Should you visit Krabi or Pattaya?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Krabi and Pattaya can help you decide which place is right for you.
Krabi
Thailand is covered in beaches, but if you're more interested in immersion in Thai culture than the salty ocean, consider a trip to Krabi, also known as "Krabi Town". Pronounced "Grabee," this small, but bustling city is just up the river from the coast, and is the gateway to the beaches in the surrounding Province of Krabi. Krabi Town is full of hotels, agencies and western restaurants, but if you look hard enough, you'll easily see the energy and life of Thailand. While there are no beaches in the town itself, there is plenty of Thai culture to experience.
Pattaya
Go where the locals go. If that is your vacation motto, you will want to take a look at the popular weekend getaway of Pattaya, Thailand. This seaside resort on the Eastern Gulf Coast of Thailand is just outside of Bangkok, and full of resorts, beer bars and beaches.
Hosting more than five million visitors a year, Pattaya is easily accessed from the capital and the airport. Keep in mind, the sex tourism industry is still a large money earner for this city, but efforts by local authorities have created resorts and attractions for families and vacationers from all around the world.
Which city is cheaper, Pattaya or Krabi?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Krabi is $46, while the average daily cost in Pattaya is $60. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Krabi and Pattaya in more detail.
Accommodation
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $58 in Krabi For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Travelers usually pay around $42 for a double occupancy room in Pattaya If you want to be in a premiere location or have high end amenities, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
On average, meal and food prices in Krabi cost around $11 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $4.40.
Food in Pattaya costs travelers about $20 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
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Food
Meals for one day
Krabi $11
Pattaya $20
Typical Food prices in Krabi
For Krabi, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Krabi
For Krabi, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Gourmet Thai Cooking Class in Krabi:
$42
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Pattaya
For Pattaya, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Drink Drunk Drunk night & Sunset landmark selfie with Dinner:
$56
Local Transportation
To get around in Krabi, the average visitor spends $4.12 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Pattaya than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $11 on transportation in Pattaya on average per day.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Krabi
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Krabi are as follows:
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Scooter Rental
$9.23
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Short Tuk-Tuk Ride
$3.08
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2 Bottles of Gasoline
$2.46
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Longboat Taxi from Town
$6.15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Krabi
Also for Krabi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Transfer from Krabi to Phuket with 2h of Sightseeing:
$91
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Koh Lanta to Koh Tao High Speed Transfers:
$49
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Private Transfer from Krabi City to Krabi (KBV) Airport:
$41
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Koh Lanta to Koh Phangan High Speed Transfers:
$40
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Private Round Trip Transfer between Krabi Town and KBV Krabi Airport:
$39
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Superfast Transfer from Koh Phi Phi to Krabi by Arisa Speed Boat:
$37
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Koh Lanta to Koh Samui High Speed Transfers:
$36
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Krabi to Koh Tao High Speed Transfer Ticket:
$34
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Koh Phangan to Krabi High-Speed Transfers:
$34
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Ferry & Bus Transfers between Krabi and Koh Samui:
$26
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Ferry & Bus Transfers between Koh Samui and Krabi:
$26
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Krabi to Koh Phangan High-Speed Transfers:
$25
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pattaya
Also for Pattaya, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Tiffany's Show Pattaya Admission Ticket with Return Transfer:
$44
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Sanctuary of Truth at Pattaya Admission Ticket with Transfer:
$35
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Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum at Pattaya with Return Transfer:
$52
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Return hotel transfers to Gems Gallery Pattaya (Jewelry):
$2.56
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Ramayana Water Park Admission with Hotel Transfers from Pattaya:
$65
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Ramayana Water Park Admission Ticket with Return Transfer:
$55
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Private Transfer: Pattaya to Bangkok:
$82
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Private Transfer: DMK Airport to Pattaya hotel 100% All-Electric Car:
$85
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Private Transfer: BKK Airport to Pattaya hotel 100% All-Electric Car:
$100
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Private Transfer from Pattaya to Suvarnabhumi Airport:
$73
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Private Transfer from Pattaya Hotel to DMK Airport:
$73
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Private Transfer from Pattaya Hotel to Bangkok Airport or Don Muang Airport:
$60
Is it cheaper to fly into Krabi or Pattaya?
Prices for flights to both Pattaya and Krabi 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.
Entertainment
In Krabi, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $9.17 per person, per day.
Sightseeing expenses in Pattaya, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $18 per day, per person.
Typical Entertainment prices in Krabi
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Krabi's activities, tours, and tickets:
Tours and Activities in Krabi
For Krabi, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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4 Island Snorkel Tour by Speedboat from Koh Lanta:
$72
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Andaman Islands Full-Day/Sunset Cruise by Thai Junk:
$105
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Bicycle Tour through Krabis Lush Green Countryside:
$58
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Deluxe Jungle Tour to Tiger Temple & Krabi Rainforest:
$67
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From Koh Lanta: 4 Island Tour to Emerald Cave by Big Boat:
$49
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From Similan Islands Tour by Speedboat:
$110
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From Lanta: Snorkel Tour to Koh Ngai & Kayak on Koh Talabeng:
$47
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Full-Day 4 Islands Long-Tail Boat Tour in Krabi:
$24
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Hong Island Deluxe Tour by Longtail Boat from Krabi:
$74
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Hong Island Tour by Speed Boat from Krabi with Kayaking:
$49
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Jungle Tour to Tiger Temple, Hot Springs & Crystal Pool:
$36
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Koh Phangan to Krabi Single/Return Ferry Ticket:
$30
Tours and Activities in Pattaya
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Pattaya.
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3-Hour Mini Siam Tour in Pattaya:
$55
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Admission Ticket to Ramayana Water Park in Pattaya:
$41
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Alcazar Cabaret Admission Ticket with Optional Hotel Pickup in Pattaya:
$21
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Alcazar Cabaret Admission Ticket with Optional Hotel Pickup in Pattaya:
$16
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Alcazar Cabaret Show Admission Tickets:
$19
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Alcazar Cabaret Show at Pattaya Admission Ticket:
$17
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Art in Paradise Pattaya Entrance (Ticket Only):
$9.09
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Art in Paradise at Pattaya Admission Ticket:
$15
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Art in Paradise in Pattaya Admission Ticket:
$15
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Bangkok Temples Private Tour from Pattaya – Full Day:
$150
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Coral Island (Koh Larn) & Sanctuary of Truth Private Tour from Pattaya –Full Day:
$85
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Coral Island (Koh Larn) Tours with Lunch:
$18
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Krabi spend on average $3.92 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Pattaya, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $7.38.
Typical Alcohol prices in Krabi
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Krabi are as follows:
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Beer
$2.77
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Cocktails (for Two)
$9.23
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Krabi and Pattaya, we can see that Pattaya is more expensive. And not only is Krabi much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Krabi would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Krabi 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 Pattaya would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Pattaya than you might in Krabi.
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