Which place is cheaper, Gili Trawangan or Koh Samet?
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 Samet or Gili Trawangan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Koh Samet or Gili Trawangan, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Koh Samet or Gili Trawangan?
Koh Samet
The country of Thailand is full of some of the world's most stunning beauty and peaceful settings. So it begs the question, where the Thai people go to get away from it all? They go to Ko Samet on the eastern gulf coast. Located just outside of Bangkok, Ko Samet provides visitors an easily accessible and desirable weekend getaway spot. With white beaches and coral of every other color, this island has steadily developed over the last few years without an intense construction increase like many other Thai beaches. Once thought to be the home of pirates, this island provides plenty to wonder about including, are there hidden treasures under that gorgeous white sand?
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 One Week (7-Day) Tours in Thailand, The Best 2-Week Tours in Thailand, The Best Tours for Seniors to Indonesia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Indonesia.
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Koh Samet Prices
Thailand PricesGili Trawangan Prices
Indonesia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKoh Samet $130Gili Trawangan $37
The average daily cost (per person) in Koh Samet is $130, while the average daily cost in Gili Trawangan is $37. 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 Samet and Gili Trawangan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKoh Samet $36Gili Trawangan $21
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKoh Samet $72Gili Trawangan $42
Compare Hotels in Koh Samet and Gili Trawangan
Looking for a hotel in Koh Samet 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 Samet Hotel Prices and Gili Trawangan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Koh Samet $77Gili Trawangan $2.46
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Gili Trawangan
Also for Gili Trawangan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Speedboat transfer Between Lombok and Gili Islands: $14
- Ticket Gili Trawangan Luxury Speedboat Transfer to Bali: $28
- Convenient Transfers from Gili Islands to Lombok Hotels: $43
Is it cheaper to fly into Koh Samet or Gili Trawangan?
Prices for flights to both Gili Trawangan and Koh Samet 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 Samet $53Gili Trawangan $11
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:
- Learn to cook Indonesian food at Gili Cooking Classes Trawangan: $39
- Indonesian Food Cooking Class of Gili Air: $39
- Gili Trawangan Sunset BBQ Dinner Cruise with snorkeling: $86
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Koh Samet $10Gili Trawangan $3.55
Tours and Activities in Gili Trawangan
For Gili Trawangan, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Experience The Gili Fireshow with Cocktail: $9.75
- 3 Island Snorkeling Tour and Turtle Sanctuary with GoPro: $12
- Gili Snorkeling Tour: Swim with Turtles & Go Pro Documentation: $14
- Group Snorkeling Tour Gili Islands Including GoPro Documentation: $14
- From Gili Islands Snorkeling Boat Tour: $15
- Gili Islands Snorkel Tour - Explore an Underwater Paradise: $16
- Gili Islands Turtle and Coral Snorkeling Adventure: $16
- Gili Islands Sunset Boat Tour and Snorkeling: $17
- Turtle Snorkeling and Underwater Statues Tour from Gili Air: $17
- High Speed Ferry Ticket from Gili Trawangan to Bali: $22
- Cycling Tour with Snorkeling and Viewpoint: $31
- Gili Islands: Snorkeling Tour with Turtles and Statues: $32
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKoh Samet $5.26Gili Trawangan $3.28
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Koh Samet and Gili Trawangan, we can see that Koh Samet 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 Samet would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Koh Samet 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 Samet 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.