Which place is cheaper, Jaipur or Koh Samui?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Koh Samui or Jaipur?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Koh Samui or Jaipur? 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 Jaipur?
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.
Jaipur
Jaipur, India, famously known as the Pink City, is the capital of Rajasthan and is often a highlight for many travelers to the area. Dating back to the eighteenth century, it is part of the Indian Golden Triangle which also includes Delhi and Agra. It's also a stopping off point for travelers venturing into the desert cities of Jodhpur and Jaisalmer. The city has a population of about 6.66 million people, making it the largest city in the state of Rajasthan and the tenth largest city in the country.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours Under $1000 in Thailand, The Best Budget Tours to Thailand, The Best Budget Tours to India, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from New Delhi.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKoh Samui $55Jaipur $19
The average daily cost (per person) in Koh Samui is $55, while the average daily cost in Jaipur is $19. 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 Jaipur in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKoh Samui $24Jaipur $12
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKoh Samui $48Jaipur $24
Compare Hotels in Koh Samui and Jaipur
Looking for a hotel in Koh Samui or Jaipur? 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 Samui Hotel Prices and Jaipur Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Koh Samui $17Jaipur $1.54
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Koh Samui
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Koh Samui:
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Scooter Rental$2.05
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Gas for Scooter$1.09
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Airport Taxi$12
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Taxi- Na Thon Pier to Lamai Beach$11
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Minibus- Airport to Chaweng$3.27
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Koh Samui
Also for Koh Samui, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- ATV And Zipline Experience on Koh Samui with Transfer: $110
- Ethical Elephant Home Guided Tour with Transfers: $81
- Private Transfer from Ko Samui Cruise Port to Ko Samui Hotels: $74
- Guided Zipline Adventure in Ko Samui with Round Trip Transfer: $71
- Private Departure Transfer: From Hotel to Airport Koh Samui by Minivan: $69
- Private Transfer from Ko Samui Port to Ko Samui Island Hotels: $67
- Private Transfer from Ko Samui Port to Ko Samui Airport (USM): $67
- Private Transfer from Ko Samui island hotels to Ko Samui Port: $66
- Full Moon Party Speedboat Round Trip Transfer: $55
- Ko Samui Airport (USM) to Ko Samui Round Trip Private Transfer: $52
- Private Transfer from Samui (USM) Airport to Samui City: $46
- Private Transfer from Samui City to Samui (USM) Airport: $46
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Jaipur
Also for Jaipur, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private transfer: Jaipur to Udaipur enroute Trip to Chittorgarh Fort with lunch: $289
- Private transfer - Jaipur to Udaipur via Chittorgarh Fort with lunch: $285
- Private Transfer - Jaipur To Jodhpur Via Pushkar: $255
- Private transfer - Jaipur to Agra via Fatehpur Sikri with lunch: $245
- Private transfer - Jaipur to Udaipur via Chittorgarh Fort: $242
- Samode Town Excursion- A Visit to a Unique Rajasthan town with private transfers: $231
- Private 3-Day City Tour of Amber Fort, City Palace Including Transfers: $228
- Private transfer - Jaipur to Agra via Fatehpur Sikri: $201
- Transfer from Jaipur to Delhi with Tajmahal sight seeing: $200
- Leopard Wildlife Safari at Amagarh Park Including Transfers: $180
- One Way Transfer From Jaipur To Mount Abu With Optional Stop at Pushkar/Udaipur: $173
- One Way Transfer From Jaipur To Udaipur With Optional Stop at Pushkar / Jodhpur: $173
Is it cheaper to fly into Koh Samui or Jaipur?
