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

Should you visit Okinawa or Gili Trawangan?

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 Okinawa and Gili Trawangan. 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: Okinawa or Gili Trawangan?

Okinawa

Okinawa is the southernmost prefecture of Japan and includes hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands. The chain of islands is off the southern mainland portion of the country and is made up of 49 inhabited islands and over one hundred uninhabited islands. Naha is Okinawa's capital, which is located in the southern part of Okinawa Island.

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 G Adventures Tours to Japan, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Tokyo, The Best Tours for Seniors to Indonesia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Indonesia.


Which place is cheaper, Gili Trawangan or Okinawa?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Okinawa is $104, while the average daily cost in Gili Trawangan is $36. 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 Okinawa and Gili Trawangan in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Okinawa $72
    Gili Trawangan $24
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Okinawa $144
    Gili Trawangan $48
Compare Hotels in Okinawa and Gili Trawangan

Looking for a hotel in Okinawa 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 Okinawa


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.


Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Okinawa $9.32
    Gili Trawangan $2.76

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Okinawa

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Okinawa:

  • Private Transfer from Okinawa Airport (OKA) to Nakagusuku Port: $85
  • Private Transfer from Nakagusuku Port to Okinawa Airport (OKA): $85
  • Private Transfer from Nakagusuku Port to Okinawa Airport (OKA): $94
  • Private Transfer from Nakagusuku Cruise Port to Naha City Hotels : $66
  • Private Transfer from Naha City Hotels to Nakagusuku Cruise Port : $59
  • Private Transfer from Naha City Hotels to Nakagusuku Cruise Port : $66
  • Okinawa Naha Airport (OKA) to Naha hotels - Arrival Transfer: $59
  • Okinawa Naha Airport (OKA) to Naha Hotels - Round-Trip Transfer: $118
  • Naha hotels to Okinawa Naha Airport (ОКА) - Departure Transfer: $59
  • Airport Transfer! Naha Airport (OKA) to Center of Naha: $124
  • Airport Transfer! Center of Naha to Naha Airport (OKA): $125

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Gili Trawangan

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

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

Is it cheaper to fly into Okinawa or Gili Trawangan?

Prices for flights to both Gili Trawangan and Okinawa 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
    Okinawa $23
    Gili Trawangan $7.21

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.
    Okinawa $14
    Gili Trawangan $3.98

Tours and Activities in Okinawa

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Okinawa are as follows:

  • Okinawa Local Experience and Sunset Cycling Tour: $85
  • 2-Hour Private Gorilla Go Kart Experience in Okinawa: $68
  • 4 Person Group Tour Kerama Blue Cycling in Aka Island : $118
  • American Village &Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium Tour from Naha/Chatan: $78
  • Beautiful sunset kayak tour in Okinawa: $36
  • City of Romance and Great Figures Haebaru Cycling Tour: $99
  • Cycling Experience in the Historic City of Urasoe: $99
  • E-Bike Nature Tour in Shuri: $89
  • Jungle River Trek: private tour in Yanbaru, north Okinawa: $49
  • Karate History Tour in Okinawa: $106
  • Kayak & Snorkel: private tour in Yanbaru, north Okinawa: $111
  • Kayak Mangroves or Coral Reef: private tour in north Okinawa : $53

Tours and Activities in Gili Trawangan

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

  • Shared Gili Islands Snorkeling Tour: $19
  • Private Snorkeling Experience in Gili Trawangan: $22
  • Kuta Tour (South Of Lombok Beutiful Tour): $49
  • Lombok Private Tour Waterfall And Traditional Village Including Beach: $55
  • Gili Hai 3 Islands BBQ Cruise: $72
  • Gili Hai 3 Islands BBQ Sunset Cruise: $72
  • Gili Nanggu Day Tour: $80
  • Lombok Private Customize Tour: $85
  • Gili Trawangan 3 Island Half day Cruise with BBQ Lunch and Snorkeling : $91
  • 5H All Inclusive Breakfast &Snorkeling Cruise on Utopia Catamaran: $107
  • 5H All Inclusive Sunset & Snorkeling Cruise on Utopia Catamaran: $107

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Okinawa $14
    Gili Trawangan $3.67

Sample the Local Flavors in Okinawa

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Okinawa:

  • Naha Local Pub Crawl: $110


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Okinawa and Gili Trawangan, we can see that Okinawa is more expensive. And not only is Gili Trawangan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Gili Trawangan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Gili Trawangan 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 Okinawa would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Okinawa than you might in Gili Trawangan.

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