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

Should you visit Koh Samet or Te Anau?

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

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

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?

Te Anau

Te Anau is a town on the South Island of New Zealand, best-known as a gateway to Fiordland National Park and Milford Sound. The region is a major destination for ecotourism as it is home to rare species like the endangered flightless takahe bird and natural features like caves, waterfalls, forests, lakes, glacial valleys, and mountains.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Thailand, The Best 2-Week Tours in Thailand, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand, and The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Te Anau or Koh Samet?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Koh Samet is $96, while the average daily cost in Te Anau is $98. 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 Te Anau in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Koh Samet $32
    Te Anau $44
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Koh Samet $64
    Te Anau $88
Compare Hotels in Koh Samet and Te Anau

Looking for a hotel in Koh Samet or Te Anau? 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 Samet


Hotels in Te Anau


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 Te Anau Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Koh Samet $68
    Te Anau $27

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Te Anau

Also for Te Anau, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Kepler Water Taxi Transfer across Lake Te Anau: $15

Is it cheaper to fly into Koh Samet or Te Anau?

Prices for flights to both Te Anau 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Koh Samet $27
    Te Anau $27

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Koh Samet $8.96
    Te Anau $47

Tours and Activities in Te Anau

For Te Anau, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Glowworm Caves Guided Tour: $71
  • Te Anau Glow Worm Caves Tour: $72
  • Evening Scenic Cruise: $86
  • Lake 3-Hour Boat Cruise with Guided Walk: $86
  • Afternoon Te Anau Cruise on Historic Motor Yacht: $87
  • Champagne Sightseeing Cruise on Lake Te Anau: $87
  • Morning Tea Cruise on Historic Motor Yacht from Te Anau: $88
  • Fiordland: Jet Boat & Nature Walk Experience from Te Anau: $106
  • Full-Day National Park Tour with Cruise and Lunch: $110
  • From Milford Sound Coach Tour and Cruise: $110
  • Milford Sound Coach & Cruise Tour from Te Anau : $113
  • Premium Milford Sound Full Day Tour & Cruise: $118

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Koh Samet $4.68
    Te Anau $14


When comparing the travel costs between Koh Samet and Te Anau, we can see that Te Anau 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. Even though Koh Samet is in Asia and Te Anau is in Pacific, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

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 Te Anau Expensive?.