Which place is cheaper, Khao Yai National Park or Koh Tao?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Koh Tao or Khao Yai National Park?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Koh Tao or Khao Yai National Park, 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 Khao Yai National Park?
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.
Khao Yai National Park
Adventurous travelers are always in search of new terrain to conquer. At over 2,000 square kilometers, Khao Yai National Park is Thailand's second largest national park, and just full of jungles to trek through. In the southwest of Thailand is a sanctuary of mountains and waterfalls.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to Thailand, The Best Contiki Tours to Thailand, The Best G Adventures Tours to Thailand, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Phuket.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKoh Tao $37Khao Yai National Park $62
The average daily cost (per person) in Koh Tao is $37, while the average daily cost in Khao Yai National Park is $62. 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 Khao Yai National Park in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKoh Tao $14Khao Yai National Park $36
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKoh Tao $28Khao Yai National Park $72
Compare Hotels in Koh Tao and Khao Yai National Park
Looking for a hotel in Koh Tao or Khao Yai National Park? 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 Tao Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Koh Tao $8.67Khao Yai National Park $14
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Koh Tao
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Koh Tao:
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Motorbike Rental$5.18
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Chumpon to Koh Tao Ferry$18
Is it cheaper to fly into Koh Tao or Khao Yai National Park?
Prices for flights to both Khao Yai National Park 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
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Food Meals for one dayKoh Tao $9.21Khao Yai National Park $17
Typical Food Prices in Koh Tao
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Koh Tao:
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Sit Down Lunch (for One)$5.46
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Breakfast$4.09
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Casual Breakfast (for Two)$3.27
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Fancy Dinner (for Two)$13
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Pancake$1.91
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American Breakfast (for Two)$7.64
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Dinner at Bam Bam (for Two)$7.36
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Koh Tao $26Khao Yai National Park $8.77
Typical Entertainment Prices in Koh Tao
For Koh Tao, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Kayak Rental (One Hour)$6.82
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Snorkel Rental$2.73
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Kayak and Snorkel (2)$2.73
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): $277
- Basic Diver ( One Day Experience): $124
- Full day snorkeling adventure around Koh Tao: $22
- Koh Nang Yuan and Koh Tao 5 Point Snorkeling Tour: $23
- Koh Tao Cliff Jumping Snorkeling Experience: $135
- Koh Tao Snorkeling Tour to Hidden Bays and Koh Nang Yuan : $28
- 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: $22
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKoh Tao $7.14Khao Yai National Park $11
Typical Alcohol Prices in Koh Tao
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Koh Tao from other travelers:
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Beer$1.77
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Bottle of Wine$10
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Koh Tao and Khao Yai National Park, we can see that Khao Yai National Park is more expensive. And not only is Koh Tao much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Koh Tao would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Koh Tao 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 Khao Yai National Park would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Khao Yai National Park than you might in Koh Tao.
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 Khao Yai National Park Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Koh Tao or Khao Yai National Park?
Both destinations experience a warmer climate with nice weather most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season.
Should I visit Koh Tao or Khao Yai National Park in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Koh Tao and Khao Yai National Park. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Koh Tao year-round. Khao Yai National Park attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Khao Yai National Park receives a lot of rain in the summer. Koh Tao gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Koh Tao usually receives less rain than Khao Yai National Park. Koh Tao gets 174 mm (6.9 in) of rain, while Khao Yai National Park receives 315 mm (12.4 in) of rain each month for the summer.
Koh Tao usually receives more sunshine than Khao Yai National Park during summer. Koh Tao gets 195 hours of sunny skies, while Khao Yai National Park receives 176 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Koh Tao is generally cooler than Khao Yai National Park. Daily temperatures in Koh Tao average around 24°C (76°F), and Khao Yai National Park fluctuates around 28°C (83°F).
