Should you visit Phuket or Boracay?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Phuket or Boracay, this travel cost comparison can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Phuket
Phuket Island is the tourist mecca of southern Thailand. Known for its beaches and resorts, the island brings in a massive amount of travelers from all over the world, year round. Although the beaches are beautiful, Phuket has also become more westernized and tourist-oriented in recent decades, leaving many travelers to venture elsewhere to find that amazing beach with a more authentic Thai vibe. However, Phuket Island is quite large, and hidden gems can still be found.
Boracay
A small island in the Philippines known for its resorts and beaches, Boracay is a little escape. Each beach has its own unique character, each with new treasures waiting to be discovered.
Which city is cheaper, Boracay or Phuket?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Phuket is $93, while the average daily cost in Boracay is $50. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Phuket and Boracay in more detail.
Accommodation
A hotel room in Phuket is about $102 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $21. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Boracay the cost is $42 on average.
Food
On average, meal and food prices in Phuket cost around $18 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $7.20.
In Boracay travelers spend around $13 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
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Food
Meals for one day
Phuket $18
Boracay $13
Typical Food prices in Phuket
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Phuket:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Phuket
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Phuket.
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Private Authentic Thai Cooking Class in a Family Home in Phuket:
$60
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Siam Niramit w/ Ticket+ Buffet Dinner + Transfer:
$63
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Half Day Thai Cooking Class including Lunch from Khao Lak:
$65
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Phuket FantaSea: Show with Dinner and Transfers:
$75
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Phijittra Uniqueness Sailing Sunset Dinner Cruise:
$79
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Phuket Cooking Course with Sightseeing Tour plus Kata Local Market (Full Day):
$101
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Dinner Buffet Cruise in Phuket:
$109
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James Bond Island Trip on Luxury Boat & lunch buffet, dinner, water activities:
$153
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Sunset Dinner Cruise on board a beautiful:
$204
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Phuket is $9.05 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
The cost of a taxi ride in Boracay is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $25 per person, per day, on local transportation in Boracay.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Phuket
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Phuket:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Phuket
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Phuket:
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Departure Private Transfers from Phuket City to Phuket Airport HKT:
$100
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Departure Private Transfers from Phuket City to Phuket Airport HKT:
$96
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Express Boat Transfers between Phuket and Koh Phi Phi:
$16
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Luxe Transfer Airport - Central Phuket by Mercedes-Benz S-class:
$136
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Luxe Transfer Airport - Central Phuket by Toyota Alphard:
$118
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Luxe Transfer Airport - Central Phuket by Toyota Ventury VIP Saloon:
$58
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Luxe Transfer Airport - North Phuket by Mercedes-Benz E-class:
$77
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Luxe Transfer Airport - North Phuket by Mercedes-Benz S-class:
$118
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Luxe Transfer Airport - North Phuket by Toyota Alphard:
$100
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Luxe Transfer Airport - North Phuket by Toyota Ventury VIP Saloon:
$47
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Luxe Transfer Airport - South Phuket by Mercedes-Benz E-class:
$104
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Luxe Transfer Airport - South Phuket by Mercedes-Benz S-class:
$154
Is it cheaper to fly into Phuket or Boracay?
Prices for flights to both Boracay and Phuket 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.
Entertainment
Phuket's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $38 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Entertainment and activities in Boracay typically cost an average of $14 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Typical Entertainment prices in Phuket
Here are a few typical costs in Phuket for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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One Day Boat Tour
$28
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Scuba Diving (Two Dives)
$77
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Thai Oil Massage
$20
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Surfboard Rental
$9.23
Tours and Activities in Phuket
Here are a few actual costs in Phuket for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Phuket Trickeye Museum Ticket:
$15
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Original Phuket Discovery Tour:
$20
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Flying Trapeze Adventure in Phuket:
$21
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One-Day Fun and Easy Package: Adventure Golf with Food and Drink in Phuket:
$27
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Phi Phi Islands Full-Day Tour by Express Boat:
$43
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Organized trip Thailand with Hallelujah TOUR Thailand Resturant Car/Bike Rental:
$44
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Phuket Adventure: Rafting, Flying Fox, Cave & Waterfall:
$57
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HALF DAY KHAI ISLAND TOUR WITH LUNCH-Tour by Speedboat from Phuket:
$63
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Full Day Phi Phi Island Budget Speed Boat Tour with Lunch:
$64
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Phuket, Maiton and 3 Khai Islands Full–Day Speed Boat Tour:
$68
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Zipline Adventure at Hanuman World in Phuket with Skywalk:
$68
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James Bond Nature Tour Spiked with Fun Activities:
$69
Tours and Activities in Boracay
Here are a few actual costs in Boracay for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Atv Mainland Adventure:
$25
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Phuket may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $5.73 per day on alcoholic beverages.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Boracay may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $15 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Typical Alcohol prices in Phuket
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Phuket from other travelers:
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Cocktails (for Two)
$6.15
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Beer
$2.61
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Phuket and Boracay, we can see that Phuket is more expensive. And not only is Boracay much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Boracay would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Boracay 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 Phuket would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Phuket than you might in Boracay.
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