Which place is cheaper, Surfers Paradise or Surat Thani?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Surat Thani or Surfers Paradise?
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 Surfers Paradise 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 Surfers Paradise?
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."
Surfers Paradise
A tourist mecca, Surfers Paradise is one of the most popular travel destinations along Australia's famed Gold Coast. The beach stretches for miles and there is an endless supply of almost constant parties. You'll find high rise apartments lined up along the shore and plenty of shopping areas, restaurants, nightclubs, and bars. Travelers from around the world visit the area, and it's a right of passage for Australia's teens to vacation in or near Surfers Paradise. For many travelers, Surfers Paradise comes across as little more than a mass marketed, over commercialized, party destination, but for others it is a vacation dream. Prices are highly inflated so you have to keep your whits about you to avoid being ripped off. Surfers Paradise is a destination of extremes and it conjures up extreme emotions in many travelers, be it positive or negative.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Yoga Tours and Retreats in Thailand, The Best Honeymoon Tours in Thailand, The Best Contiki Tours to Australia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Australia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySurat Thani $53Surfers Paradise $104
The average daily cost (per person) in Surat Thani is $53, while the average daily cost in Surfers Paradise is $104. 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 Surfers Paradise in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSurat Thani $25Surfers Paradise $66
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSurat Thani $50Surfers Paradise $132
Compare Hotels in Surat Thani and Surfers Paradise
Looking for a hotel in Surat Thani or Surfers Paradise? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Surat Thani $24Surfers Paradise $11
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Surfers Paradise
Also for Surfers Paradise, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Gold Coast Hot Air Balloon + Winery Breakfast + Return Transfers: $291
- Private Transfer to Brisbane/BNE Airport from Gold Coast/OOL Airport( 1-7 pax): $229
- All-Inclusive Dolphin & Tangalooma Wrecks Day Cruise (Gold Coast Transfer): $149
- Gold Coast Airport Transfers Corporate Chauffeurs Gold Coast: $119
- Private Transfer from Brisbane Airports to Surfers Paradise: $106
- Luxury Private Transfer between Gold Coast Airport and Gold Coast city (1-7pax) : $89
- Private Transfer from Gold Coast Airport - Surfers Paradise: $50
- Gold Coast Theme Parks: Shared Hotel Transfers: $14
Is it cheaper to fly into Surat Thani or Surfers Paradise?
Prices for flights to both Surfers Paradise 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
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Food Meals for one daySurat Thani $14Surfers Paradise $26
Typical Food Prices in Surat Thani
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Surat Thani:
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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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Surfers Paradise
For Surfers Paradise, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Buffet Dinner Sightseeing Cruise: $78
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Surat Thani $4.97Surfers Paradise $23
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
Typical Entertainment Prices in Surfers Paradise
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Surfers Paradise's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Surf Lesson$78
Tours and Activities in Surfers Paradise
For Surfers Paradise, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Evening Rainforest & Glow Worm Experience - Small Group Tour: $79
- 1.5hr Jetski Tour with island stopover - SELF DRIVE - NO LICENCE NEEDED: $185
- 2.5hrs Jetski Tour with island stopover / Self Drive / Surfers Paradise: $259
- Barefoot Luxury Mount Tamborine Winery Tour from Gold Coast: $151
- Body Massage Experience in Gold Coast : $98
- Buffet Lunch Sightseeing Cruise: $59
- Catch a Crab Tour with Optional Seafood Lunch: $53
- Glow Worms - Nocturnal Rainforest/Waterfall Adventure: $72
- Gold Coast 1.5-Hour Sightseeing River Cruise from Surfers Paradise: $30
- Gold Coast City Lights Cruise: $37
- Gold Coast Hop On Hop Off Sightseeing Cruise Day Pass: $30
- Gold Coast Quack'rDuck Amphibious Tour from Surfers Paradise: $33
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySurat Thani $4.96Surfers Paradise $11
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Surat Thani and Surfers Paradise, we can see that Surfers Paradise 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 Surfers Paradise 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 Surfers Paradise would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Surfers Paradise 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 Surfers Paradise Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Surat Thani or Surfers Paradise?
