Which place is cheaper, Yakushima or Aoraki Mount Cook?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Aoraki Mount Cook or Yakushima?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Aoraki Mount Cook and Yakushima. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Aoraki Mount Cook or Yakushima?
Aoraki Mount Cook
Aoraki Mount Cook National Park is located on the South Island of New Zealand. It was declared a national park in 1953 to protect and preserve the landscape. The park is home to the country's highest peak, Aoraki/Mount Cook. In Maori, Aoraki means, "cloud piercer", and the English name, Mt Cook, refers to the navigator James Cook, who discovered New Zealand in the 18th century. Mt Cook was the training location for Sir Edmund Hillary, who was the first person to summit Everest in 1953. Other peaks in the park include Mount Tasman, Mount Sefton, and Mount Hicks. Not only can you find lush greenery all over the park, but also, glaciers cover 40% of the parks area.
Yakushima
Yakushima, Japan is a UNESCO World Heritage island located north of Okinawa and off the south east of of Kyushu. The island is well-known to Japanese tourists but not so much to international ones, making it a bit of a hidden gem to international tourists. This also means that English isn't spoken as much as in larger cities, so make sure to brush up on your Japanese and bring a dictionary.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in New Zealand, The Best Luxury Tours to New Zealand, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Japan, and The Best Luxury Tours to Japan.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAoraki Mount Cook $105Yakushima $116
The average daily cost (per person) in Aoraki Mount Cook is $105, while the average daily cost in Yakushima is $116. 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 Aoraki Mount Cook and Yakushima in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAoraki Mount Cook $59Yakushima $59
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAoraki Mount Cook $118Yakushima $118
Compare Hotels in Aoraki Mount Cook and Yakushima
Looking for a hotel in Aoraki Mount Cook or Yakushima? 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: Yakushima Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Aoraki Mount Cook $27Yakushima $49
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Aoraki Mount Cook
Also for Aoraki Mount Cook, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Dunedin City Hotels to Chalmers Cruise Port: $44
Is it cheaper to fly into Aoraki Mount Cook or Yakushima?
Prices for flights to both Yakushima and Aoraki Mount Cook 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 dayAoraki Mount Cook $26Yakushima $28
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Aoraki Mount Cook $23Yakushima $20
Tours and Activities in Aoraki Mount Cook
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Aoraki Mount Cook.
- Lake Matheson Nature Tour: $55
- Fox Glacier Nature Tour: $55
- Mt. Cook to Queenstown Small Group Tour (1-way) : $106
- From Christchurch: Mount Cook One-Way Discovery Tour: $118
- Mt Cook to Christchurch via Lake Tekapo Small Group Tour 1 way: $121
- Mount Cook to Queenstown Day Tour: $148
- Day Tours from Mount Cook: $152
- Mt Cook Small Group Tour from Queenstown with Optional Activities : $152
- Mt Cook & Hooker Valley Hike Small Group Tour from Queenstown: $152
- (MT) Mount Cook & Lake Tekapo Day Tour from Christchurch: $178
- Gold Hunting Adventures: $225
- 45-Minute Mount Cook Ski Plane and Helicopter Combo Tour: $290
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAoraki Mount Cook $20Yakushima $6.38
Sample the Local Flavors in Aoraki Mount Cook
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Aoraki Mount Cook:
- Classic Central Otago Wine Tasting Experience: $15
- Valli Wine Tasting Experience: $27
- Premium Central Otago Wine Tasting Experience: $46
- Wild Irishman Wine Tasting Experience: $46
When comparing the travel costs between Aoraki Mount Cook and Yakushima, we can see that Yakushima is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Aoraki Mount Cook is in Pacific and Yakushima is in Asia, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Aoraki Mount Cook Expensive? and Is Yakushima Expensive?.
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.