Which place is cheaper, Yakushima or Koh Samui?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Should I visit Koh Samui or Yakushima? 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.
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.
Yakushima, Japan is a UNESCO World Heritage island located north of Okinawa and off the south east of of Kyushu. The island is well-known to Japanese tourists but not so much to international ones, making it a bit of a hidden gem to international tourists. This also means that English isn't spoken as much as in larger cities, so make sure to brush up on your Japanese and bring a dictionary.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours Under $1000 in Thailand, The Best Budget Tours to Thailand, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Japan, and The Best Luxury Tours to Japan.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Koh Samui is $55, while the average daily cost in Yakushima is $116. 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 Yakushima in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Koh Samui or Yakushima? 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.
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Koh Samui:
Also for Koh Samui, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Yakushima 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.
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Koh Samui:
For Koh Samui, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Koh Samui.
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Koh Samui:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Koh Samui and Yakushima, we can see that Yakushima is more expensive. And not only is Koh Samui much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Koh Samui would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Koh Samui 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 Yakushima would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Yakushima than you might in Koh Samui.
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 Yakushima Expensive?.
Yakushima has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Koh Samui experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Both Yakushima and Koh Samui during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Koh Samui because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In July, Koh Samui is generally cooler than Yakushima. Daily temperatures in Koh Samui average around 24°C (76°F), and Yakushima fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
Yakushima gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Koh Samui. Koh Samui usually gets less rain in July than Yakushima. Koh Samui gets 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain, while Yakushima receives 189 mm (7.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Koh Samui and Yakushima. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Koh Samui year-round.
Koh Samui is a little warmer than Yakushima in the autumn. The daily temperature in Koh Samui averages around 24°C (75°F) in October, and Yakushima fluctuates around 22°C (71°F).
Yakushima receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Koh Samui gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Koh Samui usually receives more rain than Yakushima. Koh Samui gets 240 mm (9.5 in) of rain, while Yakushima receives 161 mm (6.3 in) of rain each month for the autumn. December to February in Koh Samui is the dry season. Also, October to December is the rainy season in Koh Samui.
The winter brings many poeple to Koh Samui as well as Yakushima. Koh Samui attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the winter, Koh Samui is much warmer than Yakushima. Typically, the winter temperatures in Koh Samui in January average around 22°C (72°F), and Yakushima averages at about 11°C (52°F).
It's quite rainy in Yakushima. Koh Samui usually gets less rain in January than Yakushima. Koh Samui gets 51 mm (2 in) of rain, while Yakushima receives 106 mm (4.2 in) of rain this time of the year. Also, December to February in Koh Samui is the dry season.
Both Yakushima and Koh Samui are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Koh Samui throughout the year.
In April, Koh Samui is generally a little warmer than Yakushima. Daily temperatures in Koh Samui average around 24°C (76°F), and Yakushima fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).
It rains a lot this time of the year in Yakushima. In April, Koh Samui usually receives less rain than Yakushima. Koh Samui gets 55 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Yakushima receives 207 mm (8.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
Koh Samui | Yakushima | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
Jan | 22°C (72°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 11°C (52°F) | 106 mm (4.2 in) |
Feb | 22°C (72°F) | 11 mm (0.4 in) | 12°C (53°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) |
Mar | 23°C (74°F) | 24 mm (0.9 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 160 mm (6.3 in) |
Apr | 24°C (76°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 207 mm (8.1 in) |
May | 25°C (77°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) | 21°C (69°F) | 288 mm (11.3 in) |
Jun | 25°C (77°F) | 145 mm (5.7 in) | 24°C (74°F) | 352 mm (13.9 in) |
Jul | 24°C (76°F) | 143 mm (5.6 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 189 mm (7.4 in) |
Aug | 24°C (76°F) | 140 mm (5.5 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 205 mm (8.1 in) |
Sep | 25°C (76°F) | 196 mm (7.7 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 253 mm (10 in) |
Oct | 24°C (75°F) | 240 mm (9.5 in) | 22°C (71°F) | 161 mm (6.3 in) |
Nov | 23°C (74°F) | 335 mm (13.2 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 118 mm (4.6 in) |
Dec | 23°C (73°F) | 134 mm (5.3 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |