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

Should you visit Koh Samet or Qingdao?

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

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

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?

Qingdao

Qingdao, China, located in the Shandong Province, is a very large city right on the Yellow Sea coast. The city, whose name means "The Green Island" due to it's gorgeous landscapes and interesting geography, was named China's most livable city in 2012. The city is rich in history, having almost become a German territory in 1897 and being occupied by the Japanese during WWI. Evidence of these occupiers is present in much of the architecture around the city, which includes a few Catholic and Protestant churches.

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 Cultural Tours in China, and The Best Luxury Tours to China.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Koh Samet and Qingdao, we can see that Koh Samet is more expensive. And not only is Qingdao much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Qingdao would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Qingdao 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 Qingdao.

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 Qingdao Expensive?.

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

Qingdao 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 Qingdao in the Summer?

Both Qingdao 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 the summer, Koh Samet is a little warmer than Qingdao. Typically, the summer temperatures in Koh Samet in July average around 28°C (82°F), and Qingdao averages at about 25°C (77°F).

In the summer, Koh Samet often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Qingdao. Koh Samet gets 195 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Qingdao receives 183 hours of full sun.

Qingdao 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 Qingdao. Koh Samet gets 174 mm (6.9 in) of rain, while Qingdao receives 211 mm (8.3 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Koh Samet or Qingdao in the Autumn?

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

In October, Koh Samet is generally much warmer than Qingdao. Daily temperatures in Koh Samet average around 27°C (81°F), and Qingdao fluctuates around 17°C (62°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Qingdao this time of the year. Koh Samet usually receives less sunshine than Qingdao during autumn. Koh Samet gets 167 hours of sunny skies, while Qingdao receives 220 hours of full sun in the autumn.

Koh Samet gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Koh Samet usually receives more rain than Qingdao. Koh Samet gets 276 mm (10.9 in) of rain, while Qingdao receives 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Koh Samet or Qingdao in the Winter?

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

Qingdao can get quite cold in the winter. Koh Samet is much warmer than Qingdao in the winter. The daily temperature in Koh Samet averages around 25°C (77°F) in January, and Qingdao fluctuates around -0°C (32°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 Qingdao. Koh Samet gets 255 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Qingdao receives 185 hours of full sun.

Koh Samet usually gets more rain in January than Qingdao. Koh Samet gets 94 mm (3.7 in) of rain, while Qingdao receives 11 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Koh Samet or Qingdao in the Spring?

Both Qingdao 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 the spring, Koh Samet is much warmer than Qingdao. Typically, the spring temperatures in Koh Samet in April average around 29°C (84°F), and Qingdao averages at about 12°C (53°F).

It's quite sunny in Qingdao. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Koh Samet. Koh Samet usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Qingdao during spring. Koh Samet gets 239 hours of sunny skies, while Qingdao receives 224 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Koh Samet usually receives more rain than Qingdao. Koh Samet gets 74 mm (2.9 in) of rain, while Qingdao receives 37 mm (1.5 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Qingdao and Koh Samet