Which place is cheaper, Whitsundays or Koh Tao?
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 Tao or Whitsundays?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Koh Tao or Whitsundays, 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 Tao or Whitsundays?
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.
Whitsundays
Just off the coast of Queensland, Australia is a cluster of 74 different islands. These islands, the Whitsunday Islands, welcome over a half a million visitors every year to see one of the Seven Wonders of the World - the Great Barrier Reef.
As one of the most famous destinations in the world, it's not uncommon to see expensive yachts sailing around among the private ferries. Most of the islands are designated as national parks with access to snorkeling and diving in the coral reefs, or just to lay in the sand on the famous Whitehaven Beach.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to Thailand, The Best Contiki Tours to Thailand, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Melbourne, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Australia.
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Koh Tao Prices
Thailand PricesWhitsundays Prices
Australia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKoh Tao $50Whitsundays $155
The average daily cost (per person) in Koh Tao is $50, while the average daily cost in Whitsundays is $155. 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 Tao and Whitsundays in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKoh Tao $16Whitsundays $69
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKoh Tao $32Whitsundays $138
Compare Hotels in Koh Tao and Whitsundays
Looking for a hotel in Koh Tao or Whitsundays? 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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Koh Tao $9.98Whitsundays $55
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$5.97
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Chumpon to Koh Tao Ferry$20
Is it cheaper to fly into Koh Tao or Whitsundays?
Prices for flights to both Whitsundays and Koh Tao 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 Tao $18Whitsundays $52
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)$6.28
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Breakfast$4.71
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Casual Breakfast (for Two)$3.77
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Fancy Dinner (for Two)$15
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Pancake$2.20
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American Breakfast (for Two)$8.79
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Dinner at Bam Bam (for Two)$8.48
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Koh Tao
For Koh Tao, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Half Day Thai Cooking Class with Sea View from Koh Tao : $51
- Memorable Thai Cooking Class with Stunning View from Koh Tao : $55
- Private Thai Cooking Class at Rooftop Kitchen on Koh Tao: $208
- Koh Tao Private Rooftop Thai Cooking Class with Scenic View: $222
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Whitsundays
For Whitsundays, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hamilton Island: Whitsundays Sunset Dinner Cruise: $99
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Koh Tao $30Whitsundays $25
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)$7.85
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Snorkel Rental$3.14
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Kayak and Snorkel (2)$3.14
Tours and Activities in Koh Tao
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Koh Tao.
- 5 Islands Full-Day Tour Around Koh Tao and Koh Nangyuan: $27
- Amazing 5 Point Snorkeling Tour in Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan: $24
- Basic Diver ( One Day Experience): $124
- CocoTipAdventures and Snorkel with Meals-BBQs-Cocktail-Sunset: $54
- Full day snorkeling adventure around Koh Tao: $24
- Koh Nang Yuan and Koh Tao 5 Point Snorkeling Tour: $27
- Koh Tao Island Puzzle and Treasure Hunt Adventure: $75
- Koh Tao Snorkeling Tour to Hidden Bays and Koh Nang Yuan : $29
- Koh Tao Top Crystal Clear Snorkeling Day Tour by Big Boat : $27
- Koh Tao's First Light Snorkel Adventure with Oxygen Tours: $32
- No Rush Morning & Afternoon 5 Stop Snorkeling tour for Koh Tao: $27
- Premium Snorkel Tour to the Bays of Koh Tao onboard the Oxygen: $37
Tours and Activities in Whitsundays
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Whitsundays.
- Airlie Beach: Whitsundays Full-Day Camira Sailing Adventure: $164
- MILADY Whitsundays 2-Night Private Yacht Sailing Cruise: $4,953
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKoh Tao $8.22Whitsundays $12
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$2.04
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Bottle of Wine$12
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Koh Tao and Whitsundays, we can see that Whitsundays is more expensive. And not only is Koh Tao much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Koh Tao is in Asia and Whitsundays is in Pacific, 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 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 Whitsundays would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Whitsundays 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 Koh Tao Expensive? and Is Whitsundays Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Koh Tao or Whitsundays?
Whitsundays 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 Koh Tao or Whitsundays in the Summer?
