A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Surat Thani vs. Napier for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Surat Thani or Napier?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Surat Thani and Napier can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Surat Thani or Napier?

Surat Thani

The best way to see the real culture of a country is to go where the tourists are not. If you are itching to experience real Thai culture, you may want to visit the city of Surat Thani. Located on the central gulf coast of southern Thailand, this city is usually the gateway to other Thai islands – meaning visitors run through it without stopping. Stay a while and get to know Surat Thani – known to the locals as the "City of Good People."

Napier

Napier is city on the eastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of the Hawke's Bay Region, a famous area for wine vineyards. Napier has a population of 61,000 people and is known for its Art Deco architecture and of course, wine.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours from Bangkok, The Best 2-Week Tours from Bangkok, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in New Zealand, and The Best Luxury Tours to New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Napier or Surat Thani?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Surat Thani is $53, while the average daily cost in Napier is $167. 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 Surat Thani and Napier in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Surat Thani $25
    Napier $101
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Surat Thani $50
    Napier $202
Compare Hotels in Surat Thani and Napier

Looking for a hotel in Surat Thani or Napier? 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 Surat Thani


Hotels in Napier


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: Napier Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Surat Thani $24
    Napier $30

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Surat Thani

Also for Surat Thani, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Transfer to Don Sak Pier: $59
  • Private Transfer from Samui (USM) Airport to Choeng Mon Beach: $36
  • Private Transfer from Samui (USM) Airport to Chaweng: $36
  • Private Transfer from Samui (USM) Airport to Bo Phut: $36
  • Private Transfer Surat Thani Airport (URT) to / from Surat Thani: $196
  • Private Arrival Transfer : Koh Samui Airport to Koh Samui Hotel (SHA Plus): $14
  • Private Airport Transfer in Koh Samui Sedan 1-3 PAX: $12
  • From Koh Samui: One-Way Ferry Transfer to Surat Thani: $7.16
  • Donsak pier to aonang , krabi town , klongmuang any hotel Private transfer: $114

Is it cheaper to fly into Surat Thani or Napier?

Prices for flights to both Napier and Surat Thani 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
    Surat Thani $14
    Napier $36
Typical Food Prices in Surat Thani

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Surat Thani:


  • Dinner
    $4.09

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Surat Thani

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

  • Khao Sok: Elephant Day Care, Cooking Class, & Bamboo Raft: $71

Typical Food Prices in Napier

For Napier, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Casural Lunch
    $8.32

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Surat Thani $4.97
    Napier $27

Tours and Activities in Surat Thani

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Surat Thani.

  • 5 island tour: $459
  • Blue Stars Kayaking Adventure in Angthong Marine Park: $69
  • From Khao Lak/Khao Sok: Cheow Lan Lake and Emerald Pool Tour: $105
  • From Phuket: Cheow Lan Lake 2Day Guided Tour with Activities: $203
  • From Phuket: Full-Day Private Tour to Khao Sok Highlights: $170
  • Khao Sok Lake: Private Day Tour with Boat and Jungle Trek: $179
  • Khao Sok: Cheow Lan Lake Sunset Cruise w/ Drinks: $91
  • Khao Sok: Private Longtail Boat Tour at Cheow Lan Lake: $227
  • Koh Phangan: Private Land Tour with Snorkeling: $241
  • Koh Samui Day and Night Fishing Experience: $48
  • Koh Samui Waterfall And Mummified Monk Temple Tour: $241
  • Koh Samui: 4x4 Sightseeing Safari & Elephant Sanctuary Tour: $58

Tours and Activities in Napier

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

  • 2.5-Hour Napier Art Deco Tour: $58
  • Beer, Wine, Cider and Gin Tour in New Zealand: $119
  • Best of Napier & Hawkes Bay Tour: $91
  • Cape Coast Wineries Self-Guided Scenic Bike Tour from Napier: $49
  • Cape Winery Cycle Tour - 6 wineries, self-guided: $70
  • Deco City Black Cab Tours and Shuttles: $106
  • Half Day Sights and Tastes Tour in Napier : $97
  • Hastings Earthquake Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
  • Hawke's Bay: Self Guided Coastal Winery Cycle Tour: $48
  • Hawkes Bay Wineries Electric Self-Guided Bike Tour: $59
  • Hawkes Bay Wineries Self-Guided Bike Tour: $36
  • Napier Art Deco Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Surat Thani $4.96
    Napier $16

Typical Alcohol Prices in Napier

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


  • Wine
    $12

Sample the Local Flavors in Napier

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Napier:

  • Half Day Small-Group Hawkes Bay Wine Tour: $94
  • Wine Tour and Tastings in Hawkes Bay: $167
  • Private Sightseeing Tour + Wine Tasting: $627


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Surat Thani and Napier, we can see that Napier is more expensive. And not only is Surat Thani much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Surat Thani is in Asia and Napier is in Pacific, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Surat Thani would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Surat Thani 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 Napier would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Napier than you might in Surat Thani.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Surat Thani Expensive? and Is Napier Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Surat Thani or Napier?

Napier has a larger population, and is about 56790 times larger than the population of Surat Thani. When comparing the sizes of Surat Thani and Napier, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.