Which place is cheaper, Taipei or Khao Lak?
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 Khao Lak or Taipei?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Khao Lak and Taipei 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: Khao Lak or Taipei?
Khao Lak
Resiliency and relaxation. Those are the two words used to describe one of Thailand's most breathtaking cities. Khao Lak is located in southern Thailand, and when the tsunami of 2004 hit, this area saw the most damage. With more than 4,000 fatalities, 3,000 still unaccounted for and enormous structural damages, many thought Khao Lak would not be able to bounce back. They have proved everyone wrong with a strong and impressive recovery. Now it has returned to its status of vacation hotspot. Unlike neighboring Phuket, though, the resorts in Khao Lak are designed for families and some peace and quiet.
Taipei
Few cities in the world are full of more diverse opportunities than the cultural crosshairs city of Taipei. As the capital of Taiwan, this 300-year-old city is the financial, cultural and governmental center of Taiwan. Located in the northern part of the island between the Yangming Mountains and Central Mountains, this city of 2.6 million people is always ready to welcome more visitors.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Thailand, The Best Wildlife Tours to Thailand, The Best Cultural Tours in Taiwan, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Taiwan.
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Khao Lak Prices
Thailand PricesTaipei Prices
Taiwan Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKhao Lak $147Taipei $193
The average daily cost (per person) in Khao Lak is $147, while the average daily cost in Taipei is $193. 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 Khao Lak and Taipei in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKhao Lak $56Taipei $145
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKhao Lak $112Taipei $290
Compare Hotels in Khao Lak and Taipei
Looking for a hotel in Khao Lak or Taipei? 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: Khao Lak Hotel Prices and Taipei Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Khao Lak $57Taipei $9.89
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Khao Lak
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Khao Lak:
- Transfer from Khao Lak Hotel to Phuket Airport: $89
- Transfer Service from Khao Lak Hotel to Krabi / Aonang: $119
- Private Transfer Between Ko Lanta and Khao Lak: $235
- Private Phuket Airport Transfer to or from Khao Lak: $37
- Phuket Airport(HKT)&Hotel Transfers:Private—Phuket/Khao Lak/Krabi: $18
- Khao Lak any hotel to Koh Lanta any hotel Private transfer: $192
- Khao Lak River Tubing with Music, Drink & Transfer: $93
- Khao Lak Elephant Sanctuary Walk with Hotel Transfer – 2 Hours: $71
- Carnival Magic Phuket Show Ticket with Transfer from Khao Lak: $94
- 30-Minutes Guided Tour & Transfer to Khaolak Elephant Sanctuary: $46
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Taipei
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Taipei:
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Easycard$2.01
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Easycard$9.29
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Train$1.08
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Taipei
Also for Taipei, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Bruns 9 seater, charter tour, business transfer, airport transfer, round-the-island charter tour: $299
- Jiufen: one-way private transfer to or from Taipei City: $42
- Keelung(Taipei) Cruise Port to Taipei-Round-Trip Private Transfer: $162
- Keelung: one-way private transfer to or from Taipei City: $42
- Luxury Chartered Private Transfer Taoyuan Airport to Taipei City: $140
- Luxury Chartered Private Transfer from Taipei to Taoyuan Airport: $139
- Multiple City to Taoyuan Airport with Private Transfer: $41
- One-way Private Transfer between Jiufen and Taipei: $47
- Private Airport Transfer: Taipei Airport (TPE) → Taipei Hotel: $46
- Private Airport Transfer: Taipei Hotel → Taipei Aiport (TPE): $48
- Private Transfer from Keelung (Taipei) Cruise Port to Taipei City: $75
- Private Transfer from TPE-Taoyuan int. Airport to Taipei City: $60
Is it cheaper to fly into Khao Lak or Taipei?
Prices for flights to both Taipei and Khao Lak 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 dayKhao Lak $58Taipei $27
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Khao Lak
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Khao Lak.