Both Whitsundays and Koh Tao are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Koh Tao throughout the year.
In July, Koh Tao is generally around the same temperature as Whitsundaysin January. Daily temperatures in Koh Tao average around 24°C (76°F), and Whitsundays fluctuates around 26°C (79°F).
It's quite sunny in Whitsundays. Koh Tao usually receives less sunshine than Whitsundays during summer. Koh Tao gets 195 hours of sunny skies, while Whitsundays receives 285 hours of full sun in the summer.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Whitsundays. It's quite rainy in Koh Tao. In July, Koh Tao usually receives less rain than Whitsundaysin January. Koh Tao gets 174 mm (6.9 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 331 mm (13 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryKoh Tao 24°C (76°F)Whitsundays 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit Koh Tao or Whitsundays in the Autumn?
Both Whitsundays and Koh Tao during the autumn are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Koh Tao because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Koh Tao is around the same temperature as Whitsundays in the autumn. The daily temperature in Koh Tao averages around 24°C (76°F) in October, and Whitsundays fluctuates around 23°C (73°F)in April.
In Whitsundays, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the autumn, Koh Tao often gets less sunshine than Whitsundaysin April. Koh Tao gets 167 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Whitsundays receives 207 hours of full sun.
Whitsundays gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Koh Tao. Koh Tao usually gets more rain in October than Whitsundaysin April. Koh Tao gets 276 mm (10.9 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain this time of the year. October and November is the rainy season in Koh Tao.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilKoh Tao 24°C (76°F)Whitsundays 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit Koh Tao or Whitsundays in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Koh Tao and Whitsundays. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Koh Tao year-round.
In the winter, Koh Tao is a little warmer than Whitsundays. Typically, the winter temperatures in Koh Tao in January average around 22°C (72°F), and Whitsundays averages at about 16°C (62°F)in July.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Whitsundays this time of the year. In Koh Tao, it's very sunny this time of the year. Koh Tao usually receives more sunshine than Whitsundays during winter. Koh Tao gets 255 hours of sunny skies, while Whitsundays receives 226 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Koh Tao usually receives more rain than Whitsundaysin July. Koh Tao gets 94 mm (3.7 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain each month for the winter. February to June in Koh Tao is the dry season.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyKoh Tao 22°C (72°F)Whitsundays 16°C (62°F)
Should I visit Koh Tao or Whitsundays in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Koh Tao as well as Whitsundays. Koh Tao attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In April, Koh Tao is generally around the same temperature as Whitsundaysin October. Daily temperatures in Koh Tao average around 25°C (77°F), and Whitsundays fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Whitsundays. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Koh Tao this time of the year. In the spring, Koh Tao often gets less sunshine than Whitsundaysin October. Koh Tao gets 239 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Whitsundays receives 298 hours of full sun.
Koh Tao usually gets more rain in April than Whitsundaysin October. Koh Tao gets 74 mm (2.9 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain this time of the year. Also, February to June in Koh Tao is the dry season.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberKoh Tao 25°C (77°F)Whitsundays 23°C (73°F)
Typical Weather for Whitsundays and Koh Tao
| Koh Tao | Whitsundays | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 22°C (72°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 331 mm (13 in) |
| Feb | 23°C (74°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 377 mm (14.8 in) |
| Mar | 24°C (75°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 312 mm (12.3 in) |
| Apr | 25°C (77°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 143 mm (5.6 in) |
| May | 25°C (78°F) | 189 mm (7.4 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) |
| Jun | 25°C (78°F) | 174 mm (6.9 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) |
| Jul | 24°C (76°F) | 174 mm (6.9 in) | 16°C (62°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Aug | 25°C (76°F) | 206 mm (8.1 in) | 18°C (65°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) |
| Sep | 25°C (77°F) | 158 mm (6.2 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 15 mm (0.6 in) |
| Oct | 24°C (76°F) | 276 mm (10.9 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) |
| Nov | 23°C (74°F) | 380 mm (15 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 107 mm (4.2 in) |
| Dec | 23°C (73°F) | 118 mm (4.6 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 191 mm (7.5 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.