Which place is cheaper, Airlie Beach or Bagan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Bagan or Airlie Beach?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Bagan and Airlie Beach can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Bagan or Airlie Beach?
Bagan
Located in central Myanmar (formerly Burma), Bagan is an ancient city best known as the home to the largest and densest concentration of Buddhist temples, pagodas, stupas, and ruins in the world with many dating from the 11th and 12th centuries.
Airlie Beach
Airlie Beach, in Queensland, offers the closest port to the Whitsunday Islands on the Great Barrier Reef. It's a small town of only 25,000 and has grown out of the area's popularity as a tourist destination. It's main industry remains tourism and, as such, there are many venues set up to accommodate travelers hoping to make trips to the Whitsunday Islands and the Outer Great Barrier Reef. The town has the feel of a vacation destination. While in the past Airlie Beach appealed specifically to the backpacker crowd, it's popularity has spread and now there are facilities catering to all travel types. The area has become more commercialized and there are plenty of large resorts to choose from. Even so, you'll still find no shortage of affordable accommodation around town.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Australia, and The Best Honeymoon Tours in Australia.
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Bagan Prices
Myanmar PricesAirlie Beach Prices
Australia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBagan $34Airlie Beach $180
The average daily cost (per person) in Bagan is $34, while the average daily cost in Airlie Beach is $180. 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 Bagan and Airlie Beach in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBagan $7.36Airlie Beach $64
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBagan $15Airlie Beach $128
Compare Hotels in Bagan and Airlie Beach
Looking for a hotel in Bagan or Airlie Beach? 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: Airlie Beach Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Bagan $3.57Airlie Beach $21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bagan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bagan:
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Bagan Nyaung-U Airport (NYU): $14
- From Bagan City To Mandalay Private Transfer: $180
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Airlie Beach
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Airlie Beach:
- Airport Transfer to Shute Harbour / Renta Yacht / Freedom Shores: $41
- Private Transfer to/from Shute Harbour: $174
- Private Transfer to/from Whitsunday Coast Airport: $160
- Transfer from Whitsunday Coast Airport One way: $20
- Whitsundays: Airport Transfer to/from Airlie Beach: $16
Is it cheaper to fly into Bagan or Airlie Beach?
Prices for flights to both Airlie Beach and Bagan 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 dayBagan $10Airlie Beach $60
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bagan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bagan.
- Romantic Sunset Dinner At Bagan Viewing Tower: $91
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Airlie Beach
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Airlie Beach.
- 3-Hour Sunset Segway Tour with Dinner: $82
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Bagan $57Airlie Beach $175
Tours and Activities in Bagan
Here are a few actual costs in Bagan for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Day Cruise Bagan to Mandalay: $31
- Old Bagan Sightseeing Tour: $43
- Old Bagan Biking Tour - Half Day (Guide included): $45
- Private Bagan Cultural Tour: $46
- Best Bagan One Day Tour With Tour Guide: $48
- Private Day Tour to Mt Popa: $48
- Visiting Mount Popa from Bagan - Private Tour: $48
- Full Day tour In Bagan UNESCO World Heritage: $50
- BAGAN TEMPLES FULL DAY GUIDED BY ELECTRIC BIKE ( Private Tour ): $64
- Tuk Tuk tour to Mt. Popa: $67
- Full day Adventure Trip in Bagan with Tuk Tuk: $72
- Bagan Antique Day Tour in Bagan: $86
Tours and Activities in Airlie Beach
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Airlie Beach are as follows:
- Private Airlie Beach Tuk-Tuk Tours: $22
- 2-Hour Sunset Cruise with Sparkling Wine: $45
- Roundtrip Tour to Cedar Creek.: $45
- Whisper Cruises - One-Hour Turtle Spotting Bay Cruise: $50
- Airlie Beach Sunset Cruise: $54
- Airlie Beach Trike Tours: $54
- Glass-Bottom Boat Tour: $59
- Whitsundays Sunset Sailing Cruise: $61
- #1 Sightseeing Explorer 3hr tour.: $62
- Cedar Creek Express (cruise ship friendly): $64
- Half Day Turtle Tour Sea Kayaking Adventure: $65
- Airlie Beach Sightseeing Explorer- 3 hr Snaphots & highlights: $69
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBagan -Airlie Beach $9.87
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bagan and Airlie Beach, we can see that Airlie Beach is more expensive. And not only is Bagan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Bagan is in Asia and Airlie Beach is in Pacific, 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 Bagan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Bagan 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 Airlie Beach would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Airlie Beach than you might in Bagan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Bagan Expensive? and Is Airlie Beach 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.