Which place is cheaper, Cairns or Benxi?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Benxi or Cairns?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Benxi and Cairns can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Benxi or Cairns?
Benxi
Benxi, China is a city in the south east of the Liaoning Province in northeast China. The city itself is a major industrial hub, but is best known for the Benxi Shuidong National Park where you'll find the famous five million year old water cave. Benxi experiences cold winters, with weather being less enjoyable for touring from November through March. May through August see much warmer weather, getting up to the high 80's Fahrenheit in late summer. September and October are also good times to visit as temperatures cool to 60-70 degrees.
Cairns
Most travelers go to Cairns specifically to visit Great Barrier Reef. The city itself is surprisingly large and cosmopolitan with a population of approximately 140,000. The city's economy is almost exclusively based on tourism, although you will find some jobs centered around agriculture, or more specifically sugar cane, bananas, coffee, tea, wine, and some tropical fruits. The city itself is surrounded by rainforest and makes a great base for exploring Kuranda, with the Barron Gorge National Park and the Daintree offering a quieter tropical getaway than Cairns.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in China, The Best Luxury Tours to Australia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Australia.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBenxi $97Cairns $100
The average daily cost (per person) in Benxi is $97, while the average daily cost in Cairns is $100. 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 Benxi and Cairns in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBenxi $48Cairns $45
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBenxi $96Cairns $90
Compare Hotels in Benxi and Cairns
Looking for a hotel in Benxi or Cairns? 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: Cairns Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Benxi $32Cairns $13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairns
Also for Cairns, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Cairns airport to cairns city private Transfers: $14
- Cairns Airport/City Transfers: $14
- Shared Airport Transfer to/from City and Beaches: $14
- Cairns Airport Transfers: $15
- Airport Transfers between Cairns Airport and Cairns City: $15
- Private Transfer from Cairns City Hotels to Cairns Cruise Port: $21
- Private Transfer From Cairns Cruise Port to Cairns City Hotels: $21
- Airport Transfers between Cairns Airport and Palm Cove: $22
- Shuttle Bus Transfer - Kuranda to Cairns City: $28
- From Cairns Airport: One-Way Private Transfer to Cairns city: $30
- Private Transfer from Cairns Cruise Port to Cairns Airport (CNS): $46
- Private Transfer from Cairns Airport (CNS) to Cairns Cruise Port: $47
Is it cheaper to fly into Benxi or Cairns?
Prices for flights to both Cairns and Benxi 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 dayBenxi $31Cairns $29
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cairns
For Cairns, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Dinner Cruise Experience: $88
- Cairns Luxury Catamaran Harbor and Dinner Cruise: $90
- Night at the Aquarium Guided Tour & 2 Course Dinner: $99
- Guided Twilight Tour with 3-Course Dinner: $122
- City Sights Tour with Evening Dinner Cruise: $156
- Small-Group Afternoon Cairns City Tour with Harbour Dinner Cruise: $167
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Benxi $7.50Cairns $39
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cairns
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Cairns's activities, tours, and tickets:
-
Scuba Diving$38
Tours and Activities in Cairns
For Cairns, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Koalas and Creatures Entry Ticket: $14
- Cairns Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
- Kuranda Koala Gardens General Entry Ticket: $15
- Cairns Self-Guided Audio Tour: $16
- Cairns Pub & Club Tour: $28
- Entry Ticket at Historic Village Herberton: $29
- Hartley's Crocodile Adventures General Entry Ticket: $31
- Cairns Koalas and Creatures Entry Ticket with Koala Photo: $36
- Cairns Aquarium General Admission Ticket: $39
- Sightseeing River Boat Safari with Soft Drinks: $44
- Sunset River Cruise with Snack and Drinks: $44
- Rusty's Market Foodlovers Tour: $45
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayBenxi $7.90Cairns $14
Sample the Local Flavors in Cairns
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Cairns:
- Cairns Brewery Tours: $146
- From Atherton Tablelands Food and Wine Tasting Tour: $167
When comparing the travel costs between Benxi and Cairns, we can see that Cairns 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 Benxi is in Asia and Cairns is in Pacific, 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 Benxi Expensive? and Is Cairns Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Benxi or Cairns?
