Which place is cheaper, Koh Tao or Tel Aviv?
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 Tel Aviv or Koh Tao?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Tel Aviv or Koh Tao, 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: Tel Aviv or Koh Tao?
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv is the second largest city in Israel and is situated on the Mediterranean coast 60 kilometers north of Jerusalem. It's a rapidly growing city and is one of the most modern and cosmopolitan cities in Israel. The official name is Tel Aviv-Yafo because the city has grown to include the ancient port city of Yafo. If you're looking for an embassy, you are likely to find it in Tel Aviv, despite Jerusalem being the official capital of Israel.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to Israel, The Best 3-Day Tours from Jerusalem, The Best Tours for Seniors to Thailand, and The Best Contiki Tours to Thailand.
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Tel Aviv Prices
Israel PricesKoh Tao Prices
Thailand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTel Aviv $179Koh Tao $50
The average daily cost (per person) in Tel Aviv is $179, while the average daily cost in Koh Tao is $50. 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 Tel Aviv and Koh Tao in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTel Aviv $97Koh Tao $16
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTel Aviv $194Koh Tao $32
Compare Hotels in Tel Aviv and Koh Tao
Looking for a hotel in Tel Aviv or Koh Tao? 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: Tel Aviv Hotel Prices and Koh Tao Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Tel Aviv $9.78Koh Tao $9.98
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Tel Aviv
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Tel Aviv are as follows:
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Local Bus to Central Bus Station$1.77
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Taxi to Airport$45
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tel Aviv
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tel Aviv:
- Tel Aviv Airport TLV Private transfer to Tel Aviv in Luxury Van: $299
- Tel Aviv Airport TLV Private Transfer to Tel Aviv in Business Car: $299
- Tel Aviv Private Transfer to Tel Aviv Airport TLV in Business Car: $299
- Private Transfer from Herzlia to Jerusalem: $247
- Haifa to Tel Aviv or (TLV) Airport Transfers (Arrival/Departure): $239
- Private Transfer from Tel Aviv Airport (TLV) to Haifa Cruise Port: $235
- Private Transfer from Tel Aviv hotels to Haifa Cruise Port: $235
- Tel Aviv Private Transfer To Amman: $215
- transfer from bengurion airport to Jerusalem : $200
- Tel Aviv Airport (TLV) to Jerusalem - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $192
- Private Round trip Airport Transfers - Airport to Tel Aviv Area and return: $174
- Private Transfer from Jerusalem to Ben Gurion Airport: $172
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 Tel Aviv or Koh Tao?
Prices for flights to both Koh Tao and Tel Aviv 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 dayTel Aviv $54Koh Tao $18
Typical Food Prices in Tel Aviv
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Tel Aviv:
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Dinner for Two$25
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Dinner for 2 at Vatroshka$146
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Lunch at Segev Sarona$38
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Aroma Iced Coffee$4.20
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Lunch at the airport$35
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tel Aviv
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Tel Aviv.
- Carmel Market Food Tour: $49
- Levinsky Market Food Tour : $130
- Try Your Hand At Israeli Home Cooking: $185
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Tel Aviv $26Koh Tao $30
Typical Entertainment Prices in Tel Aviv
Here are a few typical costs in Tel Aviv for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Masada tour from Tel Aviv$88
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Etzel museum$4.50
Tours and Activities in Tel Aviv
Here are a few actual costs in Tel Aviv for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Carmel Market Tour: $200
- Self-guided Graffiti tour in Tel Aviv in your own time and your own pace: $24
- (From Tel Aviv) One-day Tour Bethlehem, Jericho & Jordan River / Qasr alyahood: $109
- 1-Day Tour Jerusalem and the Dead Sea from Tel Aviv: $129
- 30-minute Sightseeing Cruise of Tel Aviv and Jaffa Skyline : $29
- Best of Tel Aviv and Jaffa Walking Tour - 1 Day: $99
- Bethlehem, Jericho & Jordan River Tour from Tel Aviv: $119
- Bethlehem, Jerusalem Desert and Monasteries Tour from Jerusalem or Tel Aviv: $100
- Caesarea, Haifa And Akko Tour: $99
- Carmel Market Highlights Tour A Culinary Journey in Tel Aviv: $60
- City tour Tel-Aviv-Yafo : $200
- Daily Shuttle Tour - From Tel-Aviv & Jerusalem to Petra: $115
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.
- Full day snorkeling adventure around Koh Tao: $24
- Amazing 5 Point Snorkeling Tour in Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan: $24
- Koh Nang Yuan and Koh Tao 5 Point Snorkeling Tour: $27
- Snorkelling Trip 5 Island Tour Around Koh Tao and Koh Nang yuan: $27
- Snorkel Tour to Koh Nangyuan and the hidden bays of Koh Tao onboard the Oxygen: $27
- No Rush Morning & Afternoon 5 Stop Snorkeling tour for Koh Tao: $27
- 5 Islands Full-Day Tour Around Koh Tao and Koh Nangyuan: $27
- Koh Tao Top Crystal Clear Snorkeling Day Tour by Big Boat : $27
- Koh Tao Snorkeling Tour to Hidden Bays and Koh Nang Yuan : $29
- Koh Tao's First Light Snorkel Adventure with Oxygen Tours: $32
- Premium Snorkel Tour to the Bays of Koh Tao onboard the Oxygen: $37
- CocoTipAdventures and Snorkel with Meals-BBQs-Cocktail-Sunset: $54
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTel Aviv $24Koh Tao $8.22
Sample the Local Flavors in Tel Aviv
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Tel Aviv:
- Guided Pub Crawl Night Tour at Tel Aviv: $24
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 Tel Aviv and Koh Tao, we can see that Tel Aviv is more expensive. And not only is Koh Tao much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Tel Aviv is in Middle East and Koh Tao 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 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 Tel Aviv would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tel Aviv 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 Tel Aviv Expensive? and Is Koh Tao Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Tel Aviv or Koh Tao?
Tel Aviv has a larger population, and is about 270 times larger than the population of Koh Tao. When comparing the sizes of Tel Aviv and Koh Tao, 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.