A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Haifa vs. Koh Samet for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Haifa or Koh Samet?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Haifa and Koh Samet. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Haifa or Koh Samet?

Haifa

Located on the northern Mediterranean coast of Israel, Haifa is Israel's third largest city. It is also a beautiful and strategically located city near the border with Lebanon. The population of Haifa, which is approximately 300,000, is surprisingly diverse. There are Jews, Muslim, and Christian Arabs throughout the city. While Haifa is an industrial city with a strong work ethic and a good job base, it is also a beautiful city with many gardens and a stunning coastline. Today the job base has increasingly become technology based with some large companies such as Google and Microsoft offering employment in the area. Haifa University is also the country's top technology university.

Koh Samet

The country of Thailand is full of some of the world's most stunning beauty and peaceful settings. So it begs the question, where the Thai people go to get away from it all? They go to Ko Samet on the eastern gulf coast. Located just outside of Bangkok, Ko Samet provides visitors an easily accessible and desirable weekend getaway spot. With white beaches and coral of every other color, this island has steadily developed over the last few years without an intense construction increase like many other Thai beaches. Once thought to be the home of pirates, this island provides plenty to wonder about including, are there hidden treasures under that gorgeous white sand?

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Israel, The Best Cultural Tours in Israel, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Thailand, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Thailand.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Haifa and Koh Samet, we can see that Haifa is more expensive. And not only is Koh Samet much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Haifa is in Middle East and Koh Samet 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 Samet would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Koh Samet 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 Haifa would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Haifa than you might in Koh Samet.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Haifa Expensive? and Is Koh Samet Expensive?.

When is the best time to visit Haifa or Koh Samet?

Both destinations experience a warmer climate most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season. Although in the rainy season, it doesn't necessarily rain every day.

Should I visit Haifa or Koh Samet in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Haifa as well as Koh Samet. Haifa attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Koh Samet throughout the year.

It's quite rainy in Koh Samet. Haifa usually gets less rain in July than Koh Samet. Haifa gets 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain, while Koh Samet receives 174 mm (6.9 in) of rain this time of the year.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Haifa this time of the year. In the summer, Haifa often gets more sunshine than Koh Samet. Haifa gets 364 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Koh Samet receives 195 hours of full sun.

In the summer, Haifa is around the same temperature as Koh Samet. Typically, the summer temperatures in Haifa in July average around 27°C (81°F), and Koh Samet averages at about 28°C (82°F).

Should I visit Haifa or Koh Samet in the Autumn?

Both Koh Samet and Haifa are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Haifa throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Koh Samet because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Koh Samet. In October, Haifa usually receives less rain than Koh Samet. Haifa gets 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain, while Koh Samet receives 276 mm (10.9 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Haifa. Haifa usually receives more sunshine than Koh Samet during autumn. Haifa gets 274 hours of sunny skies, while Koh Samet receives 167 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Haifa is generally cooler than Koh Samet. Daily temperatures in Haifa average around 24°C (75°F), and Koh Samet fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).

Should I visit Haifa or Koh Samet in the Winter?

Both Koh Samet and Haifa during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Haifa because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Koh Samet year-round.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Haifa. Haifa usually gets around the same amount of rain in January as Koh Samet. Haifa gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Koh Samet receives 94 mm (3.7 in) of rain this time of the year.

In Koh Samet, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, Haifa often gets less sunshine than Koh Samet. Haifa gets 184 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Koh Samet receives 255 hours of full sun.

Haifa is much colder than Koh Samet in the winter. The daily temperature in Haifa averages around 14°C (57°F) in January, and Koh Samet fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).

Should I visit Haifa or Koh Samet in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Haifa and Koh Samet. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Haifa year-round. Koh Samet attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In April, Haifa usually receives less rain than Koh Samet. Haifa gets 30 mm (1.2 in) of rain, while Koh Samet receives 74 mm (2.9 in) of rain each month for the spring.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Koh Samet this time of the year. In Haifa, it's very sunny this time of the year. Haifa usually receives more sunshine than Koh Samet during spring. Haifa gets 269 hours of sunny skies, while Koh Samet receives 239 hours of full sun in the spring.

In the spring, Haifa is much colder than Koh Samet. Typically, the spring temperatures in Haifa in April average around 19°C (66°F), and Koh Samet averages at about 29°C (84°F).

Typical Weather for Koh Samet and Haifa