Should you visit Phuket or Railay Beach?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Phuket or Railay Beach, 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.
Railay Beach
If you're looking to scale great heights and add more achievements to your list during your vacation, consider a trip to the peninsula of Rai Leh, or more commonly Railay Bay or Railay Beach, in the Krabi region of Thailand. This swimming and rock climbing hotspot is known for its towering limestone peaks and gorgeous surrounding scenery.
Which city is cheaper, Railay Beach 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 Railay Beach is $90. 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 Railay Beach in more detail.
Accommodation
A hotel room in Phuket is about $96 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
Railay Beach's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $108. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $54.
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 cost of a taxi ride in Railay Beach is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $22 per person, per day, on local transportation in Railay Beach.
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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Private Airport Transfer: from Phuket to Phuket International Airport (HKT):
$15
-
Express Boat Transfers between Phuket and Koh Phi Phi:
$16
-
Phuket International and Domestic Airport - Departure Transfer:
$17
-
Phuket International Airport Shared Shuttle Transfer:
$18
-
One-Way Transfer from Phuket to Phi Phi by Ferry:
$20
-
Transfer from Phuket Hotel to Phi Phi Island:
$25
-
Private Transfer to/from Phuket Intl. Airport (HKT):
$26
-
Phuket Airport (HKT) Private Transfer:
$31
-
Private Car: Phuket Airport Departure Transfer:
$35
-
Phuket Airport Transfer - Private Mini Van:
$38
-
Private Van: Phuket Airport Transfers:
$38
-
Transfer from Phuket Hotel to Phuket Airport:
$43
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Railay Beach
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Railay Beach:
-
Ao Nang: One-Way Railay Beach Longtail Boat Transfer:
$31
Is it cheaper to fly into Phuket or Railay Beach?
Prices for flights to both Railay Beach 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.
In Railay Beach travelers spend around $18 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.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Phuket $17
Railay Beach $18
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.
-
Private Authentic Thai Cooking Class in a Family Home in Phuket:
$60
-
Phuket Old Town 15-Taster Food Tour:
$63
-
Siam Niramit w/ Ticket+ Buffet Dinner + Transfer:
$63
-
Half Day Thai Cooking Class including Lunch from Khao Lak:
$65
-
Phuket FantaSea: Show with Dinner and Transfers:
$75
-
Phijittra Uniqueness Sailing Sunset Dinner Cruise:
$79
-
Phuket Cooking Course with Sightseeing Tour plus Kata Local Market (Full Day):
$101
-
Dinner Buffet Cruise in Phuket:
$109
-
James Bond Island Trip on Luxury Boat & lunch buffet, dinner, water activities:
$153
-
Sunset Dinner Cruise on board a beautiful:
$204
Typical Food prices in Railay Beach
Some typical examples of dining costs in Railay Beach are as follows:
-
Casual Lunch (for Two)
$5.84
-
Pizza
$4.97
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.
Entertainment and activities in Railay Beach typically cost an average of $20 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:
-
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:
-
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
-
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 Railay Beach
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Railay Beach are as follows:
-
Rock Climbing (for Two)
$20
Tours and Activities in Railay Beach
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Railay Beach are as follows:
-
Crystal Clear Kayak Tour in Krabi:
$30
-
Krabi: Hong Islands Full-Day Private Speedboat Charter Tour:
$508
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.
The average person spends about $13 on alcoholic beverages in Railay Beach per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typical Alcohol prices in Phuket
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Phuket from other travelers:
-
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:
Typical Alcohol prices in Railay Beach
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Railay Beach are as follows:
Sample the Local Flavors in Railay Beach
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Railay Beach:
When comparing the travel costs between Phuket and Railay Beach, we can see that Railay Beach is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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