Which place is cheaper, Koh Tao or Tiger Leaping Gorge?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Tiger Leaping Gorge or Koh Tao?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Tiger Leaping Gorge and Koh Tao. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Tiger Leaping Gorge or Koh Tao?
Tiger Leaping Gorge
One of the deepest gorges in the world, Tiger Leaping Gorge gets its name from legend, where a tiger used a great rock in the center of the gorge as a stepping stone to leap from one side to the other. It is surrounded by stunning mountain scenery on either side with the Yangtze River rushing down through its center. Visitors come to Tiger Leaping Gorge to hike and witness its natural beauty.
Koh Tao
With a name that literally means, "Turtle Island," Koh Tao, Thailand is the type of vacation spot divers dream of. There is the faintest current and a buffet of dive sites and shops.
This tiny island hosts hundreds of thousands of visitors a year, but take not that there are no garbage disposal facilities. Everything that can't be burnt needs to be taken from the island. Avoid plastic bags, and don't dump your trash in the open landscape (then again, why would you?) because there are no departments for road clean up. Water and electricity on the island are scarce, so use them wisely.
Keep in mind that monsoon season from November to January so you may be faced with constant rain for days at a time in those months.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Beijing, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Lhasa, The Best Tours for Seniors to Thailand, and The Best Contiki Tours to Thailand.
-
Tiger Leaping Gorge Prices
China PricesKoh Tao Prices
Thailand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTiger Leaping Gorge $54Koh Tao $50
The average daily cost (per person) in Tiger Leaping Gorge is $54, while the average daily cost in Koh Tao is $50. 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 Tiger Leaping Gorge and Koh Tao in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTiger Leaping Gorge $13Koh Tao $16
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTiger Leaping Gorge $26Koh Tao $32
Compare Hotels in Tiger Leaping Gorge and Koh Tao
Looking for a hotel in Tiger Leaping Gorge or Koh Tao? 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: Koh Tao Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Tiger Leaping Gorge $17Koh Tao $9.98
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Koh Tao
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Koh Tao:
-
Motorbike Rental$5.97
-
Chumpon to Koh Tao Ferry$20
Is it cheaper to fly into Tiger Leaping Gorge or Koh Tao?
Prices for flights to both Koh Tao and Tiger Leaping Gorge 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 dayTiger Leaping Gorge $28Koh Tao $18
Typical Food Prices in Koh Tao
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Koh Tao:
-
Sit Down Lunch (for One)$6.28
-
Breakfast$4.71
-
Casual Breakfast (for Two)$3.77
-
Fancy Dinner (for Two)$15
-
Pancake$2.20
-
American Breakfast (for Two)$8.79
-
Dinner at Bam Bam (for Two)$8.48
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Koh Tao
For Koh Tao, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Half Day Thai Cooking Class with Sea View from Koh Tao : $51
- Memorable Thai Cooking Class with Stunning View from Koh Tao : $55
- Private Thai Cooking Class at Rooftop Kitchen on Koh Tao: $208
- Koh Tao Private Rooftop Thai Cooking Class with Scenic View: $222
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Tiger Leaping Gorge $15Koh Tao $30
Typical Entertainment Prices in Koh Tao
For Koh Tao, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
-
Kayak Rental (One Hour)$7.85
-
Snorkel Rental$3.14
-
Kayak and Snorkel (2)$3.14
Tours and Activities in Koh Tao
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Koh Tao.
- Full day snorkeling adventure around Koh Tao: $24
- Amazing 5 Point Snorkeling Tour in Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan: $24
- Koh Nang Yuan and Koh Tao 5 Point Snorkeling Tour: $27
- Snorkelling Trip 5 Island Tour Around Koh Tao and Koh Nang yuan: $27
- Snorkel Tour to Koh Nangyuan and the hidden bays of Koh Tao onboard the Oxygen: $27
- No Rush Morning & Afternoon 5 Stop Snorkeling tour for Koh Tao: $27
- 5 Islands Full-Day Tour Around Koh Tao and Koh Nangyuan: $27
- Koh Tao Top Crystal Clear Snorkeling Day Tour by Big Boat : $27
- Koh Tao Snorkeling Tour to Hidden Bays and Koh Nang Yuan : $29
- Koh Tao's First Light Snorkel Adventure with Oxygen Tours: $32
- Premium Snorkel Tour to the Bays of Koh Tao onboard the Oxygen: $37
- CocoTipAdventures and Snorkel with Meals-BBQs-Cocktail-Sunset: $54
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayTiger Leaping Gorge $6.46Koh Tao $8.22
Typical Alcohol Prices in Koh Tao
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Koh Tao from other travelers:
-
Beer$2.04
-
Bottle of Wine$12
When comparing the travel costs between Tiger Leaping Gorge and Koh Tao, we can see that Tiger Leaping Gorge is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Tiger Leaping Gorge Expensive? and Is Koh Tao Expensive?.
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.