Koh Tao is one of Thailand’s most beautiful island destinations, and a top pick for budget travellers in Southeast Asia. Whether you’re backpacking through Thailand or planning a tropical escape on a tight budget, exploring Koh Tao on $20 a day is totally possible with the right tips and tricks.
In this ultimate budget travel guide to Koh Tao, you’ll learn how to stretch your money without sacrificing experience. From cheap eats and affordable hotels to budget-friendly activities like snorkeling, hiking, and island hopping, this post is packed with real strategies to help you enjoy this island paradise for less.
I recently travelled Koh Tao for a week with my partner on just $20 USD per person per day. Of course, being able to split the cost of a hotel and scooter definitely helped our budget. But even if you’re solo travelling, Koh Tao is definitely a great option for affordable beach destinations in Thailand.
Ready to discover how to travel Koh Tao cheap and still live your best island life? Let’s dive in.
Why Visit Koh Tao on a Budget?
Koh Tao is one of the most budget friendly Thai islands, and exploring Koh Tao on $20 a day is not only possible, it’s actually a pretty realistic idea of how much you’re going to spend day to day.
My Koh Tao daily travel budget really didn’t feel too difficult to stick to. You’re on a beautiful island where you’re going to want to spend all day at the beach, so your only expenses really are food, transport, and accomodation. Plus, there are plenty of budget friendly activities and affordable places to eat everywhere, so the Koh Tao prices really do make travelling Thailand on a budget so easy, even for first time travellers.
How Much Money to Bring to Koh Tao?
It’s always better to be over prepared than under, but the prices in Koh Tao are really affordable and great for the budget traveller. We expected to spend about $35 USD daily for each person, but we only ended up spending $20 per person per day most of the time. Of course, if you’re wanting to do lots of extra tours like snorkelling or visiting Koh Nang Yuan, you might want to bring a bit more spending money.
But even including our most expensive day, we never spent more than $35 USD daily each.
How to Save Money in Koh Tao?
Saving money in Koh Tao is all about finding great local food spots and cheap activities. Of course, renting a scooter is going to be an essential budget travel tip for Koh Tao since there aren’t any Grabs available on the island.
How to Explore Koh Tao for Cheap?
Renting a scooter is a major Koh Tao budget travel tip, especially if you really want to explore the island. There are plenty of free or cheap things to do in Koh Tao including beach hopping, snorkelling, and visiting local viewpoints.
Do you Need to Rent a Scooter in Koh Tao?
Well yeah, kind of. You can definitely do it without but you’re going to find the process pretty difficult. You would have to stick to hiring local taxi drivers from the street (there’s no Grab in Koh Tao) or hailing down a Songthaew. Naturally these would probably add up to a bit more than just renting a scooter.
Of course, safety is always a concern when hiring a scooter so if you’re really not confident I would avoid it. But it is very normal for most tourists and backpackers to rent a scooter for their trip. In Koh Tao, prices to hire a scooter are around 250 baht, or $7-8 USD per day.
Is Koh Tao Expensive?
Koh Tao is one of the best budget friendly Thai islands. There’s a bit of a misconception about the prices in Koh Tao. I know my Thai mum for example always used to tell me “how expensive the southern islands are”. Of course compared to places like Chiang Mai, Koh Tao can be slightly more expensive. Fortunately however, Koh Tao is very cheap and the perfect destination for budget travellers wanting to explore the beautiful islands in Thailand.
Accomodation: Where to Stay in Koh Tao for Cheap?
Of course, figuring out cheap accomodation in Koh Tao is going to be key to keeping to your Thailand daily travel budget.
Hostels are very popular for budget travellers or backpackers, pretty much anyone interested in South East Asia travel on a budget. You can definitely find affordable hostels on a tight budget if you’re travelling Koh Tao.
However, I love staying in local hotels or bungalows since I usually travel with my partner. And surprisingly, this actually ends up being the best accomodation for travelling Koh Tao on a budget. Since these budget hotels in Koh Tao are charged per room not per person, we can split the price and save a lot for our budget trip.
