Which place is cheaper, Koh Samui or Addis Ababa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Addis Ababa or Koh Samui?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Addis Ababa or Koh Samui, 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: Addis Ababa or Koh Samui?
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia and also the nation's largest when ranked by its population of over three million. There are also more than 120 international missions and embassies in Addis Ababa, making the city a hub for international diplomacy concerning Africa. Other draws include its thriving marketplaces, spicy food, and rich coffee.
Koh Samui
The largest island on the east coast of southern Thailand, Ko Samui (or Koh Samui) sees a good number of visitors every year who come for its lush rainforest, beautiful shores, and undersea wildlife. The size of the island is still small enough to allow visitors to circumnavigate it with a taxi or motorbike in a day, while hikers and outdoor enthusiasts can find plenty of inland activities in the hills and jungle.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours Under $1000 in Thailand, and The Best Budget Tours to Thailand.
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Addis Ababa Prices
Ethiopia PricesKoh Samui Prices
Thailand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAddis Ababa $32Koh Samui $79
The average daily cost (per person) in Addis Ababa is $32, while the average daily cost in Koh Samui is $79. 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 Addis Ababa and Koh Samui in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAddis Ababa $17Koh Samui $26
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAddis Ababa $34Koh Samui $52
Compare Hotels in Addis Ababa and Koh Samui
Looking for a hotel in Addis Ababa or Koh Samui? 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: Addis Ababa Hotel Prices and Koh Samui Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Addis Ababa $3.10Koh Samui $19
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Addis Ababa
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Addis Ababa are as follows:
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Short Taxi Ride$0.21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Addis Ababa
Also for Addis Ababa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 4 Hours Addis Airport Transfer with Ethiopian Cultural Tour: $299
- Private Transfer from Bole Airport Addis Ababa (ADD) to Addis Ababa: $154
- Lalibela Full Day Tour with Guide and Transfer: $130
- Addis Ababa Airport in/out transfer: $49
- City/Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa - Shuttles: $40
- Addis Ababa Airport transfer and shuttle service(privet): $23
- Addis Ababa Airport pickup and Transfer: $23
- Transfer Services Addis Abeba Airport : $23
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Koh Samui
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Koh Samui:
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Scooter Rental$2.36
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Gas for Scooter$1.26
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Airport Taxi$14
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Taxi- Na Thon Pier to Lamai Beach$13
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Minibus- Airport to Chaweng$3.77
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Koh Samui
Also for Koh Samui, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- The Red Baron Luxury Yacht Cruise from Koh Samui with Return Transfer: $168
- Koh Samui Paradise Park Farm Admission Ticket with Return Transfer: $139
- Paradise Park Farm Entry Ticket with Transfer: $118
- Guided Zipline Adventure in Ko Samui with Round Trip Transfer: $81
- Full Moon Party Entry Tickets & Round Trip Transfers: $80
- Private Departure Transfer: From Hotel to Airport Koh Samui by Minivan: $76
- Private Transfer from Samui (USM) Airport to Taling Ngam: $69
- Private Transfer from Samui (USM) Airport to Mae Nam: $69
- Samui Zipline Adventure with Transfer service: $54
- Smooth Koh Phangan to Phuket Transfer by Catamaran and Bus : $54
- Full Moon Party in Speedboat Transfer From Samui: $50
- Koh Pha Ngan to Phuket Scenic Catamaran and Bus Transfer : $50
Is it cheaper to fly into Addis Ababa or Koh Samui?