Surfers Paradise has a larger population, and is about 18500 times larger than the population of Surat Thani. When comparing the sizes of Surat Thani and Surfers Paradise, 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.
When is the best time to visit Surat Thani or Surfers Paradise?
Surfers Paradise has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Surat Thani experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Surat Thani or Surfers Paradise in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Surat Thani and Surfers Paradise. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Surat Thani year-round. Furthermore, the summer months attract visitors to Surfers Paradise because of the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences.
In July, Surat Thani is generally a little warmer than Surfers Paradisein January. Daily temperatures in Surat Thani average around 28°C (82°F), and Surfers Paradise fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).
Surfers Paradise receives a lot of rain in the summer. Surat Thani gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Surat Thani usually receives less rain than Surfers Paradisein January. Surat Thani gets 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain, while Surfers Paradise receives 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuarySurat Thani 28°C (82°F)Surfers Paradise 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Surat Thani or Surfers Paradise in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Surat Thani as well as Surfers Paradise. Surat Thani attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Additionally, the hiking trails and the shopping scene are the main draw to Surfers Paradise this time of year.
Surat Thani is a little warmer than Surfers Paradise in the autumn. The daily temperature in Surat Thani averages around 27°C (81°F) in October, and Surfers Paradise fluctuates around 22°C (71°F)in April.
It's quite rainy in Surfers Paradise. Surat Thani receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Surat Thani usually gets more rain in October than Surfers Paradisein April. Surat Thani gets 240 mm (9.5 in) of rain, while Surfers Paradise receives 101 mm (4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilSurat Thani 27°C (81°F)Surfers Paradise 22°C (71°F)
Should I visit Surat Thani or Surfers Paradise in the Winter?
Both Surfers Paradise and Surat Thani are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Surat Thani throughout the year. Also, many travelers come to Surfers Paradise for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
In the winter, Surat Thani is much warmer than Surfers Paradise. Typically, the winter temperatures in Surat Thani in January average around 25°C (77°F), and Surfers Paradise averages at about 15°C (59°F)in July.
In January, Surat Thani usually receives less rain than Surfers Paradisein July. Surat Thani gets 51 mm (2 in) of rain, while Surfers Paradise receives 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulySurat Thani 25°C (77°F)Surfers Paradise 15°C (59°F)
Should I visit Surat Thani or Surfers Paradise in the Spring?
Both Surfers Paradise and Surat Thani during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Surat Thani because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Also, many visitors come to Surfers Paradise in the spring for the beaches.
In April, Surat Thani is generally a little warmer than Surfers Paradisein October. Daily temperatures in Surat Thani average around 29°C (83°F), and Surfers Paradise fluctuates around 21°C (69°F).
Surfers Paradise gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Surat Thani usually gets less rain in April than Surfers Paradisein October. Surat Thani gets 55 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Surfers Paradise receives 103 mm (4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberSurat Thani 29°C (83°F)Surfers Paradise 21°C (69°F)
Typical Weather for Surfers Paradise and Surat Thani
| Surat Thani | Surfers Paradise | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 25°C (77°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 167 mm (6.6 in) |
| Feb | 26°C (79°F) | 11 mm (0.4 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 157 mm (6.2 in) |
| Mar | 27°C (81°F) | 24 mm (0.9 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 140 mm (5.5 in) |
| Apr | 29°C (83°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) | 22°C (71°F) | 101 mm (4 in) |
| May | 29°C (83°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 91 mm (3.6 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (83°F) | 145 mm (5.7 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 143 mm (5.6 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| Aug | 28°C (82°F) | 140 mm (5.5 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 46 mm (1.8 in) |
| Sep | 28°C (82°F) | 196 mm (7.7 in) | 18°C (65°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 240 mm (9.5 in) | 21°C (69°F) | 103 mm (4 in) |
| Nov | 26°C (79°F) | 335 mm (13.2 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 118 mm (4.6 in) |
| Dec | 26°C (78°F) | 134 mm (5.3 in) | 24°C (76°F) | 129 mm (5.1 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.