A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Koh Samui vs. Antigua Guatemala for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Koh Samui or Antigua Guatemala?

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

Should I visit Koh Samui or Antigua Guatemala? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Koh Samui or Antigua Guatemala?

Koh Samui

The largest island on the east coast of southern Thailand, Ko Samui (or Koh Samui) sees a good number of visitors every year who come for its lush rainforest, beautiful shores, and undersea wildlife. The size of the island is still small enough to allow visitors to circumnavigate it with a taxi or motorbike in a day, while hikers and outdoor enthusiasts can find plenty of inland activities in the hills and jungle.

Antigua Guatemala

Before a disastrous earthquake in 1773, Antigua was the colonial capital of Guatemala. For 200 years it had reigned as so and today shows remnants of its glorious past with Spanish colonial buildings and other architectural landmarks still standing. Due to this large amount of preserved architecture, Antigua was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is now the most touristed city of Guatemala.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours Under $1000 in Thailand, The Best Budget Tours to Thailand, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Guatemala City, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Guatemala.


Which place is cheaper, Antigua Guatemala or Koh Samui?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Koh Samui is $79, while the average daily cost in Antigua Guatemala is $74. 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 Samui and Antigua Guatemala in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Koh Samui $26
    Antigua Guatemala $22
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Koh Samui $52
    Antigua Guatemala $44
Compare Hotels in Koh Samui and Antigua Guatemala

Looking for a hotel in Koh Samui or Antigua Guatemala? 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 Samui


Hotels in Antigua Guatemala


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 Samui Hotel Prices and Antigua Guatemala Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Koh Samui $19
    Antigua Guatemala $12
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Koh Samui

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Koh Samui:


  • Scooter Rental
    $2.36
  • Gas for Scooter
    $1.26
  • Airport Taxi
    $14
  • Taxi- Na Thon Pier to Lamai Beach
    $13
  • Minibus- Airport to Chaweng
    $3.77

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Koh Samui

Also for Koh Samui, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • The Red Baron Luxury Yacht Cruise from Koh Samui with Return Transfer: $171
  • Koh Samui Paradise Park Farm Admission Ticket with Return Transfer: $140
  • ATV And Zipline Experience on Koh Samui with Transfer: $127
  • Paradise Park Farm Entry Ticket with Transfer: $118
  • Guided Zipline Adventure in Ko Samui with Round Trip Transfer: $81
  • Full Moon Party Entry Tickets & Round Trip Transfers: $80
  • Private Arrival Transfer: Koh Samui Airports to Hotel by Minivan: $75
  • Private Transfer from Taling Ngam to Samui (USM) Airport: $70
  • Private Transfer from Mae Nam to Samui (USM) Airport: $69
  • Private Transfer from Samui (USM) Airport to Mae Nam: $69
  • Private Transfer Koh Samui Airport ( USM ) to Conrad Kohsamui : $55
  • Samui Zipline Adventure with Transfer service: $54

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Antigua Guatemala

Also for Antigua Guatemala, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer from Antigua Guatemala to Puerto Quetzal Port: $185
  • Private Transfer from Antigua to the Airport: $90
  • Private Transfer From Antigua to Panajachel Atitlan: $66
  • Private Transfer from Antigua Guatemala to Panajachel: $65
  • Private Transfer from Antigua to La Aurora Airport: $28
  • Shared Transfer From Antigua to Panajachel (Atitlan): $27
  • Private Ground Transfer From Antigua To Guatemala City Airport: $25
  • Private Transfer from Antigua Guatemala to La Aurora Airport: $25

Is it cheaper to fly into Koh Samui or Antigua Guatemala?