Prices for flights to both Jaipur 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
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Food Meals for one dayKoh Samui $19Jaipur $4.75
Typical Food Prices in Koh Samui
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Koh Samui:
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$5.86
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:
- Romantic 4-Course Dinner for Two on the Beach by the Amari Samui: $43
- Cooking Class with Herbal Garden by Amari Koh Samui: $51
- Thai Cooking Class at Melati Beach Resort & Spa: $59
- Sunset Dinner Cruise: $61
- Thai Cooking Class with Local Market Tour in Koh Samui: $67
- Thai Cooking Class & Organic Micro Farm Experience - Farm to Table. Since 2015: $69
- Koh Samui Sunset Dinner Cruise: $71
- Cooking Class in Ko Samui for Small Group : $72
- Koh Samui Jungle Kitchen - Half Day Cooking Class: $77
- Thai Cooking Class in Koh Samui: $78
- Thai Cooking Class with Local Market Tour: $80
- Red Baron Romantic Sunset Dinner Cruise: $88
Typical Food Prices in Jaipur
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Jaipur:
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Dinner$6.58
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Soda$0.12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Jaipur
For Jaipur, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Jaipur Street food tour: $4.59
- Indian Cooking Class with Local Family in Jaipur: $12
- Culture walking and food tour with guide in Jaipur.: $14
- Dinner With Traditional Rajput Family (Its Not Just Only A Cooking Class) : $16
- cooking class demo with dinner: $20
- Famous Masala Chowk Food Tour: $20
- Cooking class demo with dinner : $21
- Jaipur Full Day Tour with local family dinner: $21
- Traditional Dinner with Family including Transfers: $22
- Taste of Jaipur (2 Hour Guided Street Food Tour with Local): $24
- History Street Food Tour with Local Guide: $25
- Food Tour in Jaipur: $25
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Koh Samui $10Jaipur $3.81
Tours and Activities in Koh Samui
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Koh Samui.
- 6 Hrs Off Road 4x4 Adventure of Hidden Gems In Koh Samui Hills 1 - 4 persons: $117
- 6 Hrs Off Road 4x4 Adventure of Hidden Gems In Koh Samui Hills 5 - 8 Persons: $145
- Koh Samui Island ATV Quad Bike Adventure: $50
- Pig Island Experience By Speed Boat, Snorkeling, Kayaking Relaxing on the Beach: $49
- Private Tour in Koh Samui Waterfall And Mummified Monk Temple: $198
- koh samui island and water fall tour: $43
- 2 Day Halfmoon Festival Experience General Admission Pass: $70
- 2 Islands Sightseeing and Snorkeling Trip From Koh Samui: $46
- 2-Hour Koh Samui ATV Quad Tour: $51
- 2.5-Hours ATV Jungle Adventure Experience from Koh Phangan: $107
- 3 Night Hotel Package and 2 Day Experience at Halfmoon Festival: $284
- 3.5-Hours ATV Adventure in the Jungle of Koh Phangan: $160
Typical Entertainment Prices in Jaipur
For Jaipur, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Palace Entry for Two$1.20
Tours and Activities in Jaipur
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Jaipur.
- From Ranthambore Tiger Safari Private Day Tour: $130
- Guided Jaipur City Tour With Drop Off at Udaipur: $110
- Half Day Jaipur Shopping Tour With Local Tour Guide: $35
- Jaipur Tour by Tuk-Tuk: $10
- Same Day Taj Mahal Tour from Jaipur by Car: $250
- Taj Mahal City Tour by car or train from Jaipur: $105
- 1 Day Jaipur Private Tour: $20
- 2 D Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri, Abhaneri Step Well's Tour From Jaipur: $221
- 2 Day Golden Triangle India Tour (Delhi - Agra - Jaipur): $258
- 2 Day Golden Triangle Tour to Agra and Delhi From Jaipur: $219
- 2 Day Heritage Pink City Jaipur Highlight & Sightseeing Tour: $72
- 2 Day Jaipur Private Tour : $41
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKoh Samui $4.63Jaipur $2.72
Sample the Local Flavors in Koh Samui
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Koh Samui:
- Private 4x4 Off-Road Island Safari + Rum Distillery Visit & Tasting: $295
Sample the Local Flavors in Jaipur
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Jaipur:
- Pub Crawl Jaipur: $32
- Pub Crawl Walking Tour: $39
- Pub Crawl Jaipur: $39
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Koh Samui and Jaipur, we can see that Koh Samui is more expensive. And not only is Jaipur much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Jaipur would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Jaipur 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 Samui would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Koh Samui than you might in Jaipur.
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 Jaipur Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Koh Samui or Jaipur?
Jaipur has a larger population, and is about 70 times larger than the population of Koh Samui. When comparing the sizes of Koh Samui and Jaipur, 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.
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.