Which place is cheaper, Cairns or Koh Samet?
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 Koh Samet or Cairns?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Koh Samet or Cairns, 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 Samet or Cairns?
Koh Samet
The country of Thailand is full of some of the world's most stunning beauty and peaceful settings. So it begs the question, where the Thai people go to get away from it all? They go to Ko Samet on the eastern gulf coast. Located just outside of Bangkok, Ko Samet provides visitors an easily accessible and desirable weekend getaway spot. With white beaches and coral of every other color, this island has steadily developed over the last few years without an intense construction increase like many other Thai beaches. Once thought to be the home of pirates, this island provides plenty to wonder about including, are there hidden treasures under that gorgeous white sand?
Cairns
Most travelers go to Cairns specifically to visit Great Barrier Reef. The city itself is surprisingly large and cosmopolitan with a population of approximately 140,000. The city's economy is almost exclusively based on tourism, although you will find some jobs centered around agriculture, or more specifically sugar cane, bananas, coffee, tea, wine, and some tropical fruits. The city itself is surrounded by rainforest and makes a great base for exploring Kuranda, with the Barron Gorge National Park and the Daintree offering a quieter tropical getaway than Cairns.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Thailand, The Best 2-Week Tours in Thailand, The Best 4-Week (1-Month) Tours in Australia, and The Best Budget Tours to Australia.
-
Koh Samet Prices
Thailand PricesCairns Prices
Australia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKoh Samet $133Cairns $116
The average daily cost (per person) in Koh Samet is $133, while the average daily cost in Cairns is $116. 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 Samet and Cairns in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKoh Samet $37Cairns $43
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKoh Samet $74Cairns $86
Compare Hotels in Koh Samet and Cairns
Looking for a hotel in Koh Samet or Cairns? 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 Samet Hotel Prices and Cairns Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Koh Samet $79Cairns $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairns
Also for Cairns, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared Airport Transfer to/from City and Beaches: $15
- Cairns Airport: Shared Transfer: $15
- Airport Transfers between Cairns Airport and Cairns City: $15
- Cairns Airport Shared Transfer to Cairns: $15
- Shuttle Bus Transfer - Kuranda to Cairns City: $20
- Private transfer between Cairns City Hotel and Airport: $20
- Airport Transfers between Cairns Airport and Palm Cove: $24
- AIRPORT TRANSFER between Cairns Airport & Port Douglas (6am-5pm): $40
- Cairns airport to cairns city private Transfers ( one way ): $40
- CNS Airport to Cairns City Centre Private Transfer: $47
- Cairns hotels to Cairns Airport(CNS) - Departure Private Transfer: $51
- Cairns Airport (CNS) to Cairns hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $51
Is it cheaper to fly into Koh Samet or Cairns?
Prices for flights to both Cairns and Koh Samet 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 dayKoh Samet $54Cairns $49
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cairns
For Cairns, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Ancient Egypt Sunset Tour with optional 3 Course Dinner : $66
- Ancient Egypt Night Tour with optional 2 Course Dinner: $66
- Dinner Cruise Experience: $92
- Cairns Catamaran Harbour and Dinner Cruise: $93
- Night at the Aquarium Guided Tour & 2 Course Dinner: $96
- Aquarium Guided Twilight Tour with 3-Course Dinner: $118
- Ancient Egypt Sunset Tour with 3 Course Dinner in Cairns: $124
- Ancient Egypt Night Tour with 2 Course Dinner in Cairns: $124
- City Sights Tour with Evening Dinner Cruise: $171
- Small-Group Afternoon Cairns City Tour with Harbour Dinner Cruise: $174
- Paronella Park Rainforest Full-Day Tour with Dinner: $66,130
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Koh Samet $10Cairns $37
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cairns
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Cairns's activities, tours, and tickets:
-
Scuba Diving$36
Tours and Activities in Cairns
For Cairns, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Skip the Line: Cairns Museum Single Admission Ticket: $10
- Skip the Line: Cairns Museum Admission Ticket: $10
- Koalas and Creatures Entry Ticket: $13
- Kuranda Koala Gardens General Entry Ticket: $15
- Kuranda: Riverboat Tour: $20
- Kuranda Riverboat Sightseeing Cruise: $20
- Kuranda Koala Gardens and Birdworld Admission Tickets: $26
- Hipster and Street Art Walking Tour: $29
- Entry Ticket at Historic Village Herberton: $30
- Tomb of the Pharaohs Entry Ticket: $32
- Cairns Tomb Of The Pharaohs General Admission Ticket: $32
- Cairns Pub & Club Tour: $34
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayKoh Samet $5.38Cairns $13
Sample the Local Flavors in Cairns
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Cairns:
- Cairns Party Bus Pub Crawl Night Out Experience: $44
- From Atherton Tablelands Food and Wine Tasting Tour: $169
When comparing the travel costs between Koh Samet and Cairns, we can see that Koh Samet 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. Even though Koh Samet is in Asia and Cairns is in Pacific, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Koh Samet Expensive? and Is Cairns Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Koh Samet or Cairns?
