Which place is cheaper, Yogyakarta or Pai?
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 Pai or Yogyakarta?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Pai and Yogyakarta. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Pai or Yogyakarta?
Pai
As the lush green mountains adorn the blue horizon amidst its creamy clouds, Pai, in northern Thailand, works as one of the many hubs for some of the world's most exciting cultural adventures and natural wonders. Within this small town just north of the Mae Hong Son Province, near the Myanmar border, Pai lays on the Pai River and holds a population of no more than 2,500. Despite its geographical insignificance, this town attracts a wide array of tourists. From breathtaking waterfalls to relaxing hot springs, you will find yourself astonished at how much this little city holds within its borders.
Yogyakarta
Yogyakarta, also called Yogya, Jogja, and Jogjakarta, is Java's hub of culture and art, and is the top-visited destination on the island. While Jakarta is the most populated and industrially-developed city in Indonesia, Yogya has managed to progress without losing its cultural charm, as illustrated in its well-kept traditional Indonesian architecture.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Thailand, The Best 3-Day Tours from Phuket, The Best Adventure Tours to Indonesia, and The Best Eco Tours in Indonesia.
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Pai Prices
Thailand PricesYogyakarta Prices
Indonesia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPai $91Yogyakarta $64
The average daily cost (per person) in Pai is $91, while the average daily cost in Yogyakarta is $64. 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 Pai and Yogyakarta in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPai $16Yogyakarta $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPai $32Yogyakarta $70
Compare Hotels in Pai and Yogyakarta
Looking for a hotel in Pai or Yogyakarta? 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: Pai Hotel Prices and Yogyakarta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Pai $42Yogyakarta $1.28
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Yogyakarta
Also for Yogyakarta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- YIA Airport Private Transfer: $12
- YIA Airport Private Transfer: $28
- Private Layover Tour with Airport Transfers: $94
- Private Airport Transfer YIA: $22
- Kulon Progo Waterfall Tour with Transfers: $37
- Jomblang Cave Day Trip with Hotel Transfer: $30
- Borobudur ClimbUP Afternoon Guided and transfer: $26
- Borobudur 5-hour Tour with Climb-up & Transfers: $25
- Airport Transfer with Allowance of Delay & Bags: $30
- ATV Riding Adventure with Hotel Transfer: $62
- 5-Beach Full-Day Tour with Transfers & Entry Fee: $43
- 3-Hour Bike Tour Through Villages with Transfers: $38
Is it cheaper to fly into Pai or Yogyakarta?
Prices for flights to both Yogyakarta and Pai 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 dayPai $42Yogyakarta $19
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Yogyakarta
For Yogyakarta, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Ramayana Show with Transfer, Entry Fee & Dinner: $13
- Night Walking & Street Food Tour: $21
- Guided City Walk and Food Tour: $23
- Morning Walk and Food Tour: $23
- Kotagede Night Food Tour: $27
- Ramayana Ballet Performance with Optional Dinner: $28
- Yogyakarta Historical Walking and Food Tour: $29
- Yogyakarta Evening Walking and Food Tour: $30
- Nighttime Walk and Food Tour: $32
- Cooking Class with Market Visit and Hotel Pickup: $33
- Prawirotaman Night Food Tour: $35
- 3-hour Cooking Class with Market Tour: $35
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Pai $46Yogyakarta $15
Tours and Activities in Yogyakarta
For Yogyakarta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Beautiful Sunrise and Exotic Jomblang Cave Tour: $67
- "Java's Cultural Heritage: Borobudur and Prambanan Tour": $16
- 1 Day Yogyakarta tour ( Borobudur temple, Merapi Lava Tour, Prambanan Temple): $76
- 1 day Yogyakarta Tour Jomblang cave and Pindul Cave tubing: $72
- 1 day tour borobudur temple,prambanan temple,plaosan temple: $40
- 1-Day Yogyakarta Javanese Culture - PRIVATE TOUR with GUIDE: $198
- 1-Day Yogyakarta Merapi Borobudur - PRIVATE Tour with GUIDE: $183
- 1-Day Yogyakarta Merapi Pengger Heha - PRIVATE Tour with GUIDE: $140
- 1-Day Yogyakarta Prambanan Breksi Ijo Temple - PRIVATE Tour with Guide: $184
- 1Day Borobudur (Upper Level) and Prambanan Private Guided Tour: $149
- 2-Day Borobudur Tour with Merbabu Camping and Hiking: $332
- 3 Days 2 Nights A Tour of Culture and Nature: $115
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPai $15Yogyakarta $4.74
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pai and Yogyakarta, we can see that Pai is more expensive. And not only is Yogyakarta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Yogyakarta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Yogyakarta 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 Pai would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Pai than you might in Yogyakarta.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Pai Expensive? and Is Yogyakarta Expensive?.
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.