A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Koh Pha Ngan vs. Gili Trawangan for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Koh Pha Ngan 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 Pha Ngan and Gili Trawangan can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Koh Pha Ngan or Gili Trawangan?

Koh Pha Ngan

Ko Phangan (or Pha Ngan) is best known for its full moon parties, attracting backpackers and budget travelers the world over for all-night parties on the beach. The clear, blue water, beautiful beaches, and tropical atmosphere bring the tourists to the island, and the low prices, diverse activities, and abundant amenities keep them here.

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.


Which place is cheaper, Gili Trawangan or Koh Pha Ngan?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Koh Pha Ngan is $45, 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 Pha Ngan and Gili Trawangan in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Koh Pha Ngan $23
    Gili Trawangan $24
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Koh Pha Ngan $46
    Gili Trawangan $48
Compare Hotels in Koh Pha Ngan and Gili Trawangan

Looking for a hotel in Koh Pha Ngan 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.

Hotels in Koh Pha Ngan


Hotels in Gili Trawangan


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 Pha Ngan Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Koh Pha Ngan $13
    Gili Trawangan $2.76
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Koh Pha Ngan

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Koh Pha Ngan are as follows:


  • Scooter Rental
    $8.18
  • Ferry Ride
    $14
  • Gas for Scooter
    $3.00

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 Pha Ngan or Gili Trawangan?

Prices for flights to both Gili Trawangan and Koh Pha Ngan 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 day
    Koh Pha Ngan $10
    Gili Trawangan $7.21
Typical Food Prices in Koh Pha Ngan

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Koh Pha Ngan:


  • Noodle Lunch (for One)
    $1.09
  • Sit Down Dinner (for Two)
    $11
  • Smoothies (for Two)
    $1.09
  • Ice Cream
    $0.55
  • Juice
    $1.64
  • 3 Spring Rolls
    $0.82
  • 2 Pancakes
    $1.64

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 Pha Ngan $17
    Gili Trawangan $3.98

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 Hai 3 Islands BBQ Cruise: $72
  • Gili Hai 3 Islands BBQ Sunset Cruise: $72
  • 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 day
    Koh Pha Ngan $9.89
    Gili Trawangan $3.67
Typical Alcohol Prices in Koh Pha Ngan

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Koh Pha Ngan are as follows:


  • Drinks at Irish Pub (for Two)
    $7.09


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Koh Pha Ngan and Gili Trawangan, we can see that Koh Pha Ngan 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 Pha Ngan would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Koh Pha Ngan 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 Pha Ngan Expensive? and Is Gili Trawangan Expensive?.