Which place is cheaper, Koh Tao or Ulaanbaatar?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Ulaanbaatar or Koh Tao?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Ulaanbaatar or Koh Tao? 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: Ulaanbaatar or Koh Tao?
Ulaanbaatar
Ulaanbaatar is Mongolia's capital city. It has a population of slightly over two million people, or about sixty percent of the country's entire population. You are likely to arrive in Ulaanbaatar either by train, coming from China or Russia, or by plane. Many people use Ulaanbaatar as a stop off while doing the Transsiberian Railway. The city is a great place to organize a tour of the surrounding countryside. It's also good city to relax, so make sure you allow yourself a few days to recover from your tour, enjoy some of the great food options, and see some of the fascinating cultural sights around town.
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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mongolia, The Best Adventure Tours to Mongolia, The Best Tours for Seniors to Thailand, and The Best Contiki Tours to Thailand.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayUlaanbaatar $25Koh Tao $37
The average daily cost (per person) in Ulaanbaatar is $25, while the average daily cost in Koh Tao is $37. 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 Ulaanbaatar and Koh Tao in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personUlaanbaatar $12Koh Tao $14
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomUlaanbaatar $24Koh Tao $28
Compare Hotels in Ulaanbaatar and Koh Tao
Looking for a hotel in Ulaanbaatar 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: Ulaanbaatar Hotel Prices and Koh Tao Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ulaanbaatar $2.91Koh Tao $8.67
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ulaanbaatar
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ulaanbaatar:
- Airport transfer service: $50
- New Ulaanbaatar International Airport Transfer Service: $45
- Private Departure Transfer: Ulaanbaatar Airport: $40
- Private Transfer from Chinggis Khaan Airport to Ulaanbaatar: $37
- Private Transfer Ulaanbaatar Airport ULN to Ulaanbaatar City : $28
- Private Transfer to Ulaanbaatar Airport ULN by Business Vehicle: $28
- 2024 Ulaanbaatar Airport Transfer & Taxi Shuttle Service - Best!: $18
- Mongolia Airport Transfer & Taxi Service -BEST!: $18
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Koh Tao
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Koh Tao:
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Motorbike Rental$5.18
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Chumpon to Koh Tao Ferry$18
Is it cheaper to fly into Ulaanbaatar or Koh Tao?
Prices for flights to both Koh Tao and Ulaanbaatar 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 dayUlaanbaatar $8.94Koh Tao $9.21
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ulaanbaatar
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ulaanbaatar.
- Cooking Class in a Traditional Ger Home in Ulaanbaatar Suburbs: $100
- Farm to Table: Organic Farm Visit and Mongolian Cooking Class: $100
Typical Food Prices in Koh Tao
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Koh Tao:
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Sit Down Lunch (for One)$5.46
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Breakfast$4.09
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Casual Breakfast (for Two)$3.27
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Fancy Dinner (for Two)$13
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Pancake$1.91
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American Breakfast (for Two)$7.64
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Dinner at Bam Bam (for Two)$7.36
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ulaanbaatar $4.42Koh Tao $26
Tours and Activities in Ulaanbaatar
Here are a few actual costs in Ulaanbaatar for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Private Tandem Paragliding Experience at Bayanzurkh Mountain: $96
- 1 Day Coach Tour of Genghis Khan Statue Complex and Terelj National Park Including Lunch: $83
- 1 Day Coach Tour of Terelj National Park Including Lunch And Free Camel Ride: $83
- 1 Day Semi-Gobi All-included tour : $141
- 1 Day Semi-Gobi Tour Including Lunch And Free Camel +Bonus Khustai National Park: $169
- 1 Day Semi-Gobi Tour Including Lunch And Free Camel or Horseback Ride: $145
- 1 Day Tour: Terelj National Park And Chinggis Statue: $193
- 1 Session with Shaman and know your future tour: $149
- 1 day tour Chinggis khan statue, Terelj national park: $89
- 12 day Great Gobi and Central Mongolia full adventure: $1,950
- 2 Day Local experience by train visit Tunkhel town: $340
- 2 Day Semi-Gobi Tour with nomads And Free Camel Ride: $235
Typical Entertainment Prices in Koh Tao
For Koh Tao, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Kayak Rental (One Hour)$6.82
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Snorkel Rental$2.73
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Kayak and Snorkel (2)$2.73
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: $22
- Snorkel Tour to Koh Nangyuan and the hidden bays of Koh Tao onboard the Oxygen: $22
- Koh Nang Yuan and Koh Tao 5 Point Snorkeling Tour: $23
- 5 Islands Full-Day Tour Around Koh Tao and Koh Nangyuan: $24
- Koh Tao Snorkeling Tour to Hidden Bays and Koh Nang Yuan : $28
- Premium Snorkel Tour to the Bays of Koh Tao onboard the Oxygen: $33
- Koh Tao Viewpoint and Snorkeling Tour: $55
- Basic Diver ( One Day Experience): $124
- Koh Tao Cliff Jumping Snorkeling Experience: $135
- Koh Tao Snorkeling and Island Hopping Tour (Private) : $175
- Advanced Adventurer - 2 days ( Advanced Open Water): $277
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayUlaanbaatar $3.83Koh Tao $7.14
Typical Alcohol Prices in Koh Tao
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Koh Tao from other travelers:
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Beer$1.77
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Bottle of Wine$10
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ulaanbaatar and Koh Tao, we can see that Koh Tao is more expensive. And not only is Ulaanbaatar much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Ulaanbaatar would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ulaanbaatar 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 Koh Tao would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Koh Tao than you might in Ulaanbaatar.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Ulaanbaatar Expensive? and Is Koh Tao Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ulaanbaatar or Koh Tao?
Ulaanbaatar has a larger population, and is about 610 times larger than the population of Koh Tao. When comparing the sizes of Ulaanbaatar and Koh Tao, 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.
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.