Which place is cheaper, Gili Trawangan or Koh Lipe?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Koh Lipe or Gili Trawangan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Koh Lipe and Gili Trawangan can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Koh Lipe or Gili Trawangan?
Koh Lipe
Ko Lipe used to be one of Thailand's most gorgeous hidden treasures. While it's still breathtaking, it's certainly not hidden anymore. With a small community of approximately 700 chow lair, or sea gypsies, this region is doing its best to maintain the beauty of its culture and beaches despite the influx of tourism. The rapid development has seen additions of concrete cafes and travel agencies. There are still rich, cultural gems to find in Ko Lipe - you just have to be willing to wander.
Gili Trawangan
Gili Trawangan, known as Gili T, is the most visited of the three Gili Islands, located on the northeast side of Lombok. These islands are known for world-class diving and snorkeling spots. It's not hard to see why, considering that any direction you step off the shoreline, there's a beautiful underwater world to explore.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Thailand, The Best Tours for Seniors to Thailand, The Best Tours for Seniors to Indonesia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Indonesia.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKoh Lipe $85Gili Trawangan $36
The average daily cost (per person) in Koh Lipe is $85, while the average daily cost in Gili Trawangan is $36. 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 Koh Lipe and Gili Trawangan in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKoh Lipe $44Gili Trawangan $24
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKoh Lipe $88Gili Trawangan $48
Compare Hotels in Koh Lipe and Gili Trawangan
Looking for a hotel in Koh Lipe or Gili Trawangan? 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: Koh Lipe Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Koh Lipe $18Gili Trawangan $2.76
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Koh Lipe
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Koh Lipe:
- Private Transfer Pak Bara Pier to Hatyai Airport by Van: $70
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Gili Trawangan
Also for Gili Trawangan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport private Transfer: $39
- Central Gili Island Bus Transfer Senggigi Mataram Kuta Lombok: $16
- Lombok Transfer From 3 Gilis to Airport or Hotel In Lombok: $45
- Private Transfer Three Gili Island Lombok by Speedboat: $100
Is it cheaper to fly into Koh Lipe or Gili Trawangan?
Prices for flights to both Gili Trawangan and Koh Lipe 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
-
Food Meals for one dayKoh Lipe $26Gili Trawangan $7.21
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Gili Trawangan
For Gili Trawangan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Sweet and Spicy - Indonesian Cooking Class in Gili Trawangan: $28
- Learn to cook authentic Indonesian food at Gili Cooking Classes: $30
- Gili Trawangan Sunset BBQ Dinner Cruise with snorkeling: $91
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Koh Lipe $23Gili Trawangan $3.98
Tours and Activities in Koh Lipe
Here are a few actual costs in Koh Lipe for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2 Hours Tour Sunset Cruise Around Lipe: $15
- Discover Scuba Diving (DSD) 1 day Experience: $112
- Experience the Koh Lipe Backyard including 5 Mysterious Islands: $22
- Experience the Koh Lipe Frontier in the Eastern Adang Archipelago: $25
- Full-Day Koh Lipe 7 Islands Snorkeling Experience with Lunch: $24
Tours and Activities in Gili Trawangan
For Gili Trawangan, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Shared Gili Islands Snorkeling Tour: $19
- Private Snorkeling Experience in Gili Trawangan: $22
- Kuta Tour (South Of Lombok Beutiful Tour): $49
- Lombok Private Tour Waterfall And Traditional Village Including Beach: $55
- Gili Nanggu Day Tour: $80
- Lombok Private Customize Tour: $85
- Gili Trawangan 3 Island Half day Cruise with BBQ Lunch and Snorkeling : $91
- 5H All Inclusive Breakfast &Snorkeling Cruise on Utopia Catamaran: $108
- 5H All Inclusive Sunset & Snorkeling Cruise on Utopia Catamaran: $108
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayKoh Lipe $8.18Gili Trawangan $3.67
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Koh Lipe and Gili Trawangan, we can see that Koh Lipe is more expensive. And not only is Gili Trawangan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Gili Trawangan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Gili Trawangan 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 Koh Lipe would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Koh Lipe than you might in Gili Trawangan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Koh Lipe Expensive? and Is Gili Trawangan Expensive?.
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.