A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Koh Tao vs. Gili Trawangan for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Koh Tao or Gili Trawangan?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Koh Tao or Gili Trawangan, 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 Tao or Gili Trawangan?

Koh Tao

With a name that literally means, "Turtle Island," Koh Tao, Thailand is the type of vacation spot divers dream of. There is the faintest current and a buffet of dive sites and shops.

This tiny island hosts hundreds of thousands of visitors a year, but take not that there are no garbage disposal facilities. Everything that can't be burnt needs to be taken from the island. Avoid plastic bags, and don't dump your trash in the open landscape (then again, why would you?) because there are no departments for road clean up. Water and electricity on the island are scarce, so use them wisely.

Keep in mind that monsoon season from November to January so you may be faced with constant rain for days at a time in those months.

Gili Trawangan

Gili Trawangan, known as Gili T, is the most visited of the three Gili Islands, located on the northeast side of Lombok. These islands are known for world-class diving and snorkeling spots. It's not hard to see why, considering that any direction you step off the shoreline, there's a beautiful underwater world to explore.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to Thailand, The Best Contiki Tours to Thailand, The Best Tours for Seniors to Indonesia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Indonesia.


Which place is cheaper, Gili Trawangan or Koh Tao?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Koh Tao is $37, while the average daily cost in Gili Trawangan is $37. 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 Tao and Gili Trawangan in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Koh Tao $14
    Gili Trawangan $24
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Koh Tao $28
    Gili Trawangan $48
Compare Hotels in Koh Tao and Gili Trawangan

Looking for a hotel in Koh Tao or Gili Trawangan? 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 Tao


Hotels in Gili Trawangan


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 Tao Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Koh Tao $8.76
    Gili Trawangan $2.81
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Koh Tao

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Koh Tao:


  • Motorbike Rental
    $5.24
  • Chumpon to Koh Tao Ferry
    $18

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Gili Trawangan

Also for Gili Trawangan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer Three Gili Island Lombok by Speedboat: $100
  • Lombok Transfer From 3 Gilis to Airport or Hotel In Lombok: $45
  • Airport private Transfer: $39
  • Central Gili Island Bus Transfer Senggigi Mataram Kuta Lombok: $16

Is it cheaper to fly into Koh Tao or Gili Trawangan?

Prices for flights to both Gili Trawangan and Koh Tao 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 Tao $9.31
    Gili Trawangan $7.35
Typical Food Prices in Koh Tao

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


  • Sit Down Lunch (for One)
    $5.51
  • Breakfast
    $4.14
  • Casual Breakfast (for Two)
    $3.31
  • Fancy Dinner (for Two)
    $14
  • Pancake
    $1.93
  • American Breakfast (for Two)
    $7.72
  • Dinner at Bam Bam (for Two)
    $7.44

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Gili Trawangan

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

  • Sweet and Spicy - Indonesian Cooking Class in Gili Trawangan: $28
  • Learn to cook authentic Indonesian food at Gili Cooking Classes: $30
  • Gili Trawangan Sunset BBQ Dinner Cruise with snorkeling: $91

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Koh Tao $27
    Gili Trawangan $4.05
Typical Entertainment Prices in Koh Tao

For Koh Tao, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • Kayak Rental (One Hour)
    $6.89
  • Snorkel Rental
    $2.76
  • Kayak and Snorkel (2)
    $2.76

Tours and Activities in Koh Tao

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

  • 5 Islands Full-Day Tour Around Koh Tao and Koh Nangyuan: $24
  • Advanced Adventurer - 2 days ( Advanced Open Water): $282
  • Basic Diver ( One Day Experience): $127
  • Full day snorkeling adventure around Koh Tao: $22
  • Koh Nang Yuan and Koh Tao 5 Point Snorkeling Tour: $24
  • Koh Tao Cliff Jumping Snorkeling Experience: $135
  • Koh Tao Snorkeling Tour to Hidden Bays and Koh Nang Yuan : $29
  • Koh Tao Snorkeling and Island Hopping Tour (Private) : $175
  • Koh Tao Viewpoint and Snorkeling Tour: $55
  • Premium Snorkel Tour to the Bays of Koh Tao onboard the Oxygen: $33
  • Snorkel Tour to Koh Nangyuan and the hidden bays of Koh Tao onboard the Oxygen: $23

Tours and Activities in Gili Trawangan

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

  • 5H All Inclusive Breakfast &Snorkeling Cruise on Utopia Catamaran: $110
  • 5H All Inclusive Sunset & Snorkeling Cruise on Utopia Catamaran: $110
  • Gili Nanggu Day Tour: $80
  • Gili Trawangan 3 Island Half day Cruise with BBQ Lunch and Snorkeling : $91
  • Shared Gili Islands Snorkeling Tour: $17
  • Kuta Tour (South Of Lombok Beutiful Tour): $49
  • Lombok Private Customize Tour: $85
  • Lombok Private Tour Waterfall And Traditional Village Including Beach: $55
  • Private Snorkeling Experience in Gili Trawangan: $23

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Koh Tao $7.22
    Gili Trawangan $3.74
Typical Alcohol Prices in Koh Tao

Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Koh Tao from other travelers:


  • Beer
    $1.79
  • Bottle of Wine
    $10


When comparing the travel costs between Koh Tao and Gili Trawangan, we can see that Koh Tao 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. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Koh Tao Expensive? and Is Gili Trawangan Expensive?.