Should you visit Brisbane or Christchurch?
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 Brisbane and Christchurch can help you decide which place is right for you.
Brisbane
Although Brisbane is often overlooked as a travel destination in Australia, it is the capital of the state of Queensland, and is the third largest city in Australia. It's a very young and vibrant city with an active nightlife and a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. It's a modern and economically thriving city and, if you do have time to visit, it actually has a lot to offer travelers. It has some beautiful scenery, a wonderful warm climate all year long, and is actually one of the fastest growing cities in Australia.
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city on the South Island of New Zealand, right beside the Canterbury Plains. Most people begin their South Island travels here. The city itself can be fascinating to explore so it is worth allowing yourself several days in town as an introduction to the region.
The River Avon flows through the city center, twisting through the old buildings. Christchurch is referred to in New Zealand as the Garden City and it is easy to see why. It's quite a nice city with trees spread throughout. The economy is centered around international tourism as well as foreign education. There is a high Asian student population here, giving the city a diverse feel.
Christchurch's climate is temperate and the city receives moderate rainfall. In January average high temperatures are around 73 degrees Fahrenheit with averages around 52 degrees Fahrenheit in July. There is a sea breeze during the summer months that keep temperatures pleasant. Temperatures can drop below freezing at night during the winter months. Snow may also fall several times a year.
Which city is cheaper, Christchurch or Brisbane?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Brisbane is $118, while the average daily cost in Christchurch is $91. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Brisbane and Christchurch in more detail.
Accommodation
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $144 in Brisbane For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $47. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Christchurch the cost is $94 on average.
Food
On average, meal and food prices in Brisbane cost around $28 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $11.
Food in Christchurch costs travelers about $29 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Brisbane $28
Christchurch $29
Typical Food prices in Brisbane
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Brisbane:
-
Hamburger Lunch
$5.88
-
Cup of Coffee
$2.21
-
Chinese Food Lunch
$9.20
-
Ice cream
$4.05
-
Japanese Meal
$15
-
Smoothie
$4.78
-
Japanese Soup
$8.46
-
Coffee & Muffin
$5.15
-
Morning Mint Tea
$2.57
-
Veggie Burger & Chips
$10
-
Bread
$1.91
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Brisbane
For Brisbane, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Private Pizza Making Class in Hunter Valley:
$48
-
Pizza Paddle Sunset Kayak Tour in Bateman's Bay:
$66
-
Dinner Cruise at Sydney Harbour with Optional Mast Climb Experience:
$72
-
Cairns Dinner Cruise by Spirit of Cairns:
$73
-
Australian Outback Spectacular Dinner Show Ticket:
$74
-
Charles Darwin Dinner Cruise:
$75
-
Sydney Harbour Sunset Dinner Cruise by Captain Cook:
$77
-
Dumpling Cooking Class in Melbourne:
$80
-
Cairns Aquarium Twilight Tour with 3-Course Dinner:
$88
-
Pinnacles Sunset Dinner and Stargazing Tour:
$109
-
Private Cooking School in the Hunter Valley:
$114
-
Mexican Cooking Class in Melbourne:
$122
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Christchurch
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Christchurch.
-
Queenstown Skyline Gondola and Luge Ride with Optional Buffet Lunch or Dinner:
$47
-
Tramway Restaurant 4 Course Dinner Service through Christchurch:
$92
-
Taste Auckland Group Food Tour:
$98
-
Auckland Harbour Dinner Cruise:
$102
-
Sunset / Night Kayak to Rangitoto Island with BBQ Dinner:
$138
-
Queenstown Wine and Food Tour:
$141
-
Willowbank Kiwi Tour and Maori Concert Including Hangi Dinner from Christchurch:
$174
Local Transportation
Brisbane's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend $16 per person, per day on transportation in Brisbane.
The average price of local transportation around Christchurch is $14 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Brisbane
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Brisbane:
-
Airtrain to the City
$11
-
Go Card
$18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Brisbane
Also for Brisbane, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
WhiteWater World Return Shared Transfer from Gold Coast Hotels:
$18
-
8-Day Authentic Outback Adventure Tour of Cunnamulla Including Round-Trip Air Transfer from Brisbane:
$3,043
-
Avalon Airport (AVV) Express Transfer by SkyBus for Melbourne City:
$15
-
Brisbane Airport Arrival Shuttle Transfer to Toowoomba (transit stops):
$63
-
Brisbane Airport Arrival Shuttle Transfer to the Sunshine Coast Hotels/addresses:
$41
-
Brisbane Airport Arrival transfer to Gold Coast shared shuttle:
$43
-
Brisbane Airport Private Transfer to or from Brisbane CBD Maxmium 10 Person:
$29
-
Brisbane Airport Private Transfer to or from Brisbane CBD Maxmium 10 Person:
$33
-
Brisbane Airport Shuttle Transfer to Toowoomba (Transit Stops) Round trip:
$102
-
Brisbane Airport Transfers : Brisbane to Brisbane Airport BNE in Business Car:
$84
-
Brisbane Airport Transfers : Brisbane to Brisbane Airport BNE in Luxury Car:
$131
-
Brisbane Airport Transfers : Brisbane to Brisbane Airport BNE in Luxury Van:
$112
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Christchurch
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Christchurch:
-
Private & Exclusive One-Way Transfer Christchurch to Queenstown:
$1,264
-
Christchurch to Franz Josef or Fox Glacier One-Way Transfer:
$1,185
-
Private Transfer: Christchurch to Mount Cook:
$790
-
Christchurch To Lake Tekapo One-way Transfer:
$672
-
Private Transfers to Cardrona Ski Field or Treble Cone Ski Field:
$629
-
Private Luxury Transfers to The Remarkables:
$445
-
Private Return Transfers from Queenstown to The Remarkables:
$431
-
Private Return Transfers from Queenstown to Coronet Peak:
$389
-
Private Luxury Transfers to Coronet Peak:
$375
-
Christchurch to Akaroa transfer up to 4 people:
$186
-
Christchurch to Methven Private Transfer(Or Methven to Christchurch):
$163
-
Christchurch Airport Transfers : Christchurch to Airport CHC in Luxury Car:
$121
Is it cheaper to fly into Brisbane or Christchurch?
