Should you visit Adelaide or Fraser Island?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between Adelaide and Fraser Island can help. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Adelaide
Adelaide is the often overlooked capital city of the State of South Australia. It's also the fifth largest city in the country. Despite being skipped by most travelers, Adelaide is an interesting city to explore and has a decent amount to offer open minded travelers. It has some fascinating architecture, unique shopping, and wonderful cafes and restaurants. Part of the appeal of Adelaide is its location in the midst of Australia's wine regions, including McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, and Clare Valley. Any of these destinations could be visited as a day trip from Adelaide.
Fraser Island
Fraser Island, located off Australia's eastern Queensland coast, is the world's largest sand island. It is best known as a camping and ecotourism destination, with a number of panoramic viewpoints, beaches, lakes, and freshwater pools. Hervey Bay, a beachside city on the nearby mainland, is a primary gateway to the island.
Which city is cheaper, Fraser Island or Adelaide?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Adelaide is $61, while the average daily cost in Fraser Island is $244. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Adelaide and Fraser Island in more detail.
Accommodation
Travelers usually pay around $58 for a double occupancy room in Adelaide If you want to be in a premiere location or have high end amenities, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $214 for a double occupancy room in Fraser Island.
Food
The price of a meal in Adelaide can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $26 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $10 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
While meal prices in Fraser Island can vary, the average travelers spends about $56 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Fraser Island should cost around $22 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Fraser Island is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
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Food
Meals for one day
Adelaide $26
Fraser Island $56
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Adelaide
For Adelaide, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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The F Factor: Adelaide food tour:
$36
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Best of Adelaide Tour with Hahndorf, River Cruise & Dinner:
$141
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Adelaide Central Market The Collaborators Dinner Tour:
$154
Local Transportation
To get around in Adelaide, the average visitor spends $8.93 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
The average price of local transportation around Fraser Island is $129 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Adelaide
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Adelaide are as follows:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Adelaide
Also for Adelaide, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Adelaide Airport Private Chauffeured Transfer:
$29
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Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Adelaide Airport:
$40
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Corporate transfers and wine tours:
$43
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Adelaide Airport Departure Transfer in a Tesla Model3 EV:
$44
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Transfer in private vehicle from Adelaide Downtown to Adelaide Airport:
$61
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Transfer in private minivan from Adelaide Downtown to Adelaide Airport:
$61
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Private Transfer: Adelaide to Adelaide Airport (ADL):
$64
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Departure Private Transfers: Adelaide to Adelaide Airport ADL in Business Car:
$67
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Adelaide Airport Transfers : Adelaide City to Airport ADL in Business Car:
$71
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Adelaide Airport Transfers : Adelaide City to Airport ADL in Luxury Van:
$99
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Departure Private Transfers: Adelaide to Adelaide Airport ADL in Luxury Van:
$99
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Adelaide Airport Transfers : Adelaide City to Airport ADL in Luxury Car:
$121
Entertainment
Fraser Island's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $65 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Tours and Activities in Adelaide
For Adelaide, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Australian Wine Discovery Tour Ticket:
$12
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Adelaide Scavenger Hunt: Adelaide Adventure:
$12
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Adelaide Self-Guided Audio Tour:
$15
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Torrens River Cruise in Adelaide:
$19
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Adelaide Oval Stadium Guided Tour:
$20
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Jimmy C Street Art Walking Tour:
$20
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Adelaide Zoo General Entry Ticket:
$20
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Around the Square Adelaide Walking Tour:
$24
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Adelaide Walking Tour: East End Escapade:
$24
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Cultural Caper Adelaide Walking Tour:
$24
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Australian Wine Discovery Tour with Tastings:
$32
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Adelaide Gaol Ghost Tour and Paranormal Investigation:
$32
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Adelaide spend on average $32 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
The average person spends about $15 on alcoholic beverages in Fraser Island per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Sample the Local Flavors in Adelaide
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Adelaide:
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McLaren Vale and Glenelg Wine Tasting and Sightseeing (Half-day Afternoon):
$55
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Adelaide Highlights, Hahndorf & McLaren Vale Wine Tasting and Sightseeing Tour:
$78
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Adelaide Hills Wine Tour:
$81
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From Barossa Valley Food and Wine Tour:
$101
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The Lane Vineyard: Panorama Private Wine Tasting Experience:
$103
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The Barossa Valley: Small Group Premium Wine Tour with Lunch:
$109
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Barossa Valley Wine Tours - Small Private Groups:
$119
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Barossa Valley Cellar Doors Luxury Wine Tour:
$121
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McLaren Vale Wine Tour by Bike:
$126
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Small-Group Barossa Valley Food and Wine Tour:
$126
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McLaren Vale Luxury Wine Tour:
$155
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McLaren Vale Winery Small Group Tour with Wine Tasting and Lunch:
$158
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Adelaide and Fraser Island, we can see that Fraser Island is more expensive. And not only is Adelaide much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Adelaide would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Adelaide 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 Fraser Island would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Fraser Island than you might in Adelaide.
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