A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Vientiane vs. Castries for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Vientiane or Castries?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Vientiane or Castries, 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: Vientiane or Castries?

Vientiane

You wouldn't expect the capital city to have such a relaxing environment, but in Vientiane, Laos you can sit back and take in the beautiful scenery without feeling pressure to see every little thing. With Vientiane, what you see is what you get.

While picturesque temples and markets line the streets, the city is still experiencing a successful building boom. Even the Presidential Palace has undergone some hefty renovations.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Bicycle Tours in Laos, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Laos.


Which place is cheaper, Castries or Vientiane?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Vientiane is $24, while the average daily cost in Castries is $186. 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 Vientiane and Castries in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Vientiane $8.45
    Castries $100
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Vientiane $17
    Castries $200
Compare Hotels in Vientiane and Castries

Looking for a hotel in Vientiane or Castries? 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.

Hotels in Vientiane


Hotels in Castries


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: Vientiane Hotel Prices and Castries Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Vientiane $2.01
    Castries $25
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vientiane

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Vientiane are as follows:


  • Tuk Tuk Ride
    $4.15

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vientiane

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Vientiane:

  • Vientiane Private Transfer: Wattay Airport -Hotel-Railway Station: $9.90
  • Vientian Private Airport Transfer - Wattay Airport: $15
  • Wattay Airport (VTE): Private Transfer to/from Vientiane: $20
  • Vientiane - Hanoi Sleeping Bus Transfer : $63

Is it cheaper to fly into Vientiane or Castries?

Prices for flights to both Castries and Vientiane 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 day
    Vientiane $12
    Castries $66

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vientiane

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Vientiane.

  • Vientiane classic Food tour ( Included Food ): $78
  • Night Market, Dinner, and Nightclub: $90
  • Vientiane Private Lao Cooking Class with Market Tour and Lunch: $95
  • Vientiane Private Lao Cooking Class with Market Tour: $122
  • Cooking Class Garden House: $335

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Vientiane $3.80
    Castries $27

Tours and Activities in Vientiane

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Vientiane are as follows:

  • Laos Railway Tickets Easily: Avoid Long Queues & Wasted Time: $30
  • Laos Railway Tickets Online: Skip Long Queues, Avoid Missing: $30
  • Art, Culture, & Inspiration Guided Half-Day Tour: $52
  • Half-Day City Tour with Patuxai and Buddha Park: $52
  • Vientiane Sky Luge and Roller Zipline Experience: $55
  • Vientiane Landmarks and Cultural Immersion Tour: $56
  • Cultural Tour with Buddha Park and Patuxay: $58
  • Vientiane IG tour & Patuxay monument: $59
  • Half-Day City Tour - Morning or Afternoon: $65
  • Vientiane Half Day City Tour: $80
  • Vientiane : Private Custom Tour with a Local Guide: $88
  • Vientiane Half-Day City Tour: $89

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Vientiane $2.12
    Castries $11


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Vientiane and Castries, we can see that Castries is more expensive. And not only is Vientiane much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Vientiane is in Asia and Castries is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Vientiane would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Vientiane 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 Castries would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Castries than you might in Vientiane.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Vientiane Expensive? and Is Castries Expensive?.


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