Which place is cheaper, Xi'an 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 Xi'an?
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 Xi'an 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 Xi'an?
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.
Xi'an
Xi'an is an ancient city in the Shaanxi Province in China. Today it is most notable as the location of the Terracotta Warriors, but for visitors who choose to linger, there is so much more to see and do in the area. The city itself is more than 3,000 years old and for about one thousand years, through 13 dynasties and 73 emperors, it was the capital. Because of its rich history there are many historical ruins and a strong culture in the city. Today the city is a pleasant place to visit, although much of it's influence and power has dwindled. The city has both cosmopolitan and modern areas as well as historic and culturally rich areas. The neighborhoods are diverse and by exploring the city in depth you can learn a little more about what China really has to offer.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Thailand, The Best Wildlife Tours to Thailand, The Best 10-Day Tours in China, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in China.
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Khao Lak Prices
Thailand PricesXi'an Prices
China Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKhao Lak $148Xi'an $110
The average daily cost (per person) in Khao Lak is $148, while the average daily cost in Xi'an is $110. 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 Xi'an in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKhao Lak $56Xi'an $64
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKhao Lak $112Xi'an $128
Compare Hotels in Khao Lak and Xi'an
Looking for a hotel in Khao Lak or Xi'an? 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 Xi'an Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Khao Lak $58Xi'an $13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Khao Lak
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Khao Lak:
- 30-Minutes Guided Tour & Transfer to Khaolak Elephant Sanctuary: $46
- Carnival Magic Phuket Show Ticket with Transfer from Khao Lak: $103
- Khao Lak Elephant Sanctuary Walk with Hotel Transfer – 2 Hours: $70
- Khao Lak any hotel to Koh Lanta any hotel Private transfer: $189
- Phuket Airport(HKT)&Hotel Transfers:Private—Phuket/Khao Lak/Krabi: $17
- Private Minivan Transfer from Khao Lak hotels to Phuket Airport: $65
- Private Phuket Airport Transfer to or from Khao Lak: $36
- Private Transfer Between Ko Lanta and Khao Lak: $231
- Private Transfer from Phuket Airport to Khao Lak: $55
- Transfer Service from Khao Lak Hotel to Krabi / Aonang: $119
- Transfer from Khao Lak Hotel to Phuket Airport: $89
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Xi'an
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Xi'an:
- 1-Day Xi'an Layover Tour: Terracotta Army with Round Airport transfers(XIY): $100
- 1-way Private Transfer: Xi'an City Hotel to Airport/Train Station: $55
- 2-Day Customized Private Tour With Transfer in Historical Xi'an: $269
- Bullet Train Station Transfer Service: $31
- Essential Xian Tour with Airport Train Station or Hotel Transfer: $229
- Full-Day Layover Private Tour: Essence of Xi'an With Airport Transfer: $229
- Legend of Camel Bell Show with Optional Round-trip Transfers: $32
- One-Way Airport Transfer From Xi'an Xianyang International Airport to Xi'an Hotel: $75
- Private 1-way Transfer: Xi'an North Station/Airport to City Hotel: $58
- Private Arrival Transfer Xi'an Railway Stations to Hotel: $32
- Private Arrival Transfer:Xi'an Xianyang International Airport(XIY) to City Hotel: $46
- Private Departure Transfer Hotel to Xi'an Railway Stations: $35
Is it cheaper to fly into Khao Lak or Xi'an?
Prices for flights to both Xi'an 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 $58Xi'an $23
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: $62
- Riverside Thai Cooking Half Day Class: $67
- Khao Lak Thai Cooking Class with Market Tour & Your Own Menu: $85
- Bamboo Cooking Rafting with Khuk Khak Temple Tour from Khao Lak: $111
- Khao Lak : Bamboo Cooking and Bamboo Rafting Tour: $119
- Khao Sok: Private Day Trekking, Jungle Dinner & Night Safari: $179
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Xi'an
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Xi'an.