Prices for flights to both Koh Samui and Addis Ababa 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 dayAddis Ababa $12Koh Samui $39
Typical Food Prices in Addis Ababa
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Addis Ababa:
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Slice of Cake$0.05
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Addis Ababa
For Addis Ababa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Totot Cultural Feast & Rhythm Show With Dinner: $54
- Food tour in Addis Ababa with airport pick-up.: $56
- Local Ethiopian Food Tour Addis Ababa: $62
- Flavors of Ethiopia Explore Traditional Cooking Class : $67
- Addis Ababa Ethiopian cooking class Airport & hotel pick up: $68
- Yod Abyssinia Cultural Night: Dinner, Music, and Dance: $70
- Half Day Food Tour Addis Ababa With Airport pickUp And Drop-Off: $75
- Food tours in Addis Ababa tastever with lunch: $76
- Private City Tour with Folkloric Dinner: $77
- Addis abeba Full Cooking class.: $90
- Cooking class in Addis Ababa: $95
- Nightlife Tour with Dinner and Live Music: $99
Typical Food Prices in Koh Samui
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Koh Samui:
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$6.75
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Koh Samui
For Koh Samui, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Romantic 4-Course Dinner for Two on the Beach by the Amari Samui: $67
- Thai Cooking Class with Local Market Tour in Koh Samui: $78
- Cooking Class by Samui Native Instructor Geng and O Family: $79
- Thai Cooking Class with Local Market Tour in Koh Samui: $79
- Thai Cooking Masterclass by the Sea on Koh Samui: $81
- Sunset Dinner Cruise by Red Baron In Koh Samui : $81
- Koh Samui Sunset Dinner Cruise: $82
- Thai Cooking Class | Since 2012 | Farm to Table: $82
- Cooking Class in Ko Samui for Small Group : $82
- Sunset Dinner Cruise: $82
- Red Baron : A Sunset Dinner Cruise from Koh Samui with Return Transfer: $113
- Koh Samui Red Baron Sunset Dinner Cruise with Return Transfer (SHA Plus): $122
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Addis Ababa $3.20Koh Samui $12
Tours and Activities in Addis Ababa
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Addis Ababa.
- "Awash National Park Safari Experience": $280
- 1-Day Tour Old Bridge, Monastery,WaterFalls Wildlife,Birds, : $128
- 2 Days Awash National Park Safari Tours: $315
- 2 Days Gheralta Tour Hidden Churches in Northern Ethiopia: $300
- 2-Night 3-Day Danakil Depression Tour without Flights: $300
- 3 Days Meskel Festival Package-Addis Ababa City Tour/Debre Libanos Monastery: $256
- 3 Days Rock Hewn Churches Cultural Tour in Lalibela: $300
- 3-Day Wild Wonders and Nature, Awash National Park Tour: $490
- 4 Hour Addis Cuisine Tasting Tour: $65
- 4 Hours Addis Ababa Cultural Discovery Tour: $42
- 5 hours Addis Ababa Layover city tour: $36
- 8 Hours Tour to Taste the Authentic Flavours of Ethiopia: $200
Tours and Activities in Koh Samui
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Koh Samui.
- Koh Madsum (Pig island) and Koh Tan Day Tour from Koh Samui: $101
- Koh Samui Island ATV Quad Bike Adventure: $98
- Koh Tan and Pig Island Half-Day Tour by Speed Catamaran : $64
- Pig Island Experience By Speed Boat, Snorkeling, Kayaking Relaxing on the Beach: $46
- Private Tour in Koh Samui Waterfall And Mummified Monk Temple: $198
- Speedboat Tour to Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan: $83
- koh samui island and water fall tour: $49
- 2 Hour ATV Jungle Tour In Koh Samui : $89
- 2-Hour Koh Samui ATV Quad Tour: $58
- 2.5-Hours ATV Jungle Adventure Experience from Koh Phangan: $123
- 4-Hour Day Tour in Koh Samui: $30
- 4WD Buggy. Mountain Tour 3 hrs. for 1-2 people per Buggy in Samui: $275
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAddis Ababa $2.64Koh Samui $5.33
Sample the Local Flavors in Addis Ababa
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Addis Ababa:
- Pub-crawl Tour ( locally crafted beer and wine tasting ): $58
- Night Tour Addis Ababa beer and wine tasting: $65
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Addis Ababa and Koh Samui, we can see that Koh Samui is more expensive. And not only is Addis Ababa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Addis Ababa is in Africa and Koh Samui 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 Addis Ababa would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Addis Ababa 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 Samui would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Koh Samui than you might in Addis Ababa.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Addis Ababa Expensive? and Is Koh Samui Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Addis Ababa or Koh Samui?
Addis Ababa has a larger population, and is about 70 times larger than the population of Koh Samui. When comparing the sizes of Addis Ababa and Koh Samui, 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.