Which place is cheaper, Buenos Aires, Argentina or Cairns?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Cairns or Buenos Aires, Argentina?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Cairns or Buenos Aires, Argentina? 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: Cairns or Buenos Aires, Argentina?
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.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Buenos Aires, federal capital of Argentina, also known as "The City of Tango", is best known for its energetic and unpredictable character. Like a restless child, Buenos Aires is a dynamic and modern city full of surprises. While its French-style palaces, rooftop restaurants, wide avenues and green plazas resemble European-style architecture, Buenos Aires preserves its musical, literary and culinary traditions. You can't miss dining in front of a Tango show, walking around the colourful streets of La Boca and visiting the renowned Recoleta Cemetery, designed by Argentina's most important architects and home to hundreds of illustrious corpses.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 4-Week (1-Month) Tours in Australia, The Best Budget Tours to Australia, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Buenos Aires, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Buenos Aires.
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Cairns Prices
Australia PricesBuenos Aires, Argentina Prices
Argentina Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCairns $116Buenos Aires, Argentina $56
The average daily cost (per person) in Cairns is $116, while the average daily cost in Buenos Aires, Argentina is $56. 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 Cairns and Buenos Aires, Argentina in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCairns $43Buenos Aires, Argentina $40
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCairns $86Buenos Aires, Argentina $80
Compare Hotels in Cairns and Buenos Aires, Argentina
Looking for a hotel in Cairns or Buenos Aires, Argentina? 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 and Buenos Aires, Argentina Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cairns $12Buenos Aires, Argentina $2.10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairns
Also for Cairns, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- AIRPORT TRANSFER between Cairns Airport & Port Douglas (6am-5pm): $40
- Airport Transfers between Cairns Airport and Cairns City: $15
- Airport Transfers between Cairns Airport and Palm Cove: $24
- Cairns Airport (CNS) Arrival Transfer (Airport to Port Douglas Hotel or Address): $230
- Cairns Airport (CNS) to Cairns hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $52
- Cairns Airport (CNS) to Palm Cove - Round-Trip Private Transfer : $171
- Cairns Airport (CNS) to Port Douglas - Arrival Private Transfer: $189
- Cairns Airport (CNS): Transfer to Port Douglas hotels: $184
- Cairns Airport Shared Transfer to Cairns: $15
- Cairns Airport Transfers: $160
- Cairns Airport to Port Douglas Private Transfer 1-7 Pax: $174
- Cairns Airport to Port Douglas Private Transfer With Return : $267
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Buenos Aires, Argentina:
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in Buenos Aires HTL-APT (EZE): $109
- Transfer from Ezeiza Airport to Buenos Aires City - ROUND TRIP: $143
- Transfer from Buenos Aires Port to Buenos Aires Int Airport (EZE): $125
- Transfer from Buenos Aires International Airport (EZE) to Cruise Terminal: $105
- Transfer from Buenos Aires Cruise Terminal to International Airport (EZE): $105
- Transfer from Aeroparque Jorge Newbery to your Hotel in Buenos Aires: $40
- Transfer between airports (EZE-AEP): $85
- Transfer Buenos Aires International Airport (EZE) to Downtown Hotel: $87
- Transfer Buenos Aires Downtown Hotel to Domestic (AEP) or Cruise Terminal: $52
- Transfer Buenos Aires Domestic (AEP) or Cruise Terminal to Downtown Hotel : $52
- The house of D10S With Transfers: $38
- Tango Show in Tango Porteño - no transfers - : $47
Is it cheaper to fly into Cairns or Buenos Aires, Argentina?
