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

Should you visit Haifa or Railay Beach?

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 Railay Beach. 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 Railay Beach?

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.

Railay Beach

If you're looking to scale great heights and add more achievements to your list during your vacation, consider a trip to the peninsula of Rai Leh, or more commonly Railay Bay or Railay Beach, in the Krabi region of Thailand. This swimming and rock climbing hotspot is known for its towering limestone peaks and gorgeous surrounding scenery.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Israel, The Best Cultural Tours in Israel, The Best Budget Tours to Thailand, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Thailand.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Haifa and Railay Beach, we can see that Haifa is more expensive. And not only is Railay Beach much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Haifa is in Middle East and Railay Beach 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 Railay Beach would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Railay Beach 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 Railay Beach.

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

When is the best time to visit Haifa or Railay Beach?

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 Railay Beach in the Summer?

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

August to October in Railay Beach is the rainy season. It's quite rainy in Railay Beach. Haifa usually gets less rain in July than Railay Beach. Haifa gets 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain, while Railay Beach receives 287 mm (11.3 in) of rain this time of the year.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Railay Beach. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Haifa this time of the year. In the summer, Haifa often gets more sunshine than Railay Beach. Haifa gets 364 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Railay Beach receives 206 hours of full sun.

Haifa is around the same temperature as Railay Beach in the summer. The daily temperature in Haifa averages around 27°C (81°F) in July, and Railay Beach fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).

Should I visit Haifa or Railay Beach in the Autumn?

Both Railay Beach 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 Railay Beach because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

The dry season in Railay Beach is December to March. The rainy season in Railay Beach is August to October. It rains a lot this time of the year in Railay Beach. In October, Haifa usually receives less rain than Railay Beach. Haifa gets 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain, while Railay Beach receives 304 mm (12 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 Railay Beach during autumn. Haifa gets 274 hours of sunny skies, while Railay Beach receives 181 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In the autumn, Haifa is cooler than Railay Beach. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Haifa in October average around 24°C (75°F), and Railay Beach averages at about 27°C (81°F).

Should I visit Haifa or Railay Beach in the Winter?

Both Railay Beach 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 Railay Beach year-round.

December to March is the dry season in Railay Beach. It rains a lot this time of the year in Haifa. Haifa usually gets more rain in January than Railay Beach. Haifa gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Railay Beach receives 31 mm (1.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

In Railay Beach, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, Haifa often gets less sunshine than Railay Beach. Haifa gets 184 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Railay Beach receives 287 hours of full sun.

In January, Haifa is generally much colder than Railay Beach. Daily temperatures in Haifa average around 14°C (57°F), and Railay Beach fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).

Should I visit Haifa or Railay Beach in the Spring?

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

Railay Beach receives a lot of rain in the spring. In April, Haifa usually receives less rain than Railay Beach. Haifa gets 30 mm (1.2 in) of rain, while Railay Beach receives 120 mm (4.7 in) of rain each month for the spring.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Railay Beach this time of the year. In Haifa, it's very sunny this time of the year. Haifa usually receives more sunshine than Railay Beach during spring. Haifa gets 269 hours of sunny skies, while Railay Beach receives 249 hours of full sun in the spring.

Haifa is much colder than Railay Beach in the spring. The daily temperature in Haifa averages around 19°C (66°F) in April, and Railay Beach fluctuates around 29°C (84°F).

Typical Weather for Railay Beach and Haifa