Which place is cheaper, Railay Beach or Sandakan?
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 Sandakan or Railay Beach?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Sandakan or Railay Beach? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Sandakan or Railay Beach?
Sandakan
Located on the Northeast side of the state of Sabah in Borneo is the city of Sandakan, which is the 2nd largest city in the country. Sandakan was a prosperous port town in the 1800s because of its exports of tobacco, timber, pearls, and ivory. However, this booming town that was formerly the administrative capital in North Borneo was bombed practically out of existence at the end of World War II.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Malaysia, The Best Adventure Tours to Malaysia, The Best Budget Tours to Thailand, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Thailand.
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Sandakan Prices
Malaysia PricesRailay Beach Prices
Thailand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySandakan $81Railay Beach $139
The average daily cost (per person) in Sandakan is $81, while the average daily cost in Railay Beach is $139. 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 Sandakan and Railay Beach in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSandakan $23Railay Beach $73
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSandakan $46Railay Beach $146
Compare Hotels in Sandakan and Railay Beach
Looking for a hotel in Sandakan or Railay Beach? 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: Sandakan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sandakan $37Railay Beach $29
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sandakan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sandakan:
- Private 1Way Transfer to/from Sandakan Airport, City or Sepilok: $38
Is it cheaper to fly into Sandakan or Railay Beach?
Prices for flights to both Railay Beach and Sandakan 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 daySandakan $36Railay Beach $43
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sandakan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Sandakan.
- Mangrove Cruise with Fireflies Tour Including Dinner from Sandakan: $64
- Sandakan : Fireflies and Mangrove Cruise with Dinner: $193
Typical Food Prices in Railay Beach
Some typical examples of dining costs in Railay Beach are as follows:
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$6.28
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Pizza$5.34
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sandakan $8.15Railay Beach $26
Tours and Activities in Sandakan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Sandakan are as follows:
- Private Tour: Half Day Sandakan City Tour Including Local Lunch: $60
- Private Sandakan City Must See 6 Highlights Tour with Guide & Car: $63
- From 7 Unmissable Local Stops Private Tour: $75
- Sukau Rainforest Wildlife and Dawn Cruises Tour in Sandakan: $83
- Borneo Kinabatangan River Cruise Day Trip: $88
- Sandakan Private City Tour Orangutan Sun Bears and Rainforest: $89
- Kinabatangan River Cruise from Sandakan: $90
- Sukau Rainforest Wildlife Journey & Dawn Cruises: $90
- Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre & Sepilok Orang Utan Rehab Centre Tour: $112
- Day Trip Sepilok Orang-utan And City Tour (Flight Excluded): $119
- Private Full Day Sepilok Orang Utan, Bornean Sun Bear and Rainforest Discovery Center Tour: $125
- Labuk Proboscis, Sepilok, Sun Bear, Sandakan City Tour & Lunch: $147
Typical Entertainment Prices in Railay Beach
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Railay Beach are as follows:
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Rock Climbing (for Two)$22
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySandakan $7.47Railay Beach $17
Typical Alcohol Prices in Railay Beach
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Railay Beach are as follows:
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Beer$1.88
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sandakan and Railay Beach, we can see that Railay Beach is more expensive. And not only is Sandakan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Sandakan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sandakan 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 Sandakan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Sandakan Expensive? and Is Railay Beach Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Sandakan or Railay Beach?
Both destinations experience a warmer climate with nice weather most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season.
Should I visit Sandakan or Railay Beach in the Summer?
Both Railay Beach and Sandakan are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Sandakan throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Railay Beach because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
The rainy season in Railay Beach is August to October. It rains a lot this time of the year in Railay Beach. It's quite rainy in Sandakan. In July, Sandakan usually receives less rain than Railay Beach. Sandakan gets 195 mm (7.7 in) of rain, while Railay Beach receives 287 mm (11.3 in) of rain each month for the summer.
It's quite sunny in Railay Beach. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Sandakan. Sandakan usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Railay Beach during summer. Sandakan gets 221 hours of sunny skies, while Railay Beach receives 206 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Sandakan is generally around the same temperature as Railay Beach. Daily temperatures in Sandakan average around 27°C (81°F), and Railay Beach fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
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Summer Average Temperatures JulySandakan 27°C (81°F)Railay Beach 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Sandakan or Railay Beach in the Autumn?
Both Railay Beach and Sandakan during the autumn are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Sandakan because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Railay Beach year-round.
December to March is the dry season in Railay Beach. August to October is the rainy season in Railay Beach. Railay Beach gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Sandakan. Sandakan usually gets less rain in October than Railay Beach. Sandakan gets 253 mm (10 in) of rain, while Railay Beach receives 304 mm (12 in) of rain this time of the year.
In the autumn, Sandakan often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Railay Beach. Sandakan gets 191 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Railay Beach receives 181 hours of full sun.
Sandakan is around the same temperature as Railay Beach in the autumn. The daily temperature in Sandakan averages around 28°C (82°F) in October, and Railay Beach fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberSandakan 28°C (82°F)Railay Beach 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Sandakan or Railay Beach in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Sandakan and Railay Beach. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Sandakan year-round. Railay Beach attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
December to March in Railay Beach is the dry season. Sandakan gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In January, Sandakan usually receives more rain than Railay Beach. Sandakan gets 437 mm (17.2 in) of rain, while Railay Beach receives 31 mm (1.2 in) of rain each month for the winter.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Railay Beach this time of the year. Sandakan usually receives less sunshine than Railay Beach during winter. Sandakan gets 156 hours of sunny skies, while Railay Beach receives 287 hours of full sun in the winter.
In the winter, Sandakan is around the same temperature as Railay Beach. Typically, the winter temperatures in Sandakan in January average around 26°C (80°F), and Railay Beach averages at about 28°C (82°F).
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuarySandakan 26°C (80°F)Railay Beach 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Sandakan or Railay Beach in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Sandakan as well as Railay Beach. Sandakan attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Railay Beach throughout the year.
It's quite rainy in Railay Beach. Sandakan receives a lot of rain in the spring. Sandakan usually gets less rain in April than Railay Beach. Sandakan gets 107 mm (4.2 in) of rain, while Railay Beach receives 120 mm (4.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Railay Beach. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Sandakan this time of the year. In the spring, Sandakan often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Railay Beach. Sandakan gets 247 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Railay Beach receives 249 hours of full sun.
In April, Sandakan is generally around the same temperature as Railay Beach. Daily temperatures in Sandakan average around 28°C (82°F), and Railay Beach fluctuates around 29°C (84°F).
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilSandakan 28°C (82°F)Railay Beach 29°C (84°F)
Typical Weather for Railay Beach and Sandakan
| Sandakan | Railay Beach | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (80°F) | 437 mm (17.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) |
| Feb | 27°C (80°F) | 268 mm (10.6 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 22 mm (0.9 in) |
| Mar | 27°C (81°F) | 158 mm (6.2 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 52 mm (2 in) |
| Apr | 28°C (82°F) | 107 mm (4.2 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 120 mm (4.7 in) |
| May | 28°C (83°F) | 138 mm (5.4 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 318 mm (12.5 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 200 mm (7.9 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 279 mm (11 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (81°F) | 195 mm (7.7 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 287 mm (11.3 in) |
| Aug | 28°C (82°F) | 213 mm (8.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 262 mm (10.3 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 237 mm (9.3 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 399 mm (15.7 in) |
| Oct | 28°C (82°F) | 253 mm (10 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 304 mm (12 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 344 mm (13.5 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 165 mm (6.5 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (80°F) | 462 mm (18.2 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) |
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.