Which place is cheaper, Koh Tao or Nairobi?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Nairobi or Koh Tao?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Nairobi and Koh Tao can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Nairobi or Koh Tao?
Nairobi
Nairobi is Kenya's capital as well as the country's largest city. With a population of about 3 million, it is also one of the largest cities in Africa. It is a prominent city both politically and financially within the region. There are many international companies that are located in Nairobi and the Nairobi Securities and Exchange is one of the largest in Africa.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Safaris in Kenya, The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best Tours for Seniors to Thailand, and The Best Contiki Tours to Thailand.
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Nairobi Prices
Kenya PricesKoh Tao Prices
Thailand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNairobi $68Koh Tao $49
The average daily cost (per person) in Nairobi is $68, while the average daily cost in Koh Tao is $49. 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 Nairobi and Koh Tao in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNairobi $12Koh Tao $16
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNairobi $24Koh Tao $32
Compare Hotels in Nairobi and Koh Tao
Looking for a hotel in Nairobi or Koh Tao? 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: Nairobi Hotel Prices and Koh Tao Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Nairobi $11Koh Tao $9.76
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Nairobi
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Nairobi:
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Taxi from Airport$9.27
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nairobi
Also for Nairobi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Road Transfer from Nairobi to Amboseli: $200
- Private Road Transfer from Nairobi to Amboseli national park: $197
- Airport transfers: $180
- Private Transfer in Nairobi: $180
- Private Transfer from Nairobi Airport or City to Mara by road: $135
- Private Arrival Transfer in Nairobi: $115
- Private Shuttle Van Transfer: $100
- Nairobi Airports Private Transfers: $100
- Private Transfers from Nairobi Airport to Hotels: $100
- Nairobi National Park Tour with Game Drive and Transfer: $95
- Airport Transfer (one Way): $80
- Private Transfer to Naivasha from Nairobi: $80
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$5.83
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Chumpon to Koh Tao Ferry$20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Koh Tao
Also for Koh Tao, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Koh Tao to Krabi High Speed Catamaran with Bus Transfer: $56
- Convenient Catamaran and Bus Transfer from Koh Tao to Krabi: $63
Is it cheaper to fly into Nairobi or Koh Tao?
Prices for flights to both Koh Tao and Nairobi 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 dayNairobi $13Koh Tao $18
Typical Food Prices in Nairobi
For Nairobi, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Dinner for Two$5.02
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nairobi
For Nairobi, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Carnivore Restaurant: Lunch or Dinner Experience in Nairobi: $21
- Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class & Local Market Tour: $55
- Private Interactive Cooking Class and Market Tour in Kinoo: $65
- Cooking Lesson of Local Food $ Lunch: $68
- Dinner/Lunch Eating Experience Carnivore Restaurant & Transport: $75
- Safari Park dinner with live band music and cat dance show.: $90
- Nairobi Nightlife and Safari Park Hotel Dinner Experience: $90
- Private Market Tour and Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class in Nairobi with a Local: $98
- Safari Cat Dancers Show And Dinner: $100
- Barbecue Lunch/ Dinner At The Carnivore Restaurant - Nairobi: $100
- Traditional Kikuyu Cooking Class In My Village: $100
- Safari Cat Dancers Show And Dinner: $120
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)$6.14
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Breakfast$4.60
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Casual Breakfast (for Two)$3.68
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Fancy Dinner (for Two)$15
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Pancake$2.15
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American Breakfast (for Two)$8.60
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Dinner at Bam Bam (for Two)$8.29
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Koh Tao
For Koh Tao, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Half Day Thai Cooking Class with Sea View from Koh Tao: $63
- Memorable Thai Cooking Class with Stunning View from Koh Tao: $67
- Koh Tao Private Rooftop Thai Cooking Class with Scenic View: $218
- Private Thai Cooking Class at Rooftop Kitchen on Koh Tao: $255
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Nairobi $46Koh Tao $30
Typical Entertainment Prices in Nairobi
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Nairobi's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Village Visit$15
Tours and Activities in Nairobi
For Nairobi, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 1 Day Bike Tour to Hell’s Gate And Lake Naivasha: $139
- 1 Day Hiking Adventure At Mt Longonot From Nairobi(minimum 2 Pax): $225
- 1 Day Pure Adrenaline Adventure with Kenyan BBQ Lunch Experience: $200
- 2 Days 1 Night Amboseli National Park With Masai Village Tour: $280
- 2 Days Tour :Mt.Longonot Hiking TOUR &Hells Gate Bicycle Riding: $200
- 2-Hour Private Kibera Slum Guided Tour: $90
- 3 Days 2 Nights Maasai Mara Group Tour with 4x4 Jeep: $210
- 3 Days 2 Nights Masai Mara Safari Witness the Jungle Experience: $270
- 3 Days 8th Wonder Of The World with Maasai Mara Great Tour: $242
- 3 Days Maasai Mara Group Safari on 4x4 Land Cruiser Jeep: $295
- 3 Days Maasai Mara Small Group Safari in a 4 x4 Land Cruiser Jeep: $220
- 3 Days Masai Mara Budget Camping Safari on 4X4 Land Cruiser: $285
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)$7.67
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Snorkel Rental$3.07
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Kayak and Snorkel (2)$3.07
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: $30
- Basic Diver ( One Day Experience): $122
- CocoTipAdventures and Snorkel with Meals-BBQs-Cocktail-Sunset: $53
- Full day snorkeling adventure around Koh Tao: $31
- Ko Tao: Ko Nangyuan & Hidden Bays Snorkeling Tour with Lunch: $30
- Koh Nang Yuan and Koh Tao 5 Point Snorkeling Tour: $31
- Koh Tao Snorkeling Tour to Hidden Bays and Koh Nang Yuan: $42
- Koh Tao Top Crystal Clear Snorkeling Day Tour by Big Boat: $30
- Koh Tao's First Light Snorkel Adventure with Oxygen Tours: $36
- No Rush Morning & Afternoon 5 Stop Snorkeling tour for Koh Tao: $28
- Premium Snorkel Tour to the Bays of Koh Tao onboard the Oxygen: $46
- Snorkel Tour to Koh Nangyuan and the hidden bays of Koh Tao onboard the Oxygen: $33
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNairobi $16Koh Tao $8.04
Sample the Local Flavors in Nairobi
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Nairobi:
- Food and Wine Tasting Experience at Five Senses Restaurant: $155
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$2.00
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Bottle of Wine$11
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Nairobi and Koh Tao, we can see that Nairobi is more expensive. And not only is Koh Tao much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Nairobi is in Africa and Koh Tao is in Asia, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. 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 Nairobi would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Nairobi 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 Nairobi Expensive? and Is Koh Tao Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Nairobi or Koh Tao?
Nairobi has a larger population, and is about 1990 times larger than the population of Koh Tao. When comparing the sizes of Nairobi and Koh Tao, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
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.