A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Taupo vs. Khao Yai National Park for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Taupo or Khao Yai National Park?

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

Should I visit Taupo or Khao Yai National Park? 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: Taupo or Khao Yai National Park?

Taupo

Taupo is a town located in the center of the North Island, situated on the shores of Lake Taupo, which is New Zealand's largest lake. It is also the caldera of the Taupo Volcano. It has a population of 23,700 people and is visited by many people interested in fishing, boating, and other water activities. There are many hiking and biking trails that take you around the water as well.

Khao Yai National Park

Adventurous travelers are always in search of new terrain to conquer. At over 2,000 square kilometers, Khao Yai National Park is Thailand's second largest national park, and just full of jungles to trek through. In the southwest of Thailand is a sanctuary of mountains and waterfalls.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to New Zealand, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Auckland, The Best Adventure Tours to Thailand, and The Best Eco Tours in Thailand.


Which place is cheaper, Khao Yai National Park or Taupo?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Taupo is $111, while the average daily cost in Khao Yai National Park is $62. 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 Taupo and Khao Yai National Park in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Taupo $62
    Khao Yai National Park $36
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Taupo $124
    Khao Yai National Park $72
Compare Hotels in Taupo and Khao Yai National Park

Looking for a hotel in Taupo or Khao Yai National Park? 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 Taupo


Hotels in Khao Yai National Park


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: Taupo Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Taupo $25
    Khao Yai National Park $14

Is it cheaper to fly into Taupo or Khao Yai National Park?

Prices for flights to both Khao Yai National Park and Taupo 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
    Taupo $24
    Khao Yai National Park $17

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Taupo $35
    Khao Yai National Park $8.77
Typical Entertainment Prices in Taupo

Here are a few typical costs in Taupo for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Bungy Jumping
    $152
  • Jet Boating
    $56

Tours and Activities in Taupo

Here are a few actual costs in Taupo for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • 11-Day North Island Revive Small Group Tour: $1,959
  • Daily Scenic Maori Rock Carving Cruise Taupo: $30
  • Escape Room Experience Taupo - Cabin in the Woods: $23
  • Escape Room Experience Taupo - The Candy Cottage: $22
  • Escape Room Experience Taupo - The Hunting Lodge: $23
  • Escape Room Experience Taupo - The Marvelous Circus: $22
  • Great Lake Trail Lake Taupo 2-Day Mountain Biking Tour: $97
  • Hukafalls: 30-Minute Jet Boat Experience: $83
  • Lake 1.5-Hour Maori Rock Carvings 5:00 PM Cruise: $27
  • Lake Maori Rock Carvings 10.30 AM 1.5-Hour Cruise: $29
  • Lake Maori Rock Carvings 8.30 AM 1.5-Hour Cruise: $29
  • Lake Māori Rock Carvings Scenic Boat Cruise: $29

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Taupo $13
    Khao Yai National Park $11
Typical Alcohol Prices in Taupo

Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Taupo from other travelers:


  • Wine
    $5.05


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Taupo and Khao Yai National Park, we can see that Taupo is more expensive. And not only is Khao Yai National Park much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Taupo is in Pacific and Khao Yai National Park is in Asia, 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 Khao Yai National Park would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Khao Yai National Park 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 Taupo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Taupo than you might in Khao Yai National Park.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Taupo Expensive? and Is Khao Yai National Park Expensive?.