Which place is cheaper, Arrowtown or Bandung?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Should I visit Bandung or Arrowtown? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Bandung is the capital city of West Java, and the third largest city in Indonesia after Jakarta and Surabaya. Nicknamed Parijs van Java (Paris of Java) by the Dutch for its resemblance to Paris and European atmosphere back in colonial times, Bandung also earned another nickname as Kota Kembang, literally meaning the Flower City since Bandung used to have a lot of flowers. Nowadays, Bandung has become a very popular weekend escape for Jakartans, who crowd the city on weekends and national holidays. It's known for colonial and art deco architecture, a lively, university-town feel and relatively cool tropical weather. Bandung is also a shopping destination, with fashion outlets clustered along Jalan Setiabudi and Jalan Riau in the Dago district. The city also make a good base for day trips to the surrounding countryside - high volcanic peaks, hot springs, and tea plantations are all within reach.
Historically, Arrowtown is an old gold mining town that is located on the South Island of New Zealand. The town was established during the Otago gold rush of 1862. It is very close to Queenstown, which is a very popular destination among travelers, and it is definitely worth visiting if you are in the Otago region of New Zealand. It is a very tiny town, with a population of just over 2,000 people. The town has a lot of character and history and is a perfect place to go if you wish to get out of the touristy areas like Queenstown.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Indonesia, The Best Tours for Seniors to Indonesia, The Best Contiki Tours to New Zealand, and The Best G Adventures Tours to New Zealand.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Bandung is $40, while the average daily cost in Arrowtown is $114. 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 Bandung and Arrowtown in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Bandung or Arrowtown? 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.
Also for Bandung, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Arrowtown and Bandung 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.
For Bandung, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
For Arrowtown, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Arrowtown:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bandung and Arrowtown, we can see that Arrowtown is more expensive. And not only is Bandung much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Bandung is in Asia and Arrowtown 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 Bandung would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Bandung 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 Arrowtown would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Arrowtown than you might in Bandung.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Bandung Expensive? and Is Arrowtown Expensive?.
Bandung has a larger population, and is about 790 times larger than the population of Arrowtown. When comparing the sizes of Bandung and Arrowtown, 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.