Which place is cheaper, Sandakan or Koh Lipe?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Koh Lipe or Sandakan?
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 Sandakan can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Koh Lipe or Sandakan?
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.
Sandakan
Located on the Northeast side of the state of Sabah in Borneo is the city of Sandakan, which is the 2nd largest city in the country. Sandakan was a prosperous port town in the 1800s because of its exports of tobacco, timber, pearls, and ivory. However, this booming town that was formerly the administrative capital in North Borneo was bombed practically out of existence at the end of World War II.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Thailand, The Best Tours for Seniors to Thailand, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Malaysia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Malaysia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKoh Lipe $85Sandakan $58
The average daily cost (per person) in Koh Lipe is $85, while the average daily cost in Sandakan is $58. 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 Sandakan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKoh Lipe $44Sandakan $20
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKoh Lipe $88Sandakan $40
Compare Hotels in Koh Lipe and Sandakan
Looking for a hotel in Koh Lipe or Sandakan? 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 and Sandakan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Koh Lipe $18Sandakan $33
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
Is it cheaper to fly into Koh Lipe or Sandakan?
Prices for flights to both Sandakan 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
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Food Meals for one dayKoh Lipe $26Sandakan $19
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sandakan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Sandakan.
- Mangrove Cruise with Fireflies Tour Including Dinner from Sandakan: $64
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Koh Lipe $23Sandakan $7.19
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
- Experience the Koh Lipe Backyard including 5 Mysterious Islands: $21
- Full-Day Koh Lipe 7 Islands Snorkeling Experience with Lunch: $24
- Experience the Koh Lipe Frontier in the Eastern Adang Archipelago: $25
- Discover Scuba Diving (DSD) 1 day Experience: $111
Tours and Activities in Sandakan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Sandakan are as follows:
- Private Tour: Half Day Sandakan City Tour Including Local Lunch: $51
- Borneo Kinabatangan River Cruise Day Trip: $78
- Kinabatangan River Cruise from Sandakan: $90
- Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre & Sepilok Orang Utan Rehab Centre Tour: $105
- Private Full Day Sepilok Orang Utan, Bornean Sun Bear and Rainforest Discovery Center Tour: $125
- Labuk Proboscis, Sepilok, Sun Bear, Sandakan City Tour & Lunch: $138
- Sepilok Orang Utan & Bornean Sun Bear Centre with Sandakan City Tour with Lunch: $191
- Borneo Wildlife Tour 2 Days 1 Night At Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp Kinabatangan: $197
- Borneo Wildlife Tour 3 Days 2 Nights At Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp Kinabatangan: $241
- 2D1N Sandakan Private Tour with Kinabatangan River Cruise: $290
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKoh Lipe $8.18Sandakan $6.59
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Koh Lipe and Sandakan, we can see that Koh Lipe is more expensive. And not only is Sandakan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Sandakan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sandakan 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 Sandakan.
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 Sandakan Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Koh Lipe or Sandakan?
Both destinations experience a warmer climate with nice weather most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season.
Should I visit Koh Lipe or Sandakan in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Koh Lipe and Sandakan. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Koh Lipe year-round. Sandakan attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Sandakan receives a lot of rain in the summer. Koh Lipe gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Koh Lipe usually receives more rain than Sandakan. Koh Lipe gets 269 mm (10.6 in) of rain, while Sandakan receives 195 mm (7.7 in) of rain each month for the summer.
In the summer, Koh Lipe is around the same temperature as Sandakan. Typically, the summer temperatures in Koh Lipe in July average around 27°C (81°F), and Sandakan averages at about 27°C (81°F).
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyKoh Lipe 27°C (81°F)Sandakan 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Koh Lipe or Sandakan in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Koh Lipe as well as Sandakan. Koh Lipe attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Sandakan throughout the year.
Also, December to April in Koh Lipe is the dry season. May to October in Koh Lipe is the rainy season. It's quite rainy in Sandakan. Koh Lipe receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Koh Lipe usually gets more rain in October than Sandakan. Koh Lipe gets 281 mm (11.1 in) of rain, while Sandakan receives 253 mm (10 in) of rain this time of the year.
In October, Koh Lipe is generally around the same temperature as Sandakan. Daily temperatures in Koh Lipe average around 27°C (81°F), and Sandakan fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberKoh Lipe 27°C (81°F)Sandakan 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Koh Lipe or Sandakan in the Winter?
Both Sandakan and Koh Lipe are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Koh Lipe throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Sandakan because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Sandakan. In January, Koh Lipe usually receives less rain than Sandakan. Koh Lipe gets 50 mm (2 in) of rain, while Sandakan receives 437 mm (17.2 in) of rain each month for the winter.
Koh Lipe is around the same temperature as Sandakan in the winter. The daily temperature in Koh Lipe averages around 27°C (80°F) in January, and Sandakan fluctuates around 26°C (80°F).
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryKoh Lipe 27°C (80°F)Sandakan 26°C (80°F)
Should I visit Koh Lipe or Sandakan in the Spring?
Both Sandakan and Koh Lipe during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Koh Lipe because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Sandakan year-round.
December to April is the dry season in Koh Lipe. May to October is the rainy season in Koh Lipe. Sandakan gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Koh Lipe. Koh Lipe usually gets more rain in April than Sandakan. Koh Lipe gets 124 mm (4.9 in) of rain, while Sandakan receives 107 mm (4.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
In the spring, Koh Lipe is around the same temperature as Sandakan. Typically, the spring temperatures in Koh Lipe in April average around 29°C (85°F), and Sandakan averages at about 28°C (82°F).
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilKoh Lipe 29°C (85°F)Sandakan 28°C (82°F)
Typical Weather for Sandakan and Koh Lipe
| Koh Lipe | Sandakan | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 27°C (80°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 26°C (80°F) | 437 mm (17.2 in) |
| Feb | 28°C (82°F) | 23 mm (0.9 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 268 mm (10.6 in) |
| Mar | 29°C (84°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 158 mm (6.2 in) |
| Apr | 29°C (85°F) | 124 mm (4.9 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 107 mm (4.2 in) |
| May | 29°C (83°F) | 244 mm (9.6 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 138 mm (5.4 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 224 mm (8.8 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 200 mm (7.9 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (81°F) | 269 mm (10.6 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 195 mm (7.7 in) |
| Aug | 27°C (81°F) | 262 mm (10.3 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 213 mm (8.4 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 355 mm (14 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 237 mm (9.3 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 281 mm (11.1 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 253 mm (10 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (80°F) | 204 mm (8 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 344 mm (13.5 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (80°F) | 116 mm (4.6 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 462 mm (18.2 in) |
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.