The hotel we stayed at has actually since been shut down, but we payed around $16 USD per night for both of us, so only about $8 USD each.
You definitely still can find really good places to stay in Koh Tao on a budget. However, shopping around and booking in advance definitely makes sticking to your Koh Tao daily travel budget much easier.
Food: How to Eat Cheap in Koh Tao?
Affordable places to eat in Koh Tao are definitely readily available if you know what to look for. Prioritising street food and local restaurants or businesses are a great way to save money, and you can find meals from as cheap as 50 baht or $1.5 USD each.
When exploring where to eat in Koh Tao on a budget, it can be really helpful to avoid western food. Thai food is always going to be a great option when you’re travelling Thailand on a budget. Not only is it delicious, it will be some of the best cheap eats in Koh Tao.
And to be honest, even just heading to a 7/11 is going to be a great option for affordable food in Koh Tao. Of course you want to explore the local cuisine, but 7/11 is a great option for cheap, on the go foods. And don’t worry, the quality of food at Thailand 7/11s are way better than anything we have in western countries!
If you’re thinking about how much money to bring to Koh Tao for food, you could definitely eat from as little as 150 baht or about $4.5 USD per day.
Transport: How to Get Around Koh Tao on a Budget
Koh Tao budget travel is going to always be made so much easier if you can hire a scooter. Renting a scooter or a moped in Koh Tao is a great way to get around the island without breaking the bank.
Expect to hire a scooter for around 250 baht or $7.5 USD per day. If you can split this with a friend (which is what we did), it’s literally just a few dollars a day.
Learning to ride a scooter can be very daunting, but Koh Tao is a pretty good place to learn. The roads are pretty simple and the island is quiet compared to other parts of Thailand.
Activities: Free and Cheap Things to Do in Koh Tao
Finding great free things to do in Koh Tao is made so much easier by how beautiful the island is. There are so many gorgeous lookouts, viewpoints, beaches and snorkelling spots that are completely free.
We honestly didn’t book many tours or activities while we were there since there are just so many amazing things to do in Koh Tao on a budget. However, a cheap activity in Koh Tao is visiting Koh Nang Yuan. This is a must do activity. You can expect to spend around 500 baht per person for this day trip, including the boat trip over.
Budget Travel Tips for Koh Tao
- Shop local for both souvenirs and food
- Try planning your own activities rather than booking everything through a tour
- Book accomodation ahead of time for the best rates
- Bring your own gear – I always bring a pair of cheap goggles (small enough to fit in your luggage) so I don’t have to hire snorkelling gear
Sample Daily Budget: $20 per day Breakdown
| Baht | USD | |
| Accomodation | 530 for 2 or 265 each | $16 for 2 or $8 each |
| Transport | 250 for 2 or 125 each | $7.5 for 2 or $3.25 each |
| Food | 150 each | $4.5 each |
| Activities/Spending | 100 – 130 each | $3 – $4 each |
| Totals | 660 baht each | $20 each |
Note: Prices are based on splitting the cost of accomodation and a scooter with a friend or travel buddy.
Exploring Koh Tao on $20 a day is not only possible, it’s one of the best ways to experience the heart of Thailand on a budget. With the right approach, a bit of planning, and these practical Koh Tao budget tips, you can enjoy stunning beaches, world-class snorkelling, and a laid-back island lifestyle without draining your bank account.
Whether you’re a backpacker looking for cheap ways to travel Thailand, or just someone hoping to explore paradise without overspending, budget travel in Koh Tao offers the perfect balance of affordability and adventure. From savouring delicious Thai street food to renting a scooter and discovering hidden beaches, your budget can go a long way with smart choices.
By following this budget travel guide to Koh Tao, you’ll learn exactly how to travel Koh Tao cheap without sacrificing the experiences that make the island special. Don’t let cost hold you back, travel Thailand on a budget, and let Koh Tao show you how magical budget-friendly travel can truly be.