Prices for flights to both Christchurch and Brisbane 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.
Entertainment
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Brisbane can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $21 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Christchurch's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $17 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Typical Entertainment prices in Brisbane
For Brisbane, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
Tours and Activities in Brisbane
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Brisbane.
-
North Stradbroke Island Water Taxi Ferry Ticket:
$7.95
-
Sirromet Sensory Winery Experience:
$8.14
-
Searoad Ferry Tickets between Queenscliff and Sorrento:
$8.85
-
Bridestowe Lavender Estate Tour:
$8.85
-
Newstead House General Entry Ticket:
$9.48
-
Koala Conservation Reserve Tickets in Phillip Island:
$9.95
-
Hunter Valley Wine Theatre Experience:
$11
-
Margaret River Region Lighthouse Tours:
$11
-
Sydney Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour with Mobile App:
$12
-
Kuranda Bird World General Admission Ticket in Cairns:
$13
-
Kuranda Koala Gardens General Admission Ticket in Cairns:
$13
-
Melbourne Sports Lovers Tours:
$13
Tours and Activities in Christchurch
Here are a few actual costs in Christchurch for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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4WD-U Drive Experience:
$232
-
Hobbiton Movie Set Day Tour from Auckland:
$140
-
Hobbiton and Waitomo Caves Tour from Auckland:
$211
-
Kaituna Whitewater Rafting Experience :
$84
-
Kaituna Whitewater Sledging Experience:
$91
-
Milford Sound Vista Day Tour from Queenstown or Te Anau:
$127
-
Mt Tarawera Volcanic Crater Hiking Experience:
$131
-
Putt and Glow Indoor Mini Golf Experience in Queenstown:
$12
-
Queenstown Scenic Cruise - Spirit of Queenstown:
$28
-
Queenstown Tiki Tour:
$70
-
Rotorua Day Tour from Auckland:
$188
-
Ultimate Queenstown Highlights Tour:
$77
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Brisbane, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $45.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Christchurch may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $11 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Typical Alcohol prices in Brisbane
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Brisbane:
-
Evening at the Bar
$11
-
Sixpack of Beer
$10
-
Guiness Beer
$6.25
-
Sixpack of Beer
$9.56
Sample the Local Flavors in Brisbane
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Brisbane:
-
Savannah Estate Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley:
$3.69
-
Hunter’s Dream Estate Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley:
$3.69
-
Misty Glen Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley:
$3.69
-
Tintilla Estate Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley:
$3.69
-
Pokolbin Estate Wine Tasting Experience:
$3.69
-
Tempus Two Wine Tasting Experience:
$3.69
-
Capercaillie Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley:
$3.69
-
Hanging Tree Wines Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley:
$3.69
-
Hungerford Hill Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley :
$7.39
-
Wine Tasting at Thomas Wines:
$7.39
-
Talits Estate Cellar Door Wine Tasting Experience:
$7.39
-
Wine Tasting at Wine House in Hunter Valley:
$7.39
Sample the Local Flavors in Christchurch
Also in Christchurch, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
Sip Marlborough Wine Tour:
$69
-
Wine Tours from Queenstown:
$71
-
Gibbston Valley Ride and Wine Tours:
$88
-
Bubbly Grape Marlborough Wine Tours:
$92
-
A Waipara Wine Experience with Giles Tours, includes wine tastings and lunch:
$95
-
All-Inclusive Waipara Region Wine Tour from Christchurch:
$100
-
Akaroa Eco-Safari with Alpaca Farm Tour and Wine Tasting:
$103
-
Full-day Akaroa Tour with Penguins Safari and Wine Tasting:
$114
-
Lyttelton Shore Excursion - Waipara Wine Tour With Lunch:
$115
-
Afternoon Brewery Tour with Lunch in Queenstown:
$117
-
Wine Tasting Sampler Tour from Queenstown:
$119
-
Queenstown’s Original Wine Tour:
$119
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Brisbane and Christchurch, we can see that Brisbane is more expensive. And not only is Christchurch much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Christchurch would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Christchurch 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 Brisbane would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Brisbane than you might in Christchurch.
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