Which place is cheaper, Chiang Rai or Petra?
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 Petra or Chiang Rai?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
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 Petra and Chiang Rai can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Petra or Chiang Rai?
Petra
Whether you're checking off the Seven Wonders of the World, or you're just a huge Indiana Jones fan, the city of Petra must be on your bucket list. The "rose red city, half as old as time," was the capital of the Nabataean kingdom in the 6th century BC. It was the center for trade and commerce until an earthquake took out buildings and destroyed their water management system. After this destruction, the city of Petra seemed to be lost to western civilization.
Chiang Rai
If you find yourself dreaming of a vacation in Northern Thailand, consider the metropolitan city of Chiang Rai. This centrally located capital of the Chiang Rai province provides an excellent home base for exploring the surrounding areas. While it serves well as a home base, it has its own charms worth wandering.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in Jordan, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Jordan, The Best Tours for Seniors to Thailand, and The Best Contiki Tours to Thailand.
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Petra Prices
Jordan PricesChiang Rai Prices
Thailand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPetra $153Chiang Rai $51
The average daily cost (per person) in Petra is $153, while the average daily cost in Chiang Rai is $51. 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 Petra and Chiang Rai in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPetra $59Chiang Rai $19
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPetra $118Chiang Rai $38
Compare Hotels in Petra and Chiang Rai
Looking for a hotel in Petra or Chiang Rai? 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: Petra Hotel Prices and Chiang Rai Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Petra $23Chiang Rai $3.53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Petra
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Petra:
- Private Transfers from Petra Inside Jordan and Vice Versa: $176
- Private Transfer from Petra to Madaba – Safe & Comfortable Ride: $140
- Private Transfer from Ma'in Hotel to Aqaba Airport: $120
- Private Transfer From Petra to Amman or Airport With Optional: $88
- Private Transfer Amman Airport to Petra or vice versa via the King's Highway: $120
- Private Transfer Amman Airport to Ma'in Hotel and vice versa: $73
- Private Departure Transfer: Petra Hotels to Amman Airport: $93
- Petra Private Transfer To Multiple Destinations: $115
- Petra Private Transfer To Jerusalem: $290
- Petra Private Transfer To Aqaba: $100
- Comfortable and Reliable Private Transfer: Petra to Wadi Rum: $100
- Comfort VIP Private Transfer: Petra to Aqaba South Beach Hotels: $140
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Chiang Rai
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Chiang Rai:
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Bus to White Temple$1.21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chiang Rai
Also for Chiang Rai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Chiang Rai Airport Transfer to City Hotels: $30
- Chiang Rai Airport to Chiang Khong & Golden Triangle Transfer: $55
- 2 Days 1 Night Slow Boat Transfer to Luang Prabang: $82
- Private Transfer from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai: $140
- Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai Private Scenic Transfer Tour: $153
- 2 days tour in Chiang rai, included hotel, lunch,pick up&transfer: $187
- Chiang Rai:Private Transfer to Chiang Mai & Temples Visit: $264
Is it cheaper to fly into Petra or Chiang Rai?
Prices for flights to both Chiang Rai and Petra 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 dayPetra $66Chiang Rai $22
Typical Food Prices in Petra
Some typical examples of dining costs in Petra are as follows:
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Dinner for Two$12
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Juice$1.76
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Petra
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Petra.
- Authentic Jordanian Cooking, Taste of Comfort With Family: $28
- Cooking outside in little Petra between the Mountains.: $50
- Private Outdoor bedouin Dinner in Petra: $150
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chiang Rai
For Chiang Rai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Authentic Private Thai Cooking Class in Chiang Rai: $37
- Lanna Home Cooking Class at Give Green Farm House: $54
- Half-Day Thai Cooking Class with organic ingredients: $56
- Jungle Trek and Bamboo Cooking in Chiang Rai: $56
- Thai Cooking Class in Chiangrai with The Market Tour: $56
- 1 Day Trekking Group Tour With Bamboo Cooking / Chiang Rai: $56
- Trekking & bamboo cooking Tour: $57
- From Chiang Rai Jungle Adventure Group Trekking Bamboo Cooking: $62
- Chiang Rai Private Thai and Akha Cooking Class with Market Visit: $62
- Private Cooking Class in Chiang Rai: $66
- Chiang Rai Jungle Trekking with Bamboo Cooking and Hot Springs: $72
- Chiang Rai Thai Cooking Class with Market Tour at Suwannee: $74
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Petra $47Chiang Rai $8.19
Typical Entertainment Prices in Petra
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Petra are as follows:
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Entry to Petra for One$71
Tours and Activities in Petra
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Petra are as follows:
- 3 Hour Horse Riding Adventure around the Petra Area: $145
- 3-Hour Private Petra Tour: Siq, Treasury & Qasr Al-Bint: $145
- 6 Hours Private Tour in Petra: $125
- From Petra : Wadi Rum Private 8 - hours roundtrip tour .: $190
- Guided 3 Hour Tour of Petra's Iconic Landmarks: $60
- Half-Day Private Indiana Jones Petra Back Road Trial Tour: $200
- Petra Highlight Tour with Private Guide Sami Nawafleh | 2.5 Hours: $120
- Petra Highlights Guided Golf Cart Tour with Hotel Pickup: $169
- Private 2-Day Jordan Tour: Petra, Wadi Rum & Dead Sea: $210
- Private 3-Day Jordan Tour: Petra, Wadi Rum & Dead Sea: $270
- Private 3-Hour Guided Tour of Petra with Hotel Pickup .: $75
- Private Back Trail Tour of Petra starting from the Monastery: $293
Tours and Activities in Chiang Rai
For Chiang Rai, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Half Day Join Tour Chiang Rai Pick Up Only In Chiang Rai: $27
- Chiang Rai ATV Jungle Adventure with Waterfalls and Viewpoints: $33
- Scenic View ATV Tour and Pineapple Farm Visit in Chiang Rai: $38
- Full Day Group Tour in Chiang Rai: $40
- One Day Group Tour Experience in Chiangrai: $40
- Explore Full-Day Tour & Lunch Buffet: $42
- Chiang Rai Discovery Full Day Guided Tour and Free Lunch Buffet: $42
- Sightseeing Join Tour Chiang Rai / PICK UP ONLY IN CHIANG RAI: $42
- Mae Fah Luang Art & Cultural Park, around Chiang Rai city tour: $47
- Half Day Cycling Tour to the White temple: $49
- Chiang Rai 7 Incredible Highlights Tour Lunch Included: $50
- Chiang Rai Iconic 4 Temples White Blue Red and Lalitta Cafe Tour: $64
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPetra $15Chiang Rai $9.05
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Petra and Chiang Rai, we can see that Petra is more expensive. And not only is Chiang Rai much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Petra is in Middle East and Chiang Rai 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 Chiang Rai would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Chiang Rai 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 Petra would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Petra than you might in Chiang Rai.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Petra Expensive? and Is Chiang Rai Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Petra or Chiang Rai?
Chiang Rai has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Petra. When comparing the sizes of Petra and Chiang Rai, 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.