Should you visit Byron Bay or Brisbane?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between Byron Bay and Brisbane can help. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Byron Bay
South of Brisbane, off the Pacific Highway, is the coastal town of Byron Bay. It is close to Cape Byron, which is the easternmost point in mainland Australia. Byron Bay makes its way onto most traveler's itineraries because of its wonderful beach activities. The area is world famous for its waves, making it popular with surfers, but it also has incredible scuba diving, whale watching, and a generally relaxed atmosphere. The area continues to rise in popularity with travelers and as such, amenities and facilities are popping up everywhere.
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.
Which city is cheaper, Brisbane or Byron Bay?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Byron Bay is $126, while the average daily cost in Brisbane is $118. 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 Byron Bay and Brisbane in more detail.
Accommodation
The average price for accommodation for two people in Byron Bay is $120. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $144 in Brisbane For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
Byron Bay food costs typically run travelers around $43 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
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
Meals for one day
Byron Bay $43
Brisbane $28
Typical Food prices in Byron Bay
Some typical examples of dining costs in Byron Bay are as follows:
-
Dinner at Olivo (for 2)
$66
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Byron Bay
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Byron Bay.
-
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
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
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Byron Bay is $29 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.
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.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Byron Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Byron Bay:
-
[Promotion: Adult at Kids Price] Hot Air Balloon Experience with Round-trip Transfers & Vineyard Champagne Breakfast in Gold Coast:
$191
-
Hot Air Balloon Experience with Round-trip Transfers & Vineyard Champagne Breakfast in Brisbane:
$191
-
[Promotion: Adult at Kids Price] Hot Air Balloon Experience in Cairns with Round-trip Transfers:
$176
-
Shared Shuttle Bus Transfers from Kings Canyon to Alice Springs:
$133
-
Shared Shuttle Bus Transfers between Alice Springs and Ayers Rock:
$133
-
Shared Shuttle Bus Transfers between Ayers Rock and Kings Canyon:
$110
-
Private Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY) Transfers for Sunshine Coast CBD:
$84
-
Thredbo Day Trip with Round Trip Transfer from Sydney by Brighton Coach:
$81
-
Private Byron Bay Transfer to Gold Coast Airport 7am-6pm:
$79
-
Private Alice Springs Airport (ASP) Transfers for Alice Springs CBD:
$75
-
Private Darwin Airport (DRW) Transfers for Darwin CBD:
$75
-
Private Melbourne Airport (MEL) Transfers for Melbourne CBD:
$71
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:
-
Shared City Transfers from Darwin to Stokes Hill Wharf:
$6.65
-
SkyBus Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL) Express Transfer Ticket:
$11
-
Shared Sunshine Coast Airport Transfers (MCY) for Sunshine Coast:
$12
-
Shared Cairns Airport Transfer (CNS) from and to Cairns, Port Douglas, Palm Cove:
$13
-
Shared Sydney Airport Transfers (SYD) for Sydney:
$13
-
Sunshine Coast Airport Arrival transfer to Hotels:
$14
-
Hobart International Airport (HBA) Express Bus Transfers by SkyBus:
$14
-
Shared Brisbane Airport Transfers (BNE) for Brisbane :
$15
-
Sea World Shared Shuttle Transfer from Gold Coast Hotels:
$15
-
Avalon Airport (AVV) Express Transfer by SkyBus for Melbourne City:
$15
-
Brisbane Departure Transfer Shuttle from Hotel to Brisbane Airport:
$16
-
Brisbane Arrival Transfer Shuttle from Brisbane Airport to Hotel:
$16
Is it cheaper to fly into Byron Bay or Brisbane?
Prices for flights to both Brisbane and Byron Bay 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
Byron Bay's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $32 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.
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.
Typical Entertainment prices in Byron Bay
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Byron Bay are as follows:
Tours and Activities in Byron Bay
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Byron Bay are as follows:
-
Abseiling Adventure in Adelaide :
$73
-
Half Day Kayak Tour in Bateman's Bay + FREE Paddle Pack:
$95
-
Hunter Valley Scenic Wine and Cheese Tour from Sydney:
$125
-
Nowra Treetop and Zipline Adventure:
$32
-
Yarra Valley Hot Air Balloon Flight and Winery Tour:
$385
-
'Have a Go' Clay Target Shooting Experience in Brisbane:
$110
-
12 Apostles, Otways & Great Ocean Road Hiking Adventure from Melbourne:
$132
-
1D1N Kangaroo Island Road to Recovery Tour:
$514
-
2D Best of Tasmania Sightseeing Tour: Hobart & Bruny Island :
$126
-
2D Ultimate Marine Adventure from Port Lincoln:
$405
-
2D1N Reefsleep Under the Stars Great Barrier Experience:
$416
-
2D1N at the Wilderness Lodge with Walking Tours of Bungles and Cathedral Gorge:
$1,068
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
Alcohol
The average person spends about $12 on alcoholic beverages in Byron Bay per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
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.
Sample the Local Flavors in Byron Bay
Also in Byron Bay, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
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
-
Hanging Tree Wines Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley:
$3.69
-
Capercaillie Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley:
$3.69
-
Red Door Collective Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley (Adults Only):
$7.39
-
Hungerford Hill Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley :
$7.39
-
Talits Estate Cellar Door Wine Tasting Experience:
$7.39
-
Wine Tasting at Wine House in Hunter Valley:
$7.39
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
When comparing the travel costs between Byron Bay and Brisbane, we can see that Byron Bay 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. Since both cities are in Pacific, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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