Which place is cheaper, Tanah Rata or Koh Chang?
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 Koh Chang or Tanah Rata?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Koh Chang or Tanah Rata, 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: Koh Chang or Tanah Rata?
Koh Chang
Most people pick Thailand for their destination because they're anxious to collapse on a breathtaking beach. If that is you, Ko Chang does not disappoint. As one the country's most beautiful islands, Ko Chang is full of white beaches and incredible wildlife. Beware, though, you're not the only one with Ko Chang in mind. During the high season, the island can become quite crowded with tourists.
Tanah Rata
Tanah Rata is one of the main tourist towns in the Cameron Highlands. The Cameron Highlands are in western Malaysia and are a popular retreat for Malaysian residents and international travelers alike. The area's higher elevation offers an often much needed break from the country's oppressive heat. It also has a beautiful setting that is rich in agriculture and has rolling hills that are beautifully covered in tea plantations. Tanah Rata has many of the area's tourist amenities. ATMS, banks, and the area's main hospital are all found in town. For some, the area feels too touristy, but if you linger longer, and explore on your own, you can easily escape the mass tourism and see the area for what it is.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Thailand, The Best Eco Tours in Thailand, The Best 10-Day Tours in Malaysia, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Malaysia.
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Koh Chang Prices
Thailand PricesTanah Rata Prices
Malaysia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKoh Chang $70Tanah Rata $192
The average daily cost (per person) in Koh Chang is $70, while the average daily cost in Tanah Rata is $192. 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 Koh Chang and Tanah Rata in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKoh Chang $28Tanah Rata $76
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKoh Chang $56Tanah Rata $152
Compare Hotels in Koh Chang and Tanah Rata
Looking for a hotel in Koh Chang or Tanah Rata? 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 Chang Hotel Prices and Tanah Rata Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Koh Chang $15Tanah Rata $33
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Koh Chang
Also for Koh Chang, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Koh Chang to BKK or DMK Airport Private Transfers : $161
- Private Transfer from Trat to Don Mueang (DMK) Airport: $236
- Private Transfer from Trat to Suvarnabhumi (BKK) Airport: $229
- Trat Airport: Shared Transfers to/from Koh Chang with Ferry: $30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tanah Rata
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tanah Rata:
- Shared Transfer : Cameron Highland to Taman Negara via Kuala Tembeling Jetty: $154
- Private Transfer Service Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur: $229
- Departure Transfer from Cameron Highland to KLIA/KLIA2: $169
- Chauffeur: Cameron Highlands to Singapore Van Transfer: $125
- CameronHighland CityHotel to KualaLumpur Airport One-way Transfer: $109
- Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur City 1-way Transfer: $93
- Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur City 1-way Transfer: $93
- Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur Airport Departure Transfer: $110
- Cameron Highlands to Ipoh Hotel Transfer: $65
- Cameron Highlands Hotels to Kuala Lumpur City 1-way Transfer: $94
- Cameron Highlands City to Kuala Lumpur City One-way Transfer: $92
- Cameron Highlands City To Kuala Lumpur City Transfer: $94
Is it cheaper to fly into Koh Chang or Tanah Rata?
Prices for flights to both Tanah Rata and Koh Chang 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 dayKoh Chang $33Tanah Rata $87
Typical Food Prices in Tanah Rata
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Tanah Rata:
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Dinner for Two$6.42
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Dessert$0.71
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Lunch$4.52
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Afternoon tea$4.40
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Koh Chang $6.28Tanah Rata $39
Tours and Activities in Koh Chang
For Koh Chang, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Private Kayak Experience in Bang Bao Bay with Lunch: $25
- Snorkeling Adventure at Koh Chang – Departing from Koh Chang: $32
- PADI Discover Scuba Dive Experience: $175
Typical Entertainment Prices in Tanah Rata
Here are a few typical costs in Tanah Rata for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Tea Factory Visit$6.42
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Tour of Orang Asli Village$24
Tours and Activities in Tanah Rata
Here are a few actual costs in Tanah Rata for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Cameron Highlands Sightseing Tour: $35
- Cameron Highlands City Hotels to Kuala Lumpur Airport EN-ROUTE Batu Caves Tour: $110
- Cameron Highlands City to Kuala Lumpur Airport EN-ROUTE Batu Caves Tour: $109
- Cameron Highlands Full Day Join in Tour: $49
- Cameron Highlands Full Day Tour: $75
- Cameron Highlands Private Sightseeing Tour : $211
- Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur International Airport EN-ROUTE Batu Caves Tour: $110
- Cameron Highlands: Agro Tour: $61
- Cameron Highlands: Mossy Forest Tour: $30
- Special Cameron Highlands ~ Day tour;Solo;Couple;Group: $292
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKoh Chang $5.38Tanah Rata $21
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Koh Chang and Tanah Rata, we can see that Tanah Rata is more expensive. And not only is Koh Chang much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Koh Chang would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Koh Chang 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 Tanah Rata would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tanah Rata than you might in Koh Chang.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Koh Chang Expensive? and Is Tanah Rata Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Koh Chang or Tanah Rata?
