Which place is cheaper, Whitsundays or Cairns?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cairns or Whitsundays?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Cairns or Whitsundays? 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 Whitsundays?
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.
Whitsundays
Just off the coast of Queensland, Australia is a cluster of 74 different islands. These islands, the Whitsunday Islands, welcome over a half a million visitors every year to see one of the Seven Wonders of the World - the Great Barrier Reef.
As one of the most famous destinations in the world, it's not uncommon to see expensive yachts sailing around among the private ferries. Most of the islands are designated as national parks with access to snorkeling and diving in the coral reefs, or just to lay in the sand on the famous Whitehaven Beach.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 3-Week Tours in Australia, The Best Budget Tours to Australia, The Best Luxury Tours to Australia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Australia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCairns $94Whitsundays $132
The average daily cost (per person) in Cairns is $94, while the average daily cost in Whitsundays is $132. 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 Whitsundays in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCairns $43Whitsundays $69
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCairns $86Whitsundays $138
Compare Hotels in Cairns and Whitsundays
Looking for a hotel in Cairns or Whitsundays? 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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cairns $12Whitsundays $55
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairns
Also for Cairns, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Hot Air Balloon Flight with Transfers: $641
- Cairns to Mission Beach (ONE WAY) Private Transfer 1 to 6 pax: $278
- Cairns Airport(CNS) to Port Douglas - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $266
- Mercedes-Benz S Class Transfers Cairns Airport - Port Douglas : $255
- Cairns Airport(CNS) to Cairns City - Round-Trip Private Transfer : $247
- Cairns Airport (CNS): Private Transfer to Cairns city hotels: $240
- IMAX Private Transfer 7 Guests Cairns Airport to Hotels in Port Douglas : $222
- Cairns to Silky Oaks (ONE WAY) Private Transfer 1 to 6 pax: $195
- Cairns Airport Private Transfers: $185
- Cairns Airport (CNS): Private Transfer to Palm Cove hotels: $167
- Cairns Airport (CNS): Transfer to Port Douglas hotels: $167
- Cairns Airport to Luxury Transfers Port Douglas: $167
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Whitsundays
Also for Whitsundays, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Whitsunday Islands: Whitehaven Beach Camping Transfer: $122
Is it cheaper to fly into Cairns or Whitsundays?
Prices for flights to both Whitsundays 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 $28Whitsundays $30
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cairns
For Cairns, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cairns Luxury Catamaran Harbor and Dinner Cruise: $85
- Night at the Aquarium Guided Tour & 2 Course Dinner: $89
- Guided Twilight Tour with 3-Course Dinner: $115
- City Sights Tour with Evening Dinner Cruise: $146
- Small-Group Afternoon Cairns City Tour with Harbour Dinner Cruise: $156
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Whitsundays
For Whitsundays, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hamilton Island: Whitsundays Sunset BBQ Dinner Cruise: $96
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cairns $37Whitsundays $25
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:
- Atherton Tablelands, Waterfalls and Rainforest Tour from Cairns: $99
- Atherton Tablelands: Lakes, Waterfalls, Rainforest Day Tour: $96
- Atherton Tablelands; 'Behind the Scenes' Wildlife Tour: $295
- Authentic Indigenous Cultural Tour Including Scenic River Cruise: $92
- Barron Gorge and Kuranda National Park Half Day Rainforest and Waterfall 4WD Tour from Cairns: $120
- Cairns 4WD Rainforest Waterfall Tour Including a GBR Island Tour: $242
- Cairns Aquarium General Admission & Coral Conservation Tour: $52
- Cairns Aquarium General Admission Ticket: $33
- Cairns Aquarium Marine Life Encounter Ticket : $198
- Cairns Aquarium Turtle Hospital and City Sightseeing Tour: $114
- Cairns Aquarium and small group City Sightseeing Tour: $125
- Cairns Botanic Gardens: Mushroom Photography Tour: $44
Tours and Activities in Whitsundays
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Whitsundays.
