meals-BBQs-Cocktail-Sunset: $52
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGuatemala City $6.98Koh Tao $7.81
Sample the Local Flavors in Guatemala City
Also in Guatemala City, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Guatemala City Legends Tour + Craft Beers at El Cadejo Brewery: $105
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$1.94
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Bottle of Wine$11
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Guatemala City and Koh Tao, we can see that Guatemala City is more expensive. And not only is Koh Tao much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Guatemala City is in Central America 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 Guatemala City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Guatemala City 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 Guatemala City Expensive? and Is Koh Tao Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Guatemala City or Koh Tao?
Guatemala City has a larger population, and is about 720 times larger than the population of Koh Tao. When comparing the sizes of Guatemala City 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.