- Xi’an：City Wall Multi-Entry or Night Food Tour with Show: $21
- Xi'An: Tang Dynasty Show Ticket w/ Transfer or Dinner: $33
- Top 3 Xian Sites to Terracotta Army & Dinner Show w/ Options: $35
- Xi'an Tang Dynasty Show Ticket Optional Dumplings or Royal Dinner: $37
- Xian Tang Dynasty Show -Optional Dumpling Dinner or Royal Banquet: $38
- Tang Dynasty Royal Show Optinal Dinner With Round-trip Transfers: $38
- Skip The Line Xi'an Tang Dynasty Show Or Dinner With Transfer: $39
- Xi'an: Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show with Dinner Option: $40
- Tang Dynasty Dinner Show with Private transfer: $55
- Xi'an Tang Dynasty Show Ticket with Optional Dinner: $57
- Xi’an: Market Tour and Cooking Class with Local Family: $59
- Xian: Morning Food Tour of the Muslim Quarter: $67
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Khao Lak $21Xi'an $38
Tours and Activities in Khao Lak
Here are a few actual costs in Khao Lak for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Bamboo Rafting and Sea Turtle Conservation Center Half Day Tour From Khao Lak: $41
- Khaolak: Phang Nga Bay, Tapu Island, and Panyi Village Tour: $45
- Khaolak Half Day: Phang Nga Bay, Tapu Island & Panyi Village Tour: $46
- Khao Lak Elephant Sanctuary Small-Group Guided Tour: $55
- 1-Hour Guided Khaolak Elephant Sanctuary Observation Tour: $55
- Sky Rock High Thrill Rainforest Zipline Adventure from Khao Lak: $58
- Little Amazon and Wat Khongkha Phimuk Half Day Tour from Khao Lak: $60
- Takuapa Old Town Historical and Cultural Day Tour from Khao Lak: $66
- Historical And Cultural Day Tour To Takuapa Old Town From Khao Lak: $66
- Phi Phi, Maya Bay and Khai Islands Tour By Seastar Andaman From Khao Lak: $67
- James Bond, Hong & Khai Islands Premium Tour from Khao Lak: $70
- Half Day Bamboo Rafting, Temple & Waterfall Tour: $71
Tours and Activities in Xi'an
Here are a few actual costs in Xi'an for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Xi'an: Daci'en Temple(Great Wild Goose Pagoda) E-ticket: $9.99
- Xi'an: City Wall & Old Town Walking Tour w/ 10+ Food Tasting: $14
- Xi’an City Wall – E-Ticket: $15
- Xi'an: Xi’an City Wall South Gate(Yongningmen) Entry Ticket: $15
- Shaanxi History Museum Admission Tickets: $15
- Terracotta Army+Gaint Goose Pagoda+City Wall Bus Tour with Option: $17
- Xi'an: City Wall Moat Smart Boat Tour: $17
- Huaqing Palace Tickets with Optional show of Xi'an incident: $19
- Xian: Terracotta Army Ticket & Guided Bus Tour with Options: $20
- The Song of Everlasting Sorrow Show Optional HuaqingPalace Ticket: $20
- Terracotta Army, Big Wild Goose Pagoda&City Wall Full Day Tour: $20
- Huaqing Palace Adult Ticket[Direct Subway Access]: $20
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKhao Lak $15Xi'an $7.73
Sample the Local Flavors in Xi'an
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Xi'an:
- Xi'an Bar Crawl: Drink, Gaming, Snacks & Meet with Locals: $29
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Khao Lak and Xi'an, we can see that Khao Lak is more expensive. And not only is Xi'an much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Xi'an would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Xi'an 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 Khao Lak would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Khao Lak than you might in Xi'an.
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 Xi'an Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Khao Lak or Xi'an?
Xi'an has a larger population, and is about 1900 times larger than the population of Khao Lak. When comparing the sizes of Khao Lak and Xi'an, 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.