Cairns has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Koh Samet experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Koh Samet or Cairns in the Summer?
Both Cairns and Koh Samet during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Koh Samet because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Also, most visitors come to Cairns for the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In the summer, Koh Samet is around the same temperature as Cairns. Typically, the summer temperatures in Koh Samet in July average around 28°C (82°F), and Cairns averages at about 29°C (84°F)in January.
Cairns gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Koh Samet. Koh Samet usually gets less rain in July than Cairnsin January. Koh Samet gets 174 mm (6.9 in) of rain, while Cairns receives 429 mm (16.9 in) of rain this time of the year. November to March is the rainy season in Cairns.
-
Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryKoh Samet 28°C (82°F)Cairns 29°C (84°F)
Should I visit Koh Samet or Cairns in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Koh Samet and Cairns. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Koh Samet year-round. Also, the autumn months attract visitors to Cairns because of the hiking trails and the shopping scene.
In October, Koh Samet is generally around the same temperature as Cairnsin April. Daily temperatures in Koh Samet average around 27°C (81°F), and Cairns fluctuates around 27°C (80°F).
Cairns receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Koh Samet gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Koh Samet usually receives around the same amount of rain as Cairnsin April. Koh Samet gets 276 mm (10.9 in) of rain, while Cairns receives 273 mm (10.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn. April to October in Cairns is the dry season.
-
Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilKoh Samet 27°C (81°F)Cairns 27°C (80°F)
Should I visit Koh Samet or Cairns in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Koh Samet as well as Cairns. Koh Samet attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Also, the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Cairns this time of year.
Koh Samet is around the same temperature as Cairns in the winter. The daily temperature in Koh Samet averages around 25°C (77°F) in January, and Cairns fluctuates around 23°C (73°F)in July.
Koh Samet usually gets more rain in January than Cairnsin July. Koh Samet gets 94 mm (3.7 in) of rain, while Cairns receives 35 mm (1.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyKoh Samet 25°C (77°F)Cairns 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit Koh Samet or Cairns in the Spring?
Both Cairns and Koh Samet are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Koh Samet throughout the year. Also, many travelers come to Cairns for the beaches.
In the spring, Koh Samet is around the same temperature as Cairns. Typically, the spring temperatures in Koh Samet in April average around 29°C (84°F), and Cairns averages at about 27°C (80°F)in October.
In April, Koh Samet usually receives more rain than Cairnsin October. Koh Samet gets 74 mm (2.9 in) of rain, while Cairns receives 44 mm (1.7 in) of rain each month for the spring. The dry season in Cairns is April to October. The rainy season in Cairns is November to March.
-
Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberKoh Samet 29°C (84°F)Cairns 27°C (80°F)
Typical Weather for Cairns and Koh Samet
| Koh Samet | Cairns | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 25°C (77°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 429 mm (16.9 in) |
| Feb | 26°C (80°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 469 mm (18.5 in) |
| Mar | 27°C (81°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 471 mm (18.5 in) |
| Apr | 29°C (84°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 273 mm (10.8 in) |
| May | 28°C (83°F) | 189 mm (7.4 in) | 25°C (78°F) | 118 mm (4.6 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 174 mm (6.9 in) | 23°C (74°F) | 62 mm (2.5 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 174 mm (6.9 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) |
| Aug | 27°C (81°F) | 206 mm (8.1 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Sep | 28°C (82°F) | 158 mm (6.2 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 276 mm (10.9 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) |
| Nov | 26°C (79°F) | 380 mm (15 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 104 mm (4.1 in) |
| Dec | 25°C (77°F) | 118 mm (4.6 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 211 mm (8.3 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.