Which place is cheaper, Gold Coast or Bagan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Bagan or Gold Coast?
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 Gold Coast can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Bagan or Gold Coast?
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.
Gold Coast
The Gold Coast is one of Australia's premier destinations. Famous for gorgeous beaches, warm weather, watersports, and plenty of activities for all ages, millions of tourists from Australia as well as everywhere in the world flock to this region every year. With beaches, national parks, theme parks, shopping and dining, nice resorts, boating, fishing, diving, theme parks and more, the Gold Coast offers something for everyone.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Myanmar, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Myanmar, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Australia, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Australia.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBagan $30Gold Coast $98
The average daily cost (per person) in Bagan is $30, while the average daily cost in Gold Coast is $98. 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 Gold Coast in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBagan $7.36Gold Coast $55
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBagan $15Gold Coast $110
Compare Hotels in Bagan and Gold Coast
Looking for a hotel in Bagan or Gold Coast? 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.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Bagan $3.57Gold Coast $23
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bagan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bagan:
- From Bagan City To Mandalay Private Transfer: $150
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Gold Coast
Also for Gold Coast, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival Private Transfer: Airport OOL to Gold Coast in Business Car: $98
- Arrival Transfer: Airport OOL to Gold Coast by Luxury Van: $127
- Departure Private Transfer: Gold Coast to Airport OOL in Business Car: $98
- Departure Private Transfer: Gold Coast to Airport OOL in Luxury Van: $127
- From Tandem Skydive Byron Bay with Transfers: $240
- Gold Coast Airport Arrival Shared Transfer: $21
- Gold Coast Airport Transfer: Airport OOL to Gold Coast in Business Car: $98
- Gold Coast Airport Transfer: Airport OOL to Gold Coast in Luxury Car: $127
- Gold Coast Airport Transfer: Airport OOL to Gold Coast in Luxury Van: $125
- Gold Coast Airport Transfer: Gold Coast to Airport OOL in Business Car: $98
- Gold Coast Airport Transfer: Gold Coast to Airport OOL in Luxury Car: $127
- Gold Coast Airport Transfer: Gold Coast to Airport OOL in Luxury Van: $125
Is it cheaper to fly into Bagan or Gold Coast?
Prices for flights to both Gold Coast 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
-
Food Meals for one dayBagan $5.95Gold Coast $27
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 Gold Coast
For Gold Coast, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Australian Outback Spectacular Dinner & Show: $72
- Gold Coast Buffet Dinner Sightseeing Cruise: $79
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Bagan $57Gold Coast $19
Tours and Activities in Bagan
Here are a few actual costs in Bagan for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Acient Capitals of Myanmar Tour: $149
- Amazing Bagan, full day tour by car and guide: $90
- BAGAN TEMPLES FULL DAY GUIDED BY ELECTRIC BIKE ( Private Tour ): $64
- Bagan Classics Private Temples Tour: $159
- Bagan Cycling Tour ( Villages & Temples Cycling Explorer) : $129
- Bagan Horse Cart Ride Tour with Puppet Show: $160
- Bagan Instagram Photo Tour: $179
- Bagan and Mount Popa Private Tour (2 Days): $90
- Best Bagan One Day Tour With Tour Guide: $48
- Day Cruise Bagan to Mandalay: $31
- Excellent Private Guided Tour Around Bagan With Lunch: $88
- Full Day tour In Bagan UNESCO World Heritage: $50
Tours and Activities in Gold Coast
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Gold Coast.
- Spring Brook National Park Self Guided Driving Tour: $15
- Spring Brook National Park Self Guided Driving Tour: $15
- SkyPoint Observation Deck Ticket: $24
- Surfers Paradise: IceBar Entry Ticket and Drink: $29
- Surfer's Paradise Sightseeing Cruise: $29
- Surfers Paradise: Gold Coast Afternoon River Cruise 4pm: $32
- Surfers Paradise and Midday River Cruise: $32
- Gold Coast Morning Tea Cruise from Surfers Paradise: $32
- Surfers Paradise Sunset Cruise: $32
- Aquaduck City Tour and River Cruise: $36
- City Lights Cruise: $36
- Gold Coast Sunset River Cruise: $36
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayBagan -Gold Coast $5.19
Sample the Local Flavors in Gold Coast
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Gold Coast:
- Tamborine Mountain: Wine Tasting Tour with 2-Course Lunch: $124
- Full-Day Guided Wine Tour in Mt Tamborine From Gold Coast : $133
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bagan and Gold Coast, we can see that Gold Coast 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 Gold Coast 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 Gold Coast would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Gold Coast 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 Gold Coast Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Bagan or Gold Coast?
Gold Coast has a larger population, and is about 1760 times larger than the population of Bagan. When comparing the sizes of Bagan and Gold Coast, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
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.