Benxi has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Cairns. When comparing the sizes of Benxi and Cairns, 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.
When is the best time to visit Benxi or Cairns?
Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Cairns is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but Benxi has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Benxi or Cairns in the Summer?
Both Cairns and Benxi during the summer are popular places to visit. Also, many visitors come to Cairns in the summer for the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences.
In the summer, Benxi is cooler than Cairns. Typically, the summer temperatures in Benxi in July average around 25°C (78°F), and Cairns averages at about 29°C (84°F)in January.
Cairns gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Benxi. Benxi usually gets less rain in July than Cairnsin January. Benxi gets 211 mm (8.3 in) of rain, while Cairns receives 429 mm (16.9 in) of rain this time of the year. November to March is the rainy season in Cairns.
-
Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryBenxi 25°C (78°F)Cairns 29°C (84°F)
Should I visit Benxi or Cairns in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Benxi and Cairns. Also, most visitors come to Cairns for the hiking trails and the shopping scene during these months.
In October, Benxi is generally much colder than Cairnsin April. Daily temperatures in Benxi average around 11°C (52°F), and Cairns fluctuates around 27°C (80°F).
Cairns receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Benxi usually receives less rain than Cairnsin April. Benxi gets 51 mm (2 in) of rain, while Cairns receives 273 mm (10.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn. April to October in Cairns is the dry season.
-
Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilBenxi 11°C (52°F)Cairns 27°C (80°F)
Should I visit Benxi or Cairns in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Benxi as well as Cairns. Also, the winter months attract visitors to Cairns because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Benxi can be very cold during winter. Benxi is much colder than Cairns in the winter. The daily temperature in Benxi averages around -10°C (14°F) in January, and Cairns fluctuates around 23°C (73°F)in July.
Benxi usually gets less rain in January than Cairnsin July. Benxi gets 9 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Cairns receives 35 mm (1.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyBenxi -10°C (14°F)Cairns 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit Benxi or Cairns in the Spring?
Both Cairns and Benxi are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Also, the beaches are the main draw to Cairns this time of year.
In the spring, Benxi is much colder than Cairns. Typically, the spring temperatures in Benxi in April average around 11°C (51°F), and Cairns averages at about 27°C (80°F)in October.
In April, Benxi usually receives around the same amount of rain as Cairnsin October. Benxi gets 46 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Cairns receives 44 mm (1.7 in) of rain each month for the spring. The dry season in Cairns is April to October. The rainy season in Cairns is November to March.
-
Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberBenxi 11°C (51°F)Cairns 27°C (80°F)
Typical Weather for Cairns and Benxi
| Benxi | Cairns | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -10°C (14°F) | 9 mm (0.4 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 429 mm (16.9 in) |
| Feb | -7°C (20°F) | 11 mm (0.4 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 469 mm (18.5 in) |
| Mar | 2°C (35°F) | 17 mm (0.7 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 471 mm (18.5 in) |
| Apr | 11°C (51°F) | 46 mm (1.8 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 273 mm (10.8 in) |
| May | 18°C (64°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) | 25°C (78°F) | 118 mm (4.6 in) |
| Jun | 22°C (72°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) | 23°C (74°F) | 62 mm (2.5 in) |
| Jul | 25°C (78°F) | 211 mm (8.3 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) |
| Aug | 25°C (76°F) | 167 mm (6.6 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Sep | 18°C (65°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Oct | 11°C (52°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) |
| Nov | 2°C (35°F) | 24 mm (0.9 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 104 mm (4.1 in) |
| Dec | -7°C (20°F) | 12 mm (0.5 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 211 mm (8.3 in) |
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.