Are you contemplating whether you should visit Bali or Thailand? Here Traveloka has listed all the information you need that might help you decide whether you should visit Bali or Thailand for your next trip.

Imagine yourself walking through the green rice paddies that are dancing along with the refreshing air rushing against your hair under the stunning blue clear sky. Bali is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Indonesia. It is a small island that houses numerous stunning natural beauty from the lush greeneries, and stunning beaches, along with vibrant and unique culture that can be seen throughout the island along with the spiritual atmosphere that will leave you holiday with unforgettable memories and unique experience as if becoming one with the nature while also immersing into the local heritage.

Different from Bali, Thailand is the whole nation itself. It has so many things waiting to be explored, but in other words, you can't experience Thailand in one go. The same goes with Bali, Thailand is a popular tourist destination in Southeast Asia and offers a diverse range of experiences, from bustling cities to serene islands and is renowned for its ancient temples like Wat Arun, delicious cuisine, and vibrant culture. Not only that, but different from Bali which is made from a single island in Indonesia, Thailand houses numerous other beautiful islands each with its own unique charm including Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Phi Phi, and Krabi.

In short, Bali is a much smaller island where visitors might be able to do a short trip to one place and another where everything is much closer to each other while Thailand is the whole country where you might need more days and time to fully explore the area.

Now let’s get to the main point, which is about the cost of visiting Bali and Thailand.

There are several costs that visitors need to consider before visiting Bali or Thailand which are the cost of accommodation, food, transportation and activities.

Accommodation for one trip is considered to be one of the biggest factors that will influence how much budget you need to take a trip to one place. Both Bali and Thailand also offer a wide range of accommodation options that can cater to different budgets and preferences.

Based on the table above, it can be said that Bali and Thailand have a slightly different cost from each other whereas Bali might be a bit cheaper in terms of accommodation compared to Thailand.

A hostel is a perfect option for backpackers and solo travellers, but if you come in a group or with friends then it is recommended that you book a hotel for your accommodation. The hotel itself is divided into several types from a budget hotel that offers a private room at an affordable price, a Mid-Range hotel that offers comfortable rooms with amenities like swimming pools and restaurants, as well as a luxurious hotel that provides world-class amenities and exceptional services.

But overall, Both Bali and Thailand offer a wide range of accommodations that cater to budget-conscious travellers' preferences and budget. Before booking your accommodation, you might want to do some research ahead of time and compare prices to find the best accommodation for your trip. To do so, Traveloka is more than ready to help you book some of the accommodation you need at the best price, complete with promos and discounts to make your money worth more.

Bali and Thailand are both renowned for their vibrant food cultures that offer unique and delicious culinary experiences that you hardly get anywhere else.

Balinese cuisine is a fusion of Indonesian, Indian, and Chinese influences. They usually use fresh seafood, spices like turmeric, ginger, chilli, coconut milk, and rice are the most common ingredients they use in Balinese dishes. Some of the most famous dishes are Babi guling, sate lilit and nasi campur.

While in Thailand, the foods served in Thailand are usually balanced between sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavours with key ingredients like rice, noodles, seafood, meat, herbs, and spices like chilli, lemongrass, and galangal. Some of the popular dishes that ou need to try are Pad Thai, tom yum soup, curry and som tam.

Bali and Thailand both offer traditional foods with different taste preferences that can be seen from the usage of ingredients they used in each traditional cuisine. But there is no need to worry because both of them offer a wide variety of cuisines from Western, Japanese cuisine, Korean cuisine and many others that will be able to satisfy your taste bud and stomach at the same time.

While from the table you can see that Bali is still slightly more expensive than Thailand, they still provide an affordable option for budget travellers to come by and enjoy what Bali island has prepared for tourists from all over the world. The same goes for Thailand which has always been known for its iconic street foods and traditional cuisines.

Another thing that you need to keep in mind during your visit to Bali or Thailand is their Transportation cost. It is one of the most important factors if you plan to visit one place to another during your holiday in the area. There are many kinds of transportation that you can use to get around both in Bali and Thailand such as public buses, taxis, scooters, and cars.

Using the Public buses is often the cheapest option to get around, but if you come in a group it would be preferable to use either a taxi, scooter or car rental to get around, where you can divide the cost with the people you come with. Moreover, using taxis, scooters or cars will allow visitors to obtain more privacy and freedom to move from one place to another directly.

When talking about activities and attractions in Bali and Thailand there will be no end to it because there are so many things that you can do in the area that will cater to all budgets and preferences including water sports, cultural experiences, adventure activities, relaxation and wellness as well as nightlife activities and entertainment.

In Bali, you can try some of the most popular activities like hopping on a beach where you can do many kinds of things in the area such as surfing, snorkelling, diving, sunbathing and swimming. Not forgetting to experience their cultural heritage by visiting the iconic temples including Uluwatu Temple, Tanah Lot, and Pura Besakih, take a look at the unique traditional dance like Kecak and Barong and enjoy various natural landscapes.

Not losing to Bali, Bangkok also has a lot of things to offer including temple exploration like visiting the iconic Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Arun, and Wat Pho, enjoying traditional Thai dance, music, and puppet shows, taking your time at Thai Massage, sailing through the river cruise, or having a nightlife experience around famous roads like Khao San Road, Silom Road and Live Music.

If you would like to compare the cost of activities and attractions in Bali and Bangkok, then it would be a little bit difficult because these two different places offer many different activities and attractions that visitors could explore. But in general, Bali tends to be cheaper than the activities or attractions fees in Thailand. It is hard to compare them in number but in general, entrance fees to some kinds of attractions in Bali are often much cheaper than the ones in Bangkok. The same goes for the outdoor activities, spa treatments and nightlife activities in Bali tend to be a lot cheaper than the one in Bangkok.

When it comes to cost, both Bali and Thailand offer a wide range of transportation, foods, accommodations and activities as well as attractions that will tend to many different kinds of preferences and budgets. Both of them offer more than enough budget options for any travellers who are budget-conscious but still want to have the utmost experience in the area.

But if you look at each of the factors one by one, then you can see that Bali might be a little bit more expensive than Bangkok in accommodations, transportation, and food cost. But in terms of activities and attraction fees, Bali is a little bit cheaper than the one in Bangkok. But overall, the difference between the cost of visiting Bali and Thailand is pretty insignificant and both of them are quite budget-friendly in terms of cost for various expenses.

If you ask, ‘Is Bali cheaper than Thailand for tourists?’ then the answer would be, that Bangkok is cheaper than Bali in several factors including accommodations, food, and transportation costs. Bus in terms of activities and attractions, Bali is cheaper than Bangkok.

Here is all the information that might help you decide whether to visit Bali or Thailand for your next trip. If you would like to book accommodation, services, or flight tickets to Bali, Thailand or anywhere you want, Traveloka is more than happy to help you in booking those tickets. Besides giving the best price, Traveloka also often gives numerous combos, discounts, and promotions! So don’t miss yours!