Both destinations experience a warmer climate most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season. Although in the rainy season, it doesn't necessarily rain every day.
Should I visit Koh Chang or Tanah Rata in the Summer?
Both Tanah Rata and Koh Chang during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Koh Chang because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Tanah Rata year-round.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Koh Chang. Koh Chang usually gets more rain in July than Tanah Rata. Koh Chang gets 440 mm (17.3 in) of rain, while Tanah Rata receives 91 mm (3.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
In July, Koh Chang is generally around the same temperature as Tanah Rata. Daily temperatures in Koh Chang average around 28°C (82°F), and Tanah Rata fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyKoh Chang 28°C (82°F)Tanah Rata 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Koh Chang or Tanah Rata in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Koh Chang and Tanah Rata. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Koh Chang year-round. Tanah Rata attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
November to February in Koh Chang is the dry season. Also, June to October is the rainy season in Koh Chang. Tanah Rata receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Koh Chang gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Koh Chang usually receives more rain than Tanah Rata. Koh Chang gets 280 mm (11 in) of rain, while Tanah Rata receives 237 mm (9.3 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
Koh Chang is around the same temperature as Tanah Rata in the autumn. The daily temperature in Koh Chang averages around 27°C (81°F) in October, and Tanah Rata fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberKoh Chang 27°C (81°F)Tanah Rata 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Koh Chang or Tanah Rata in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Koh Chang as well as Tanah Rata. Koh Chang attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Tanah Rata throughout the year.
Also, November to February in Koh Chang is the dry season. It's quite rainy in Tanah Rata. Koh Chang usually gets less rain in January than Tanah Rata. Koh Chang gets 12 mm (0.5 in) of rain, while Tanah Rata receives 131 mm (5.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
In the winter, Koh Chang is around the same temperature as Tanah Rata. Typically, the winter temperatures in Koh Chang in January average around 26°C (79°F), and Tanah Rata averages at about 27°C (80°F).
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryKoh Chang 26°C (79°F)Tanah Rata 27°C (80°F)
Should I visit Koh Chang or Tanah Rata in the Spring?
Both Tanah Rata and Koh Chang are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Koh Chang throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Tanah Rata because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
The rainy season in Koh Chang is June to October. It rains a lot this time of the year in Tanah Rata. It's quite rainy in Koh Chang. In April, Koh Chang usually receives less rain than Tanah Rata. Koh Chang gets 111 mm (4.4 in) of rain, while Tanah Rata receives 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain each month for the spring.
In April, Koh Chang is generally around the same temperature as Tanah Rata. Daily temperatures in Koh Chang average around 29°C (84°F), and Tanah Rata fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilKoh Chang 29°C (84°F)Tanah Rata 28°C (82°F)
Typical Weather for Tanah Rata and Koh Chang
| Koh Chang | Tanah Rata | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 12 mm (0.5 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 131 mm (5.2 in) |
| Feb | 27°C (81°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 140 mm (5.5 in) |
| Mar | 28°C (82°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 113 mm (4.4 in) |
| Apr | 29°C (84°F) | 111 mm (4.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 167 mm (6.6 in) |
| May | 28°C (83°F) | 356 mm (14 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 115 mm (4.5 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 513 mm (20.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 440 mm (17.3 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 91 mm (3.6 in) |
| Aug | 27°C (81°F) | 514 mm (20.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 126 mm (5 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 476 mm (18.7 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 173 mm (6.8 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 280 mm (11 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 237 mm (9.3 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (80°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 270 mm (10.6 in) |
| Dec | 26°C (79°F) | 12 mm (0.5 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 158 mm (6.2 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.