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyKoh Tao 24°C (76°F)Khao Yai National Park 28°C (83°F)
Should I visit Koh Tao or Khao Yai National Park in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Koh Tao as well as Khao Yai National Park. Koh Tao attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Khao Yai National Park throughout the year.
October and November in Koh Tao is the rainy season. It's quite rainy in Khao Yai National Park. Koh Tao receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Koh Tao usually gets more rain in October than Khao Yai National Park. Koh Tao gets 276 mm (10.9 in) of rain, while Khao Yai National Park receives 173 mm (6.8 in) of rain this time of the year.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Khao Yai National Park. In the autumn, Koh Tao often gets less sunshine than Khao Yai National Park. Koh Tao gets 167 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Khao Yai National Park receives 206 hours of full sun.
Koh Tao is cooler than Khao Yai National Park in the autumn. The daily temperature in Koh Tao averages around 24°C (76°F) in October, and Khao Yai National Park fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberKoh Tao 24°C (76°F)Khao Yai National Park 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Koh Tao or Khao Yai National Park in the Winter?
Both Khao Yai National Park and Koh Tao are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Koh Tao throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Khao Yai National Park because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
The dry season in Koh Tao is February to June. In January, Koh Tao usually receives more rain than Khao Yai National Park. Koh Tao gets 94 mm (3.7 in) of rain, while Khao Yai National Park receives 9 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the winter.
It's quite sunny in Khao Yai National Park. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Koh Tao. Koh Tao usually receives less sunshine than Khao Yai National Park during winter. Koh Tao gets 255 hours of sunny skies, while Khao Yai National Park receives 276 hours of full sun in the winter.
In the winter, Koh Tao is cooler than Khao Yai National Park. Typically, the winter temperatures in Koh Tao in January average around 22°C (72°F), and Khao Yai National Park averages at about 26°C (78°F).
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryKoh Tao 22°C (72°F)Khao Yai National Park 26°C (78°F)
Should I visit Koh Tao or Khao Yai National Park in the Spring?
Both Khao Yai National Park and Koh Tao during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Koh Tao because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Khao Yai National Park year-round.
February to June is the dry season in Koh Tao. Khao Yai National Park gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Koh Tao usually gets less rain in April than Khao Yai National Park. Koh Tao gets 74 mm (2.9 in) of rain, while Khao Yai National Park receives 128 mm (5.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
In Khao Yai National Park, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Koh Tao. In the spring, Koh Tao often gets less sunshine than Khao Yai National Park. Koh Tao gets 239 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Khao Yai National Park receives 262 hours of full sun.
In April, Koh Tao is generally cooler than Khao Yai National Park. Daily temperatures in Koh Tao average around 25°C (77°F), and Khao Yai National Park fluctuates around 30°C (87°F).
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilKoh Tao 25°C (77°F)Khao Yai National Park 30°C (87°F)
Typical Weather for Khao Yai National Park and Koh Tao
| Koh Tao | Khao Yai National Park | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 22°C (72°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 9 mm (0.4 in) |
| Feb | 23°C (74°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 25 mm (1 in) |
| Mar | 24°C (75°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) | 30°C (86°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) |
| Apr | 25°C (77°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) | 30°C (87°F) | 128 mm (5.1 in) |
| May | 25°C (78°F) | 189 mm (7.4 in) | 30°C (85°F) | 225 mm (8.8 in) |
| Jun | 25°C (78°F) | 174 mm (6.9 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 277 mm (10.9 in) |
| Jul | 24°C (76°F) | 174 mm (6.9 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 315 mm (12.4 in) |
| Aug | 25°C (76°F) | 206 mm (8.1 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 385 mm (15.1 in) |
| Sep | 25°C (77°F) | 158 mm (6.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 360 mm (14.2 in) |
| Oct | 24°C (76°F) | 276 mm (10.9 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 173 mm (6.8 in) |
| Nov | 23°C (74°F) | 380 mm (15 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) |
| Dec | 23°C (73°F) | 118 mm (4.6 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
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.