Which place is cheaper, Vientiane or Koh Lipe?
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 Koh Lipe or Vientiane?
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 Vientiane can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Koh Lipe or Vientiane?
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.
Vientiane
You wouldn't expect the capital city to have such a relaxing environment, but in Vientiane, Laos you can sit back and take in the beautiful scenery without feeling pressure to see every little thing. With Vientiane, what you see is what you get.
While picturesque temples and markets line the streets, the city is still experiencing a successful building boom. Even the Presidential Palace has undergone some hefty renovations.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Thailand, The Best Tours for Seniors to Thailand, The Best Bicycle Tours in Laos, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Laos.
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Koh Lipe Prices
Thailand PricesVientiane Prices
Laos Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKoh Lipe $120Vientiane $24
The average daily cost (per person) in Koh Lipe is $120, while the average daily cost in Vientiane is $24. 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 Vientiane in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKoh Lipe $50Vientiane $8.45
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKoh Lipe $100Vientiane $17
Compare Hotels in Koh Lipe and Vientiane
Looking for a hotel in Koh Lipe or Vientiane? 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 Vientiane Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Koh Lipe $21Vientiane $2.01
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: $80
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vientiane
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Vientiane are as follows:
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Tuk Tuk Ride$4.15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vientiane
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Vientiane:
- Vientian Private Airport Transfer - Wattay Airport: $15
- Vientiane - Hanoi Sleeping Bus Transfer : $63
- Vientiane Private Transfer: Wattay Airport -Hotel-Railway Station: $9.90
- Wattay Airport (VTE): Private Transfer to/from Vientiane: $20
Is it cheaper to fly into Koh Lipe or Vientiane?
Prices for flights to both Vientiane 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 $52Vientiane $12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vientiane
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Vientiane.
- Vientiane classic Food tour ( Included Food ): $78
- Night Market, Dinner, and Nightclub: $90
- Vientiane Private Lao Cooking Class with Market Tour and Lunch: $95
- Vientiane Private Lao Cooking Class with Market Tour: $122
- Cooking Class Garden House: $335
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Koh Lipe $27Vientiane $3.80
Tours and Activities in Koh Lipe
Here are a few actual costs in Koh Lipe for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Experience the Koh Lipe Backyard including 5 Mysterious Islands: $25
- Full-Day Koh Lipe 7 Islands Snorkeling Experience with Lunch: $27
- Experience the Koh Lipe Frontier in the Eastern Adang Archipelago: $29
- Private Experience with Fishing, Barbeque, Sashimi and Snorkeling: $78
- Discover Scuba Diving (DSD) 1 day Experience: $127
- Koh Lipe Beginner Scuba Diving Half Day Tour with Lunch: $131
Tours and Activities in Vientiane
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Vientiane are as follows:
- Laos Railway Tickets Easily: Avoid Long Queues & Wasted Time: $30
- Laos Railway Tickets Online: Skip Long Queues, Avoid Missing: $30
- Art, Culture, & Inspiration Guided Half-Day Tour: $52
- Half-Day City Tour with Patuxai and Buddha Park: $52
- Vientiane Sky Luge and Roller Zipline Experience: $55
- Vientiane Landmarks and Cultural Immersion Tour: $56
- Cultural Tour with Buddha Park and Patuxay: $58
- Vientiane IG tour & Patuxay monument: $59
- Half-Day City Tour - Morning or Afternoon: $65
- Vientiane Half Day City Tour: $80
- Vientiane : Private Custom Tour with a Local Guide: $88
- Vientiane Half-Day City Tour: $89
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKoh Lipe $9.42Vientiane $2.12
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Koh Lipe and Vientiane, we can see that Koh Lipe is more expensive. And not only is Vientiane much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Vientiane would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Vientiane 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 Vientiane.
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 Vientiane Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Koh Lipe or Vientiane?
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 Vientiane in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Koh Lipe and Vientiane. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Koh Lipe year-round. Vientiane attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Vientiane 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 around the same amount of rain as Vientiane. Koh Lipe gets 269 mm (10.6 in) of rain, while Vientiane receives 266 mm (10.5 in) of rain each month for the summer.
Koh Lipe is around the same temperature as Vientiane in the summer. The daily temperature in Koh Lipe averages around 27°C (81°F) in July, and Vientiane fluctuates around 30°C (85°F).
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyKoh Lipe 27°C (81°F)Vientiane 30°C (85°F)
Should I visit Koh Lipe or Vientiane in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Koh Lipe as well as Vientiane. Koh Lipe attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Vientiane throughout the year.
Also, December to April in Koh Lipe is the dry season. May to October in Koh Lipe is the rainy season. Koh Lipe receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Koh Lipe usually gets more rain in October than Vientiane. Koh Lipe gets 281 mm (11.1 in) of rain, while Vientiane receives 87 mm (3.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
In the autumn, Koh Lipe is around the same temperature as Vientiane. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Koh Lipe in October average around 27°C (81°F), and Vientiane averages at about 28°C (83°F).
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberKoh Lipe 27°C (81°F)Vientiane 28°C (83°F)
Should I visit Koh Lipe or Vientiane in the Winter?
Both Vientiane 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 Vientiane because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In January, Koh Lipe usually receives more rain than Vientiane. Koh Lipe gets 50 mm (2 in) of rain, while Vientiane receives 6 mm (0.2 in) of rain each month for the winter.
In January, Koh Lipe is generally a little warmer than Vientiane. Daily temperatures in Koh Lipe average around 27°C (80°F), and Vientiane fluctuates around 24°C (75°F).
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryKoh Lipe 27°C (80°F)Vientiane 24°C (75°F)
Should I visit Koh Lipe or Vientiane in the Spring?
Both Vientiane 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 Vientiane year-round.
December to April is the dry season in Koh Lipe. May to October is the rainy season in Koh Lipe. It rains a lot this time of the year in Koh Lipe. Koh Lipe usually gets more rain in April than Vientiane. Koh Lipe gets 124 mm (4.9 in) of rain, while Vientiane receives 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
The heat can be very extreme in Vientiane. Koh Lipe is around the same temperature as Vientiane in the spring. The daily temperature in Koh Lipe averages around 29°C (85°F) in April, and Vientiane fluctuates around 31°C (88°F).
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilKoh Lipe 29°C (85°F)Vientiane 31°C (88°F)
Typical Weather for Vientiane and Koh Lipe
| Koh Lipe | Vientiane | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 27°C (80°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) |
| Feb | 28°C (82°F) | 23 mm (0.9 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 12 mm (0.5 in) |
| Mar | 29°C (84°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 36 mm (1.4 in) |
| Apr | 29°C (85°F) | 124 mm (4.9 in) | 31°C (88°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) |
| May | 29°C (83°F) | 244 mm (9.6 in) | 30°C (87°F) | 255 mm (10 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 224 mm (8.8 in) | 30°C (86°F) | 273 mm (10.7 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (81°F) | 269 mm (10.6 in) | 30°C (85°F) | 266 mm (10.5 in) |
| Aug | 27°C (81°F) | 262 mm (10.3 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 323 mm (12.7 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 355 mm (14 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 295 mm (11.6 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 281 mm (11.1 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (80°F) | 204 mm (8 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (80°F) | 116 mm (4.6 in) | 24°C (74°F) | 3 mm (0.1 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.