Prices for flights to both Buenos Aires, Argentina and Cairns 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
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Food Meals for one dayCairns $49Buenos Aires, Argentina $7.60
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cairns
For Cairns, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Ancient Egypt Sunset Tour with optional 3 Course Dinner : $66
- Ancient Egypt Night Tour with optional 2 Course Dinner: $66
- Dinner Cruise Experience: $92
- Cairns Catamaran Harbour and Dinner Cruise: $93
- Night at the Aquarium Guided Tour & 2 Course Dinner: $96
- Aquarium Guided Twilight Tour with 3-Course Dinner: $118
- Ancient Egypt Sunset Tour with 3 Course Dinner: $124
- Ancient Egypt Night Tour with 2 Course Dinner: $124
- City Sights Tour with Evening Dinner Cruise: $171
- Small-Group Afternoon Cairns City Tour with Harbour Dinner Cruise: $174
- Paronella Park Rainforest Full-Day Tour with Dinner: $65,930
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Esquina Homero Manzi Tango Show with Optional Transfer and Dinner: $25
- Tango Porteño Show with Optional Dinner and Tango Lesson: $31
- Madero Tango Dance Show with Dinner on Demand: $32
- Tango Porteño with Optional Dinner: $35
- Chacarita Walking Tour - Spooky Cemetery, History & Pizza: $38
- Tango Show and Dinner at: Tango Porteño: $40
- Tango Porteño Show in Buenos Aires (with optional dinner): $43
- Tango Show at Tango Porteño with Optional Dinner: $44
- Dinner at Arte de Mafia, Mafioso Theme Restaurant in Palermo: $44
- Early Tango Dinner Show with Optional Traditional Bus Transfer: $46
- El Aljibe Tango Show in Buenos Aires with Optional Dinner: $47
- Exclusive Italian Lunch or Dinner at Puny Pasta and Grill: $50
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cairns $37Buenos Aires, Argentina $30
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cairns
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Cairns's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Scuba Diving$36
Tours and Activities in Cairns
For Cairns, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Skip the Line: Cairns Museum Admission Ticket: $10
- Skip the Line: Cairns Museum Single Admission Ticket: $10
- Koalas and Creatures Entry Ticket: $13
- Kuranda Koala Gardens General Entry Ticket: $15
- Kuranda: Riverboat Tour: $20
- Kuranda Koala Gardens and Birdworld Admission Tickets: $26
- Hipster and Street Art Walking Tour: $29
- Tomb of the Pharaohs Entry Ticket: $32
- Cairns Tomb Of The Pharaohs General Admission Ticket: $32
- Cairns Pub & Club Tour: $34
- Cairns Koalas and Creatures Entry Ticket with Koala Photo: $37
- Cairns Aquarium General Admission Ticket: $38
Tours and Activities in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Here are a few actual costs in Buenos Aires, Argentina for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Buenos Aires Private City Tour Designed for Seniors: $250
- E-Scooter Tour: Recoleta, Palermo & Downtown + Local Flavors: $69
- Football Matchday In Argentina (Ticket+Transport+Guide): $130
- Private City Tour with Local Gastronomy: $120
- Private Full Day City Tour by Iconic Buenos Aires: $300
- Small Group Walking Tour: Urban Art Palermo: $50
- "SAILING TOUR: Tango and Choripan (typical Argentine food) : $300
- 100% Gaucho Experience in a Traditional Estancia: $262
- 2 Hour Tour in Buenos Aires Parisina : $43
- 2 Hours Football and Street Art Walking Tour in Buenos Aires : $30
- 2 Hours Private Tour in Buenos Aires: $127
- 2 hrs. Walking Tour in San Telmo & Market : $13
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCairns $13Buenos Aires, Argentina $9.27
Sample the Local Flavors in Cairns
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Cairns:
- Cairns Party Bus Pub Crawl Night Out Experience: $44
- From Atherton Tablelands Food and Wine Tasting Tour: $168
Sample the Local Flavors in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Also in Buenos Aires, Argentina, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Buenos Aires Full City Tour with Wine Tasting and Stops: $37
- Boutique Wine Tasting: A Unique Experience in Buenos Aires: $45
- BA: Wine Tasting and Blending Experience in Palermo : $51
- BA: Small Group Wine Tasting and Blending in Palermo: $54
- Wine tasting in OASIS Palermo: $55
- Buenos Aires Small-Group Wine Tasting: $55
- Buenos Aires Premium Wine Tasting: $58
- Malbec Wine Tasting at Boutique Hotel in Palermo: $59
- Private argentinian wine tasting in downtown : $61
- Wine Tasting at Encuentro Nativo a Historic Tenement in Caminito: $63
- Wine Tasting in Palermo, City of Buenos Aires.: $65
- Premium Wine Tasting in Buenos Aires: $85
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cairns and Buenos Aires, Argentina, we can see that Cairns is more expensive. And not only is Buenos Aires, Argentina much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cairns is in Pacific and Buenos Aires, Argentina is in South America, 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 Buenos Aires, Argentina would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Buenos Aires, Argentina 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 Cairns would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cairns than you might in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cairns Expensive? and Is Buenos Aires, Argentina Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cairns or Buenos Aires, Argentina?
