Which place is cheaper, Kunming or Koh Lipe?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Koh Lipe or Kunming?
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 Kunming can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Koh Lipe or Kunming?
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.
Kunming
Kunming, located in southern China, is the modern capital city of the Yunnan province. It is a transportation hub for visitors entering the region, and good transfer point to just about everywhere else in the province by train or bus. Within the city itself there are many things to see and do with a full range of parks and zoos, museums, temples, theatres, and scenic areas.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Thailand, The Best Tours for Seniors to Thailand, The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKoh Lipe $85Kunming $67
The average daily cost (per person) in Koh Lipe is $85, while the average daily cost in Kunming is $67. 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 Kunming in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKoh Lipe $44Kunming $33
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKoh Lipe $88Kunming $66
Compare Hotels in Koh Lipe and Kunming
Looking for a hotel in Koh Lipe or Kunming? 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 $18Kunming $13
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: $69
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kunming
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Kunming:
-
Taxi Ride$1.52
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kunming
Also for Kunming, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Kunming Airport Private Transfer - Charge by Vehicle: $48
- Kunming Changshui Airport Chauffeur Service, Kunming Airport Transfer, Pick up: $71
- Kunming Private Departure Transfer:City Hotel to Railway Station: $22
- Kunming Private Round Trip Transfer to Fuxianhu Lake: $90
- Private Transfer from Kunming hotel to Guizhou Xingyi hotel: $240
- [Airport Transfer] Kunming Changshui Airport ⇔ Kunming City Transfer ☆ High reputation for service! <Charter charter>: $36
Is it cheaper to fly into Koh Lipe or Kunming?
Prices for flights to both Kunming 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 $26Kunming $22
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kunming
For Kunming, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Kunming evening food tour with locals: $65
- Private Kunming Night Tour with Dinner: $78
- Half Day Private Tour of Kunming Flower Market and Flower Pastry Cooking Class: $110
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Koh Lipe $23Kunming $18
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: $111
- Experience the Koh Lipe Backyard including 5 Mysterious Islands: $21
- 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 Kunming
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Kunming.
- One day Kunming leisure city tour: $70
- Half Day Kunming History Tour: $80
- Half-Day History Tour in Kunming: $82
- Private Night Tour to Enjoy Dynamic Yunnan Show: $86
- Half Day Flower Tour in Kunming: $91
- Morning Market Tour - Eat like a local: $93
- Stone Forest Day Tour: $106
- 1-Day Self-Guided Stone Forest Geological Park Tour from Kunming: $106
- Private Day Tour of Jiuxiang Cave from Yunnan: $109
- 1-Day Civil Culture Tour in Kunming: $112
- 4-Hour Tea-tasting and Cha Guo Zi (茶果子）Experience Tour: $112
- One day Stone Forest and Nuohei Yi Village Tour: $114
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayKoh Lipe $8.18Kunming $17
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Koh Lipe and Kunming, we can see that Koh Lipe is more expensive. And not only is Kunming much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Kunming would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Kunming 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 Kunming.
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 Kunming 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.