A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Railay Beach vs. Gili Trawangan for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Railay Beach or Gili Trawangan?

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 Railay Beach and Gili Trawangan can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Railay Beach or Gili Trawangan?

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.

Gili Trawangan

Gili Trawangan, known as Gili T, is the most visited of the three Gili Islands, located on the northeast side of Lombok. These islands are known for world-class diving and snorkeling spots. It's not hard to see why, considering that any direction you step off the shoreline, there's a beautiful underwater world to explore.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Thailand, The Best Tours for Seniors to Thailand, The Best Tours for Seniors to Indonesia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Indonesia.


Which place is cheaper, Gili Trawangan or Railay Beach?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Railay Beach is $105, while the average daily cost in Gili Trawangan is $36. 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 Railay Beach and Gili Trawangan in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Railay Beach $63
    Gili Trawangan $24
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Railay Beach $126
    Gili Trawangan $48
Compare Hotels in Railay Beach and Gili Trawangan

Looking for a hotel in Railay Beach or Gili Trawangan? 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.

Hotels in Railay Beach


Hotels in Gili Trawangan


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.


Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Railay Beach $25
    Gili Trawangan $2.76

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Gili Trawangan

Also for Gili Trawangan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Central Gili Island Bus Transfer Senggigi Mataram Kuta Lombok: $16
  • Airport private Transfer: $39
  • Lombok Transfer From 3 Gilis to Airport or Hotel In Lombok: $45
  • Private Transfer Three Gili Island Lombok by Speedboat: $100

Is it cheaper to fly into Railay Beach or Gili Trawangan?

Prices for flights to both Gili Trawangan and Railay Beach 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Railay Beach $22
    Gili Trawangan $7.21
Typical Food Prices in Railay Beach

Some typical examples of dining costs in Railay Beach are as follows:


  • Casual Lunch (for Two)
    $5.46
  • Pizza
    $4.64

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Gili Trawangan

For Gili Trawangan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Sweet and Spicy - Indonesian Cooking Class in Gili Trawangan: $28
  • Learn to cook authentic Indonesian food at Gili Cooking Classes: $29
  • Gili Trawangan Sunset BBQ Dinner Cruise with snorkeling: $91

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Railay Beach $23
    Gili Trawangan $3.98
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)
    $19

Tours and Activities in Gili Trawangan

For Gili Trawangan, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Shared Gili Islands Snorkeling Tour: $19
  • Private Snorkeling Experience in Gili Trawangan: $22
  • Kuta Tour (South Of Lombok Beutiful Tour): $49
  • Lombok Private Tour Waterfall And Traditional Village Including Beach: $55
  • Gili Hai 3 Islands BBQ Cruise: $72
  • Gili Hai 3 Islands BBQ Sunset Cruise: $72
  • Gili Nanggu Day Tour: $80
  • Lombok Private Customize Tour: $85
  • Gili Trawangan 3 Island Half day Cruise with BBQ Lunch and Snorkeling : $91
  • 5H All Inclusive Breakfast &Snorkeling Cruise on Utopia Catamaran: $107
  • 5H All Inclusive Sunset & Snorkeling Cruise on Utopia Catamaran: $107

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Railay Beach $15
    Gili Trawangan $3.67
Typical Alcohol Prices in Railay Beach

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Railay Beach are as follows:


  • Beer
    $1.64


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

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


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