Prices for flights to both Antigua Guatemala and Koh Samui 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 Samui $39
    Antigua Guatemala $25
Typical Food Prices in Koh Samui

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Koh Samui:


  • Casual Lunch (for Two)
    $6.75

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Koh Samui

For Koh Samui, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Sunset Dinner Cruise: $77
  • Thai Cooking Class with Local Market Tour in Koh Samui: $79
  • Cooking Class by Samui Native Instructor Geng and O Family: $79
  • Thai Cooking Class with Local Market Tour in Koh Samui: $79
  • Thai Cooking Masterclass by the Sea on Koh Samui: $82
  • Koh Samui Sunset Dinner Cruise: $82
  • Thai Cooking Class | Since 2012 | Farm to Table: $82
  • Cooking Class in Ko Samui for Small Group : $82
  • Romantic Evening on Koh Samui’s Sunset Dinner Cruise: $108
  • Red Baron : A Sunset Dinner Cruise from Koh Samui with Return Transfer: $113
  • Red Baron Sunset Dinner Cruise from Koh Samui with Transfer: $122
  • Red Baron Sunset Dinner Cruise from Koh Samui with Return Transfer: $122

Typical Food Prices in Antigua Guatemala

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Antigua Guatemala:


  • Lunch
    $3.26
  • Lunch
    $7.82

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Antigua Guatemala

For Antigua Guatemala, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Taste of Guatemala,Walking Food Tour in Antigua Guatemala : $50
  • Antigua Street Food Tour : $65
  • Private Cooking Class of Typical Guatemalan Dishes: $70
  • Local Street Food Tour of Antigua: $75
  • Street Food Tour Around Antigua: $80
  • Guatemalan Cooking Class & Market Tour: $85
  • Private Pacaya Volcano Hike & Optional Pizza Experience: $85
  • Guatemalan Cooking Class and Market Tour: $85
  • Authentic Guatemalan Cooking Class in Antigua: $90
  • Foodie & Street Food Tour in Antigua: $95
  • Guatemalan Cooking Class and Market Tour: $98
  • The Culinary Antigua Food Tour: $116

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Koh Samui $12
    Antigua Guatemala $15

Tours and Activities in Koh Samui

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Koh Samui.

  • Koh Madsum (Pig island) and Koh Tan Day Tour from Koh Samui: $101
  • Koh Samui Island ATV Quad Bike Adventure: $99
  • Koh Tan and Pig Island Half-Day Tour by Speed Catamaran : $64
  • Pig Island Experience By Speed Boat, Snorkeling, Kayaking Relaxing on the Beach: $46
  • Private Tour in Koh Samui Waterfall And Mummified Monk Temple: $198
  • Speedboat Tour to Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan: $83
  • koh samui island and water fall tour: $50
  • 2 Hour ATV Jungle Tour In Koh Samui : $89
  • 2 Islands Sightseeing and Snorkeling Trip From Koh Samui: $48
  • 2-Hour Koh Samui ATV Quad Tour: $59
  • 2.5-Hours ATV Jungle Adventure Experience from Koh Phangan: $123
  • 4-Hour Day Tour in Koh Samui: $30

Tours and Activities in Antigua Guatemala

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Antigua Guatemala.

  • ¡Pacaya Volcano Tour from Antigua!: $100
  • 2 - Days : Tour to Acatenango Volcano from Antigua: $130
  • 2 Day Tour: Chichicastenango Market and Lake Atitlan from Antigua: $150
  • 2-Day Antigua Tour 1 Night at Acatenango Volcano: $87
  • 2-Day Kayak and Hike Adventure Package from Antigua: $219
  • 3-Hour Chateau Defay Vineyard Tour in Central America: $78
  • ANTIGUA Villages Tour: $103
  • ATV Cultural & Adventure Tour: Antigua Villages Experience: $95
  • ATV Tour of the Magic Towns of Antigua: $65
  • ATV or UTV Coffee Tour in Antigua Guatemala: $75
  • Acatenango 2 Days Camping Adventure: $128
  • Acatenango Overnight Hike Multiday Tour: $129

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Koh Samui $5.33
    Antigua Guatemala $11

Sample the Local Flavors in Antigua Guatemala

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Antigua Guatemala:

  • Antigua Bar Crawl: $26


When comparing the travel costs between Koh Samui and Antigua Guatemala, we can see that Koh Samui 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 Samui is in Asia and Antigua Guatemala is in Central America, 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 Samui Expensive? and Is Antigua Guatemala Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Koh Samui or Antigua Guatemala?

Koh Samui has a larger population, and is about 1% larger than the population of Antigua Guatemala. When comparing the sizes of Koh Samui and Antigua Guatemala, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.