Should you visit Phuket or Koh Lanta?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Phuket or Koh Lanta, 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.
Koh Lanta
Located on the southern coast of Thailand is a place populated by long beaches and diving hotspots. Consisting of several islands, Koh Lanta is a large island with nine beaches along the coast. The beautiful scenery makes this a quiet and relaxing spot for tourists. The crowds on this island tend to be older than the party-seekers on Ko Phi Phi so you'll find more activities like serene walks on the beach or travelers catching a sunset.
Which city is cheaper, Koh Lanta or Phuket?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Phuket is $88, while the average daily cost in Koh Lanta is $41. 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 Koh Lanta in more detail.
Accommodation
A hotel room in Phuket is about $96 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
The average price for accommodation for two people in Koh Lanta is $42. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Phuket is $8.59 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 average price of local transportation around Koh Lanta is $4.85 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.
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
-
Khao Lak To Khao Sok Private Minivan & Car Transfer:
$65
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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
-
Luxe Transfer Airport - North Phuket by Toyota Alphard:
$100
-
Luxe Transfer Airport - North Phuket by Toyota Ventury VIP Saloon:
$47
-
Luxe Transfer Airport - South Phuket by Mercedes-Benz E-class:
$104
Typical Local Transportation prices in Koh Lanta
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Koh Lanta:
Is it cheaper to fly into Phuket or Koh Lanta?
Prices for flights to both Koh Lanta 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.
Food
On average, meal and food prices in Phuket cost around $17 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 $6.80.
The average traveler spends about $9.24 per day in Koh Lanta for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
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Food
Meals for one day
Phuket $17
Koh Lanta $9.24
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
-
Phuket Old Town 15-Taster Food Tour:
$63
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Siam Niramit w/ Ticket+ Buffet Dinner + Transfer:
$63
-
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
Typical Food prices in Koh Lanta
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Koh Lanta:
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Casual Breakfast
$4.67
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Casual Lunch
$7.89
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Casual Dinner
$13
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Fancy Dinner (for Two)
$50
Entertainment
Phuket's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $36 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.
Koh Lanta's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $26 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.
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
$26
-
Scuba Diving (Two Dives)
$73
-
Thai Oil Massage
$19
-
Surfboard Rental
$8.76
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
-
Original Phuket Discovery Tour:
$20
-
Flying Trapeze Adventure in Phuket:
$21
-
One-Day Fun and Easy Package: Adventure Golf with Food and Drink in Phuket:
$27
-
Phi Phi Islands Full-Day Tour by Express Boat:
$43
-
Organized trip Thailand with Hallelujah TOUR Thailand Resturant Car/Bike Rental:
$44
-
Phuket Adventure: Monkey Cave, Rafting, Zip Line & Waterfall:
$48
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Phuket Adventure: Rafting, Flying Fox, Cave & Waterfall:
$57
-
HALF DAY KHAI ISLAND TOUR WITH LUNCH-Tour by Speedboat from Phuket:
$63
-
Full Day Phi Phi Island Budget Speed Boat Tour with Lunch:
$64
-
City Tour, Yoga, and Muay Thai Class:
$65
-
Phuket, Maiton and 3 Khai Islands Full–Day Speed Boat Tour:
$68
Typical Entertainment prices in Koh Lanta
Here are a few typical costs in Koh Lanta for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Emerald Cave Tour
$20
-
Yoga Session (1 Hour)
$10
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Phuket may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $5.44 per day on alcoholic beverages.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Koh Lanta may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $3.25 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)
$5.84
-
Beer
$2.48
Sample the Local Flavors in Phuket
Also in Phuket, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Phuket and Koh Lanta, we can see that Phuket is more expensive. And not only is Koh Lanta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Koh Lanta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Koh Lanta 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 Koh Lanta.
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