A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Bandung vs. Noosa Heads for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Bandung or Noosa Heads?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Bandung or Noosa Heads? 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.

Where Should I go: Bandung or Noosa Heads?

Bandung

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.

Noosa Heads

A town and suburb located on Queensland, Australia's Sunshine Coast, Noosa is best known as a destination of pleasant weather, beautiful beachside scenery, shopping, dining, and outdoor adventure. Some of the top attractions of the area include Noosa National Park and Sunshine Beach.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Indonesia, The Best Tours for Seniors to Indonesia, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Australia, and The Best Contiki Tours to Australia.


Which place is cheaper, Noosa Heads or Bandung?

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 Noosa Heads is $110. 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 Noosa Heads in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Bandung $21
    Noosa Heads $58
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Bandung $42
    Noosa Heads $116
Compare Hotels in Bandung and Noosa Heads

Looking for a hotel in Bandung or Noosa Heads? 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.

Hotels in Bandung


Hotels in Noosa Heads


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: Bandung Hotel Prices and Noosa Heads Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Bandung $5.76
    Noosa Heads $17

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bandung

Also for Bandung, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer from Ujung Genteng Sukabumi to Jakarta Halim Airport (HLP): $210
  • Private Transfer from Ujung Genteng Sukabumi to Jakarta Airport (CGK): $210
  • Private Transfer from Kertajati Airport (KJT) to Kesenden: $168
  • Private Transfer from Sukaresmi Garut Regency to Jakarta Airport (CGK): $168
  • Private Transfer from Pejambon to Kertajati Airport (KJT): $168
  • Private Transfer from Kertajati Airport (KJT) to Sunyaragi: $168
  • Private Transfer from Pekalangan to Kertajati Airport (KJT): $168
  • Private Transfer from Kertajati Airport (KJT) to Jagasatru: $168
  • Private Transfer from Kertajati Airport (KJT) to Larangan: $168
  • Private Transfer from Larangan to Kertajati Airport (KJT): $168
  • Private Transfer from Kesenden to Kertajati Airport (KJT): $168
  • Private Transfer from Kertajati Airport (KJT) to Kalijaga: $168

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Noosa Heads

Also for Noosa Heads, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Sunshine Coast and Noosa Eumundi Markets Bus Transfer: $32
  • Sunshine Coast Airport Departure Transfer from Hotels: $18
  • Private Transfers from Sunshine Coast Airport to Noosa (8pax): $129
  • Private Transfers from Sunshine Coast Airport to Noosa (6pax): $116
  • Private Transfers from Sunshine Coast Airport to Noosa (4pax): $99
  • Private Transfer from Sunshine Coast Airport to Hotels 11 pax: $218
  • Private Transfer from Noosa to Sunshine Coast Airport up to 3 pax: $102
  • Private Morning Transfer From Noosa to Rainbow Beach: $89
  • Premium Airport/ Cruise Terminal Transfers: $234
  • Eumundi Markets Bus Transfer from Noosa, Noosaville & Mooloolaba: $32
  • Brisbane Airport Departure shuttle Transfer from Sunshine Coast Hotels/addresses: $55
  • Australia Zoo Transfer from Noosa, Coolum, Marcoola & Twin Waters: $79

Is it cheaper to fly into Bandung or Noosa Heads?

Prices for flights to both Noosa Heads 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.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Bandung $14
    Noosa Heads $33

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Noosa Heads

For Noosa Heads, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Cooking Classes on Witta Maleny Sunshine Coast: $119

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Bandung $5.67
    Noosa Heads $40

Tours and Activities in Bandung

For Bandung, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Backpacker Style of the Java-Madura-Bali Island Tour 12 Days: $1,544
  • Bandung One Day Tour Package: $160
  • Kawah Putih Private Tour and Angklung Performance: $45
  • Volcano Tour with Hot Springs Swim: $135
  • Volcano, Hot Spring, Mud Bathing, & Lake Tour: $64
  • Bandung:Kawah Putih,Volcano,HotSpring,Mud Bathing,Lake Tour: $50
  • Bogor ,west Java Tour: $50
  • Day Trip White Crater Ciwidey Bandung All In - Tour Guide: $70
  • Full-Day Tour to Bandung White Crater,Lake and Tea Plantation: $82
  • Innova Reborn Tour driver car rental in Bandung: $64
  • Java Bali Private Tour Package with Driver as Guide: $468
  • Java Classic Overland Tour: $1,332

Typical Entertainment Prices in Noosa Heads

For Noosa Heads, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • Surf Lesson
    $42
  • Sea Kayak Tour (for 2)
    $84
  • Sunset Cruise (for 2)
    $13

Tours and Activities in Noosa Heads

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Noosa Heads.

  • 1 Hour Self Guided Water Bike Tour of the Noosa River: $33
  • 2 Hours Sunset Experience on Noosa River: $21
  • Aquaduck Sunshine Coast - 1hr Mooloolaba Amphibious Tour: $33
  • Australia Zoo, Glass House Mountains Tour Combo: $184
  • Brisbane Airport and Cruise Terminal to Sunshine Coast 11 pax: $261
  • Bushtucker Cruise: $50
  • Epic Kayak With Dolphins & Wildlife - 4WD Beach Adventure Noosa: $106
  • Everglades Explorer - Noosa Everglades Tour: $98
  • Fliteboard eFoil Experience for Two People in Noosaville: $297
  • Glass House Mountains Tour with Lunch, Lookouts, and Nature Walks: $171
  • Maleny Botanic Gardens Bird Aviary Experience Ticket: $28
  • Mooloolaba Whale Watching Cruise: $56

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Bandung $3.46
    Noosa Heads $10

Sample the Local Flavors in Noosa Heads

Also in Noosa Heads, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Eumundi Market and Distillery Experience Market Days Wednesday & Saturday: $92
  • Sunshine Coast Brewery Tour with Lunch: $162
  • Hinterland Cheese & Wine Tasting Tour - with 2 course lunch included: $165
  • Sunshine Coast & Noosa Scenic Food & Wine Tour Inc. Lunch: $182
  • Noosa Hinterland Tour with Gourmet Lunch, Wine Tasting & Everglades Lake: $191
  • Noosa Hinterland Drinks Tour- visit 2 distilleries, a winery and a brewery : $195
  • Noosa Hinterland Drinks Private Tour with Gin, Beer, Mead & Wine Tastings: $277


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bandung and Noosa Heads, we can see that Noosa Heads 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 Noosa Heads 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 Noosa Heads would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Noosa Heads 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 Noosa Heads Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Bandung or Noosa Heads?

Bandung has a larger population, and is about 170 times larger than the population of Noosa Heads. When comparing the sizes of Bandung and Noosa Heads, 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.