A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Koh Samet vs. Pyeongchang for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Koh Samet or Pyeongchang?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Koh Samet or Pyeongchang, 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 Pyeongchang?

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?

Pyeongchang

Pyeongchang is a county of South Korea situated in the Taebaek Mountains in Gangwon Province. A popular location for winter sports, it was chosen as the host city for the 2018 Winter Olympics. Other attractions include Buddhist temples, parks, villages, and natural scenery.

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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Seoul, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Seoul.

When comparing the travel costs between Koh Samet and Pyeongchang, we can see that Koh Samet is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

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 Pyeongchang Expensive?.

When is the best time to visit Koh Samet or Pyeongchang?

Pyeongchang has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Koh Samet experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Koh Samet or Pyeongchang in the Summer?

Both Pyeongchang and Koh Samet during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Koh Samet because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In July, Koh Samet is generally a little warmer than Pyeongchang. Daily temperatures in Koh Samet average around 28°C (82°F), and Pyeongchang fluctuates around 24°C (76°F).

In the summer, Koh Samet often gets more sunshine than Pyeongchang. Koh Samet gets 195 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Pyeongchang receives 144 hours of full sun.

Pyeongchang gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Koh Samet. Koh Samet usually gets less rain in July than Pyeongchang. Koh Samet gets 174 mm (6.9 in) of rain, while Pyeongchang receives 217 mm (8.5 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Koh Samet or Pyeongchang in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Koh Samet and Pyeongchang. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Koh Samet year-round.

Koh Samet is much warmer than Pyeongchang in the autumn. The daily temperature in Koh Samet averages around 27°C (81°F) in October, and Pyeongchang fluctuates around 15°C (60°F).

Koh Samet usually receives less sunshine than Pyeongchang during autumn. Koh Samet gets 167 hours of sunny skies, while Pyeongchang receives 185 hours of full sun in the autumn.

Pyeongchang receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Koh Samet gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Koh Samet usually receives more rain than Pyeongchang. Koh Samet gets 276 mm (10.9 in) of rain, while Pyeongchang receives 112 mm (4.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Koh Samet or Pyeongchang in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Koh Samet as well as Pyeongchang. Koh Samet attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

Pyeongchang can get quite cold in the winter. In the winter, Koh Samet is much warmer than Pyeongchang. Typically, the winter temperatures in Koh Samet in January average around 25°C (77°F), and Pyeongchang averages at about 0°C (33°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Koh Samet this time of the year. In the winter, Koh Samet often gets more sunshine than Pyeongchang. Koh Samet gets 255 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Pyeongchang receives 190 hours of full sun.

Koh Samet usually gets more rain in January than Pyeongchang. Koh Samet gets 94 mm (3.7 in) of rain, while Pyeongchang receives 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Koh Samet or Pyeongchang in the Spring?

Both Pyeongchang and Koh Samet are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Koh Samet throughout the year.

In April, Koh Samet is generally much warmer than Pyeongchang. Daily temperatures in Koh Samet average around 29°C (84°F), and Pyeongchang fluctuates around 12°C (54°F).

It's quite sunny in Pyeongchang. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Koh Samet. Koh Samet usually receives more sunshine than Pyeongchang during spring. Koh Samet gets 239 hours of sunny skies, while Pyeongchang receives 204 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Koh Samet usually receives around the same amount of rain as Pyeongchang. Koh Samet gets 74 mm (2.9 in) of rain, while Pyeongchang receives 77 mm (3 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Pyeongchang and Koh Samet