Buenos Aires, Argentina has a larger population, and is about 80 times larger than the population of Cairns. When comparing the sizes of Cairns and Buenos Aires, Argentina, 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 Cairns or Buenos Aires, Argentina?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the southern hemisphere, summer is in January and winter is in July.
Should I visit Cairns or Buenos Aires, Argentina in the Summer?
Both Buenos Aires, Argentina and Cairns during the summer are popular places to visit. Many visitors come to Cairns in the summer for the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences.
In January, Cairns is generally a little warmer than Buenos Aires, Argentina. Daily temperatures in Cairns average around 29°C (84°F), and Buenos Aires, Argentina fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).
Buenos Aires, Argentina gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Cairns. Cairns usually gets more rain in January than Buenos Aires, Argentina. Cairns gets 429 mm (16.9 in) of rain, while Buenos Aires, Argentina receives 118 mm (4.6 in) of rain this time of the year. November to March is the rainy season in Cairns.
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Summer Average Temperatures JanuaryCairns 29°C (84°F)Buenos Aires, Argentina 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Cairns or Buenos Aires, Argentina in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Cairns and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Most visitors come to Cairns for the hiking trails and the shopping scene during these months.
Cairns is a little warmer than Buenos Aires, Argentina in the autumn. The daily temperature in Cairns averages around 27°C (80°F) in April, and Buenos Aires, Argentina fluctuates around 18°C (65°F).
Buenos Aires, Argentina receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Cairns gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Cairns usually receives more rain than Buenos Aires, Argentina. Cairns gets 273 mm (10.8 in) of rain, while Buenos Aires, Argentina receives 104 mm (4.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn. April to October in Cairns is the dry season.
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Autumn Average Temperatures AprilCairns 27°C (80°F)Buenos Aires, Argentina 18°C (65°F)
Should I visit Cairns or Buenos Aires, Argentina in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Cairns as well as Buenos Aires, Argentina. The winter months attract visitors to Cairns because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
In the winter, Cairns is much warmer than Buenos Aires, Argentina. Typically, the winter temperatures in Cairns in July average around 23°C (73°F), and Buenos Aires, Argentina averages at about 12°C (53°F).
Cairns usually gets less rain in July than Buenos Aires, Argentina. Cairns gets 35 mm (1.4 in) of rain, while Buenos Aires, Argentina receives 68 mm (2.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JulyCairns 23°C (73°F)Buenos Aires, Argentina 12°C (53°F)
Should I visit Cairns or Buenos Aires, Argentina in the Spring?
Both Buenos Aires, Argentina and Cairns are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The beaches are the main draw to Cairns this time of year.
In October, Cairns is generally much warmer than Buenos Aires, Argentina. Daily temperatures in Cairns average around 27°C (80°F), and Buenos Aires, Argentina fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).
It rains a lot this time of the year in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In October, Cairns usually receives less rain than Buenos Aires, Argentina. Cairns gets 44 mm (1.7 in) of rain, while Buenos Aires, Argentina receives 125 mm (4.9 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.
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Spring Average Temperatures OctoberCairns 27°C (80°F)Buenos Aires, Argentina 18°C (64°F)
Typical Weather for Buenos Aires, Argentina and Cairns
| Cairns | Buenos Aires, Argentina | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 29°C (84°F) | 429 mm (16.9 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 118 mm (4.6 in) |
| Feb | 29°C (83°F) | 469 mm (18.5 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 117 mm (4.6 in) |
| Mar | 28°C (82°F) | 471 mm (18.5 in) | 22°C (71°F) | 142 mm (5.6 in) |
| Apr | 27°C (80°F) | 273 mm (10.8 in) | 18°C (65°F) | 104 mm (4.1 in) |
| May | 25°C (78°F) | 118 mm (4.6 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Jun | 23°C (74°F) | 62 mm (2.5 in) | 12°C (53°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) |
| Jul | 23°C (73°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) | 12°C (53°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
| Aug | 24°C (75°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
| Sep | 25°C (77°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 75 mm (3 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (80°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 125 mm (4.9 in) |
| Nov | 28°C (82°F) | 104 mm (4.1 in) | 21°C (69°F) | 117 mm (4.6 in) |
| Dec | 29°C (83°F) | 211 mm (8.3 in) | 23°C (74°F) | 104 mm (4.1 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.