- Khao Sok: Private Authentic Jungle Cooking Experience: $54
- Thai Cooking Class in Khao Lak by Amazon Prime Series Chef: $59
- Hands-On Thai Cooking Class in Khao Lak with Transfer: $63
- Khao Lak Thai Cooking Class with Market Tour & Your Own Menu: $87
- Khao Sok Local Life Adventure & Traditional Cooking Class: $99
- Bamboo Cooking Rafting with Khuk Khak Temple Tour from Khao Lak: $102
- Khao Lak Elephant Sanctuary, Rubber Tapping & Coconut Cooking: $111
- Khao Lak Bamboo Rafting and Bamboo Cooking with Waterfall Tour: $119
- Khao Lak : Bamboo Cooking and Bamboo Rafting Tour: $121
- Khao Sok: Private Day Trekking, Jungle Dinner & Night Safari: $179
Typical Food Prices in Taipei
For Taipei, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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EasyCard$15
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Lunch at The Can$6.81
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EasyCard$31
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Lunch$2.94
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Lunch$1.86
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Dinner$6.19
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Lunch$3.56
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Lunch$4.64
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Louisa coffee$2.94
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Lunch$5.88
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Lunch$3.56
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Taipei
For Taipei, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Food Tours w/ Top 10 Taiwan Food (Breakfast/Dinner): $45
- Taipei Food Tour Taiwan Traditional Breakfast and Market and Tea: $45
- Taipei Food Tour: Night Market & Convenience Store(Food Included): $45
- Disappearing Flavors of Taiwan Food Tour with 12+ Tasters: $50
- Street Food & Hidden Eats Night Market Food Tour: $55
- Taipei Hidden Eats, Market & Street Food Tour with 8+ Tastings: $55
- Your First Day Food Tour with Locals & 12+ Tastings: $57
- Turnip cake, Pork thick soup, Tofu pudding. Taiwan Traditional Light Meals Experience-C (Taipei Cooking Class): $65
- Xiao Long Bao, Chicken vermicelli with mushroom and sesame oil, Tofu strips salad, Bubble milk tea. Taiwan Traditional Delicacies Experience-A (Taipei Cooking Class): $77
- Taiwanese Breakfast Cooking Class in Taipei: $79
- Iconic Food Tour: Local Street Food, Drinks & Sites: $82
- Traditional Old School Taiwanese Food Tour: $85
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Khao Lak $21Taipei $17
Tours and Activities in Khao Lak
Here are a few actual costs in Khao Lak for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1-Hour Guided Khaolak Elephant Sanctuary Observation Tour: $56
- 30 Minutes Khaolak ATV Quadbike & Waterfall Adventure: $77
- ATV Adventure: Khao Lak’s Best Off-Road Experience: $93
- Bamboo Rafting and Sea Turtle Conservation Center Half Day Tour From Khao Lak: $42
- Cheow Lan Lake Tour in Khao Sok National Park: $120
- Cheow Lan Lake Tour with Cave and Rafthouse from Khao Lak: $123
- Cheow Lan Lake and Diamond Cave Full Day Tour from Khao Lak: $127
- Cheow Lan Lake with Nam Rad Emerald Pool Tour from Khao Lak: $135
- Day Tour with Sea Canoeing at Hong Island from Khao Lak: $96
- From Khao Lak : Phi Phi Islands Adventure Day Trip with Lunch: $114
- From Khao Lak or Phuket: 2-Day Cheow Lan Lake Tour: $312
- From Khao Sok & Cheow Lan Lake Tour with Kayaking: $104
Tours and Activities in Taipei
For Taipei, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Taipei's Origin & Longshan Temple - Taiwan Cultural Tour: $0.50
- Old Town Walking Tour: $0.55
- Vintage Taipei - Best of Taiwan and Sunset Walking Tour: $1.20
- Chiang Kai-Shek Shilin Residence Ticket: $3.28
- Zoo Entrance Ticket: $4.33
- Taipei Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $4.50
- Wulai Scenic Train Ticket Waterfall Railway Experience Taiwan: $5.00
- Taipei's Origin & Longshan Temple - Taiwan Cultural Walking Tour: $5.00
- Walking Tours in Taipei Dihua, Longshan Temple, Shuanglian Market: $5.00
- Vintage Taipei - Best of Taiwan & Sunset Walking Tour (Tip-based): $5.00
- Night Market Walking Tours in Shilin, Ningxia, Longshan, Ximen: $5.00
- Taipei Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.00
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKhao Lak $15Taipei $18
Sample the Local Flavors in Taipei
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Taipei:
- Taipei Authentic Night Sober-Friendly Pub Crawl: $20
- Taipei Nightlife: Taipei Pub Crawls (2 Different Routes): $27
- Private Tour to Yilan Kavalan Whisky Distillery: $150
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Khao Lak and Taipei, we can see that Taipei is more expensive. And not only is Khao Lak much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Khao Lak would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Khao Lak 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 Taipei would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Taipei than you might in Khao Lak.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Khao Lak Expensive? and Is Taipei Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Khao Lak or Taipei?
Taipei has a larger population, and is about 4630 times larger than the population of Khao Lak. When comparing the sizes of Khao Lak and Taipei, 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.