A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Pai vs. Pyeongchang for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Pai or Pyeongchang?

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 Pai and Pyeongchang. 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: Pai or Pyeongchang?

Pai

As the lush green mountains adorn the blue horizon amidst its creamy clouds, Pai, in northern Thailand, works as one of the many hubs for some of the world's most exciting cultural adventures and natural wonders. Within this small town just north of the Mae Hong Son Province, near the Myanmar border, Pai lays on the Pai River and holds a population of no more than 2,500. Despite its geographical insignificance, this town attracts a wide array of tourists. From breathtaking waterfalls to relaxing hot springs, you will find yourself astonished at how much this little city holds within its borders.

Pyeongchang

Pyeongchang is a county of South Korea situated in the Taebaek Mountains in Gangwon Province. A popular location for winter sports, it was chosen as the host city for the 2018 Winter Olympics. Other attractions include Buddhist temples, parks, villages, and natural scenery.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Thailand, The Best 3-Day Tours from Phuket, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Seoul, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Seoul.

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

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

When is the best time to visit Pai or Pyeongchang?

Pyeongchang has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Pai experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Pai or Pyeongchang in the Summer?

Both Pyeongchang and Pai are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Pai throughout the year.

Pai is a little warmer than Pyeongchang in the summer. The daily temperature in Pai averages around 29°C (85°F) in July, and Pyeongchang fluctuates around 24°C (76°F).

Pai usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Pyeongchang during summer. Pai gets 146 hours of sunny skies, while Pyeongchang receives 144 hours of full sun in the summer.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Pyeongchang. It's quite rainy in Pai. In July, Pai usually receives around the same amount of rain as Pyeongchang. Pai gets 211 mm (8.3 in) of rain, while Pyeongchang receives 217 mm (8.5 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Pai or Pyeongchang in the Autumn?

Both Pyeongchang and Pai during the autumn are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Pai because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In the autumn, Pai is much warmer than Pyeongchang. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Pai in October average around 29°C (84°F), and Pyeongchang averages at about 15°C (60°F).

It's quite sunny in Pai. In the autumn, Pai often gets more sunshine than Pyeongchang. Pai gets 226 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Pyeongchang receives 185 hours of full sun.

Pyeongchang gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Pai. Pai usually gets around the same amount of rain in October as Pyeongchang. Pai gets 115 mm (4.5 in) of rain, while Pyeongchang receives 112 mm (4.4 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Pai or Pyeongchang in the Winter?

The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Pai and Pyeongchang. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Pai year-round.

It's quite cold in Pyeongchang in the winter. In January, Pai is generally much warmer than Pyeongchang. Daily temperatures in Pai average around 24°C (74°F), and Pyeongchang fluctuates around 0°C (33°F).

In Pai, it's very sunny this time of the year. Pai usually receives more sunshine than Pyeongchang during winter. Pai gets 283 hours of sunny skies, while Pyeongchang receives 190 hours of full sun in the winter.

In January, Pai usually receives less rain than Pyeongchang. Pai gets 12 mm (0.5 in) of rain, while Pyeongchang receives 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Pai or Pyeongchang in the Spring?

The spring brings many poeple to Pai as well as Pyeongchang. Pai attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

It's very hot in Pai this time of the year. Pai is much warmer than Pyeongchang in the spring. The daily temperature in Pai averages around 32°C (89°F) in April, and Pyeongchang fluctuates around 12°C (54°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Pyeongchang. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Pai this time of the year. In the spring, Pai often gets more sunshine than Pyeongchang. Pai gets 275 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Pyeongchang receives 204 hours of full sun.

Pai usually gets less rain in April than Pyeongchang. Pai gets 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Pyeongchang receives 77 mm (3 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Pyeongchang and Pai