A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Lake Tekapo vs. Khao Yai National Park for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Lake Tekapo or Khao Yai National Park?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Lake Tekapo and Khao Yai National Park. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Lake Tekapo or Khao Yai National Park?

Lake Tekapo

Tekapo is a lakeside town on the South Island of New Zealand, and it is part of the Mackenzie District of Canterbury. This is one of the bluest lakes in the country and is surrounded by the mighty mountains of the Southern Alps.

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 New Zealand, The Best Contiki Tours to New Zealand, The Best Adventure Tours to Thailand, and The Best Eco Tours in Thailand.


Which place is cheaper, Khao Yai National Park or Lake Tekapo?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Lake Tekapo Prices
    New Zealand Prices
    Khao Yai National Park Prices
    Thailand Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Lake Tekapo $84
    Khao Yai National Park $85

The average daily cost (per person) in Lake Tekapo is $84, while the average daily cost in Khao Yai National Park is $85. 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 Lake Tekapo and Khao Yai National Park in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Lake Tekapo $59
    Khao Yai National Park $41
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Lake Tekapo $118
    Khao Yai National Park $82
Compare Hotels in Lake Tekapo and Khao Yai National Park

Looking for a hotel in Lake Tekapo 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.

Hotels in Lake Tekapo


Hotels in Khao Yai National Park


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: Lake Tekapo Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Lake Tekapo -
    Khao Yai National Park $16

Is it cheaper to fly into Lake Tekapo or Khao Yai National Park?

Prices for flights to both Khao Yai National Park and Lake Tekapo 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
    Lake Tekapo $22
    Khao Yai National Park $33

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Lake Tekapo -
    Khao Yai National Park $10

Tours and Activities in Lake Tekapo

Here are a few actual costs in Lake Tekapo for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Chameleon Stargazing Shared Tour: $71
  • Christchurch: Mt Cook & Lake Tekapo Small Group Day Tour: $173
  • Christchurch: Mt Cook Full-Day Private Tour via Lake Tekapo: $180
  • Christchurch: to Queenstown via Mt Cook 1 Way Tour: $231
  • Dark Sky Indoor Maori Cultural Astronomy Experience: $36
  • Highlights Tour with Tasting & Sunset in Oia: $116
  • Lake Tekapo Fishing Tour: $191
  • Lake Tekapo Guided 4WD Tours (Small Group, Carbon Positive): $173
  • Lake Tekapo High Country Farm Tour (Carbon Positive): $86
  • Lake Tekapo Scenic 4WD Cass Valley Wilderness Tour: $202
  • Lake Tekapo Scenic Wilderness Cass Valley Tour: $208
  • Lake Tekapo Ultimate Stargazing Experience: $118

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Lake Tekapo -
    Khao Yai National Park $13


When comparing the travel costs between Lake Tekapo and Khao Yai National Park, we can see that Khao Yai National Park 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. Even though Lake Tekapo is in Pacific and Khao Yai National Park is in Asia, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Lake Tekapo Expensive? and Is Khao Yai National Park Expensive?.


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