- Airlie Beach: Private Guided 2-Night Yacht Sailing Cruise: $4,852
- Daydream Island: Great Barrier Reef Adventure Cruise: $192
- From Daydream Is.: Whitsundays & Whitehaven Half-Day Cruise: $90
- Whitsundays Camira Sailing Adventure from Daydream Island: $147
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCairns $13Whitsundays $12
Sample the Local Flavors in Cairns
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Cairns:
- From Atherton Tablelands Food and Wine Tasting Tour: $157
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cairns and Whitsundays, we can see that Whitsundays is more expensive. And not only is Cairns much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Cairns would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cairns 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 Whitsundays would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Whitsundays than you might in Cairns.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cairns Expensive? and Is Whitsundays Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Cairns or Whitsundays?
Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the southern hemisphere, summer is in January and winter is in July.
Should I visit Cairns or Whitsundays in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Cairns and Whitsundays. The summer months attract visitors to Cairns because of the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences.
In the summer, Cairns is a little warmer than Whitsundays. Typically, the summer temperatures in Cairns in January average around 29°C (84°F), and Whitsundays averages at about 26°C (79°F).
Whitsundays receives a lot of rain in the summer. Cairns gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In January, Cairns usually receives more rain than Whitsundays. Cairns gets 429 mm (16.9 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 331 mm (13 in) of rain each month for the summer. Also, November to March is the rainy season in Cairns.
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Summer Average Temperatures JanuaryCairns 29°C (84°F)Whitsundays 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit Cairns or Whitsundays in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Cairns as well as Whitsundays. The hiking trails and the shopping scene are the main draw to Cairns this time of year.
In April, Cairns is generally a little warmer than Whitsundays. Daily temperatures in Cairns average around 27°C (80°F), and Whitsundays fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).
It's quite rainy in Whitsundays. Cairns receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Cairns usually gets more rain in April than Whitsundays. Cairns gets 273 mm (10.8 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain this time of the year. Also, April to October in Cairns is the dry season.
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Autumn Average Temperatures AprilCairns 27°C (80°F)Whitsundays 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit Cairns or Whitsundays in the Winter?
Both Whitsundays and Cairns are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Many travelers come to Cairns for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Cairns is a little warmer than Whitsundays in the winter. The daily temperature in Cairns averages around 23°C (73°F) in July, and Whitsundays fluctuates around 16°C (62°F).
In July, Cairns usually receives less rain than Whitsundays. Cairns gets 35 mm (1.4 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JulyCairns 23°C (73°F)Whitsundays 16°C (62°F)
Should I visit Cairns or Whitsundays in the Spring?
Both Whitsundays and Cairns during the spring are popular places to visit. Many visitors come to Cairns in the spring for the beaches.
In the spring, Cairns is a little warmer than Whitsundays. Typically, the spring temperatures in Cairns in October average around 27°C (80°F), and Whitsundays averages at about 23°C (73°F).
Cairns usually gets around the same amount of rain in October as Whitsundays. Cairns gets 44 mm (1.7 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain this time of the year. April to October is the dry season in Cairns. November to March is the rainy season in Cairns.
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Spring Average Temperatures OctoberCairns 27°C (80°F)Whitsundays 23°C (73°F)
Typical Weather for Whitsundays and Cairns
| Cairns | Whitsundays | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 29°C (84°F) | 429 mm (16.9 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 331 mm (13 in) |
| Feb | 29°C (83°F) | 469 mm (18.5 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 377 mm (14.8 in) |
| Mar | 28°C (82°F) | 471 mm (18.5 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 312 mm (12.3 in) |
| Apr | 27°C (80°F) | 273 mm (10.8 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 143 mm (5.6 in) |
| May | 25°C (78°F) | 118 mm (4.6 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) |
| Jun | 23°C (74°F) | 62 mm (2.5 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) |
| Jul | 23°C (73°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) | 16°C (62°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Aug | 24°C (75°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) | 18°C (65°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) |
| Sep | 25°C (77°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 15 mm (0.6 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (80°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) |
| Nov | 28°C (82°F) | 104 mm (4.1 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 107 mm (4.2 in) |
| Dec | 29°C (83°F) | 211 mm (8.3 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 191 mm (7.5 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.