Which place is cheaper, Koh Tao or Yichang?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Yichang or Koh Tao?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Yichang or Koh Tao, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Yichang or Koh Tao?
Yichang
Yichang, China is an ancient city situated on the northern bank of the Yangtze River in central China. The city is located just below the famed Three Gorges Dam and is a popular ending point for many Yangtze River cruises. Yichang offers beautiful natural scenery and ancient relics from the Three Kingdom Period.
Yichang experiences cool, rainy, winters and hot, humid, summers. Temperatures tend to stay in the 40's Fahrenheit during winter and the 80's in the summer. Spring, Summer, and Autumn are fantastic times to visit, although if you prefer to beat the heat, stay away during late summer!
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.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayYichang $58Koh Tao $37
The average daily cost (per person) in Yichang is $58, 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 Yichang and Koh Tao in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personYichang $24Koh Tao $14
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomYichang $48Koh Tao $28
Compare Hotels in Yichang and Koh Tao
Looking for a hotel in Yichang 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.Yichang $14Koh Tao $8.67
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Koh Tao
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Koh Tao:
-
Motorbike Rental$5.18
-
Chumpon to Koh Tao Ferry$18
Is it cheaper to fly into Yichang or Koh Tao?
Prices for flights to both Koh Tao and Yichang 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 dayYichang $21Koh Tao $9.21
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)$5.46
-
Breakfast$4.09
-
Casual Breakfast (for Two)$3.27
-
Fancy Dinner (for Two)$13
-
Pancake$1.91
-
American Breakfast (for Two)$7.64
-
Dinner at Bam Bam (for Two)$7.36
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Yichang $18Koh Tao $26
Tours and Activities in Yichang
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Yichang are as follows:
- From Yichang to Chongqing: 5-Day Cruise with Meals: $761
- Private Day Tour in Yichang to Sanyou Cave and Sanxia Waterfall : $239
- Private Tour: Essence of Yichang Day Tour: $165
- Yichang Tourist Center to Yichang Sanxia Airport (YIH): $53
- Yichang hotel/Sanxia Tourist Center/Maoping pier to Zhangjiajie: $290
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)$6.82
-
Snorkel Rental$2.73
-
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
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayYichang $14Koh 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:
-
Beer$1.77
-
Bottle of Wine$10
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Yichang and Koh Tao, we can see that Yichang is more expensive. And not only is Koh Tao much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Koh Tao would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Koh Tao 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 Yichang would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Yichang than you might in Koh Tao.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Yichang Expensive? and Is Koh Tao Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Yichang or Koh Tao?
Yichang has a larger population, and is about 340 times larger than the population of Koh Tao. When comparing the sizes of Yichang 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.
When is the best time to visit Yichang or Koh Tao?
Yichang has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Koh Tao experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Yichang or Koh Tao in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Yichang as well as Koh Tao. The warm climate attracts visitors to Koh Tao throughout the year.
In the summer, Yichang is a little warmer than Koh Tao. Typically, the summer temperatures in Yichang in July average around 29°C (85°F), and Koh Tao averages at about 24°C (76°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Yichang this time of the year. In the summer, Yichang often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Koh Tao. Yichang gets 206 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Koh Tao receives 195 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Koh Tao. Yichang receives a lot of rain in the summer. Yichang usually gets more rain in July than Koh Tao. Yichang gets 229 mm (9 in) of rain, while Koh Tao receives 174 mm (6.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Summer Average Temperatures JulyYichang 29°C (85°F)Koh Tao 24°C (76°F)
Should I visit Yichang or Koh Tao in the Autumn?
Both Koh Tao and Yichang are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Koh Tao because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In October, Yichang is generally cooler than Koh Tao. Daily temperatures in Yichang average around 20°C (67°F), and Koh Tao fluctuates around 24°C (76°F).
Yichang usually receives less sunshine than Koh Tao during autumn. Yichang gets 134 hours of sunny skies, while Koh Tao receives 167 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Koh Tao. In October, Yichang usually receives less rain than Koh Tao. Yichang gets 87 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while Koh Tao receives 276 mm (10.9 in) of rain each month for the autumn. The rainy season in Koh Tao is October and November.
-
Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberYichang 20°C (67°F)Koh Tao 24°C (76°F)
Should I visit Yichang or Koh Tao in the Winter?
Both Koh Tao and Yichang during the winter are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Koh Tao year-round.
Yichang is much colder than Koh Tao in the winter. The daily temperature in Yichang averages around 6°C (43°F) in January, and Koh Tao fluctuates around 22°C (72°F).
In Koh Tao, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, Yichang often gets less sunshine than Koh Tao. Yichang gets 92 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Koh Tao receives 255 hours of full sun.
Yichang usually gets less rain in January than Koh Tao. Yichang gets 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain, while Koh Tao receives 94 mm (3.7 in) of rain this time of the year. February to June is the dry season in Koh Tao.
-
Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryYichang 6°C (43°F)Koh Tao 22°C (72°F)
Should I visit Yichang or Koh Tao in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Yichang and Koh Tao. Koh Tao attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the spring, Yichang is cooler than Koh Tao. Typically, the spring temperatures in Yichang in April average around 18°C (65°F), and Koh Tao averages at about 25°C (77°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Koh Tao this time of the year. Yichang usually receives less sunshine than Koh Tao during spring. Yichang gets 129 hours of sunny skies, while Koh Tao receives 239 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Yichang usually receives more rain than Koh Tao. Yichang gets 95 mm (3.7 in) of rain, while Koh Tao receives 74 mm (2.9 in) of rain each month for the spring. February to June in Koh Tao is the dry season.
-
Spring Average Temperatures AprilYichang 18°C (65°F)Koh Tao 25°C (77°F)
Typical Weather for Koh Tao and Yichang
| Yichang | Koh Tao | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 6°C (43°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) |
| Feb | 8°C (46°F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) | 23°C (74°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) |
| Mar | 12°C (54°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) |
| Apr | 18°C (65°F) | 95 mm (3.7 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) |
| May | 23°C (73°F) | 124 mm (4.9 in) | 25°C (78°F) | 189 mm (7.4 in) |
| Jun | 27°C (80°F) | 151 mm (5.9 in) | 25°C (78°F) | 174 mm (6.9 in) |
| Jul | 29°C (85°F) | 229 mm (9 in) | 24°C (76°F) | 174 mm (6.9 in) |
| Aug | 29°C (85°F) | 197 mm (7.8 in) | 25°C (76°F) | 206 mm (8.1 in) |
| Sep | 25°C (76°F) | 122 mm (4.8 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 158 mm (6.2 in) |
| Oct | 20°C (67°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) | 24°C (76°F) | 276 mm (10.9 in) |
| Nov | 14°C (57°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 23°C (74°F) | 380 mm (15 in) |
| Dec | 8°C (47°F) | 22 mm (0.9 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 118 mm (4.6 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.