Which place is cheaper, Yakushima or Cairns?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cairns or Yakushima?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Cairns or Yakushima? 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 Yakushima?
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.
Yakushima
Yakushima, Japan is a UNESCO World Heritage island located north of Okinawa and off the south east of of Kyushu. The island is well-known to Japanese tourists but not so much to international ones, making it a bit of a hidden gem to international tourists. This also means that English isn't spoken as much as in larger cities, so make sure to brush up on your Japanese and bring a dictionary.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Contiki Tours to Australia, The Best G Adventures Tours to Australia, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Japan, and The Best Luxury Tours to Japan.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCairns $94Yakushima $116
The average daily cost (per person) in Cairns is $94, while the average daily cost in Yakushima is $116. 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 Yakushima in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCairns $43Yakushima $59
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCairns $86Yakushima $118
Compare Hotels in Cairns and Yakushima
Looking for a hotel in Cairns or Yakushima? 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 Yakushima Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cairns $12Yakushima $49
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: $13
- Shared Airport Transfer to/from City and Beaches: $14
- Cairns Airport/City Transfers: $14
- Airport Transfers between Cairns Airport and Cairns City: $14
- Airport Transfers between Cairns Airport and Palm Cove: $20
- Private Transfer from Cairns City Hotels to Cairns Cruise Port: $21
- Private Transfer From Cairns Cruise Port to Cairns City Hotels: $21
- Shared Shuttle Transfer - Cairns Airport to Port Douglas: $40
- Private Transfer from Cairns Airport (CNS) to Cairns Cruise Port: $45
- Private Transfer from Cairns Cruise Port to Cairns Airport (CNS): $45
- Shuttle Bus Shared Transfer Cairns City to Port Douglas: $49
- Shuttle Bus Shared Transfer Cairns Airport to Port Douglas: $50
Is it cheaper to fly into Cairns or Yakushima?
Prices for flights to both Yakushima 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 $28Yakushima $28
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: $91
- Guided Twilight Tour with 3-Course Dinner: $117
- City Sights Tour with Evening Dinner Cruise: $149
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cairns $37Yakushima $20
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 Single Admission Ticket: $9.91
- Cairns Pub & Club Tour: $26
- Entry Ticket at Historic Village Herberton: $28
- Hartley's Crocodile Adventures General Entry Ticket: $30
- Cairns Aquarium General Admission Ticket: $34
- Sightseeing River Boat Safari with Soft Drinks: $36
- Sunset River Cruise with Snack and Drinks: $42
- Rusty's Market Foodlovers Tour: $43
- Kuranda Rainforestation Nature Park Ticket (BNP): $43
- Cairns Botanic Gardens: Mushroom Photography Tour: $44
- Full Day Tour by Myroo X Deluxe Coach to Mission Beach: $46
- Aquarium Entry Ticket and Turtle Rehabilitation Tour: $47
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCairns $13Yakushima $6.38
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: $139
- From Atherton Tablelands Food and Wine Tasting Tour: $160
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cairns and Yakushima, we can see that Yakushima is more expensive. And not only is Cairns much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cairns is in Pacific and Yakushima is in Asia, 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 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 Yakushima would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Yakushima 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 Yakushima Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Cairns or Yakushima?
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 Yakushima has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Cairns or Yakushima in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Cairns as well as Yakushima. The summer months attract visitors to Cairns because of the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences.
In January, Cairns is generally around the same temperature as Yakushimain July. Daily temperatures in Cairns average around 29°C (84°F), and Yakushima fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
It's quite rainy in Yakushima. Cairns receives a lot of rain in the summer. Cairns usually gets more rain in January than Yakushimain July. Cairns gets 429 mm (16.9 in) of rain, while Yakushima receives 189 mm (7.4 in) of rain this time of the year. November to March in Cairns is the rainy season.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyCairns 29°C (84°F)Yakushima 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Cairns or Yakushima in the Autumn?
Both Yakushima and Cairns are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The hiking trails and the shopping scene are the main draw to Cairns this time of year.
Cairns is a little warmer than Yakushima in the autumn. The daily temperature in Cairns averages around 27°C (80°F) in April, and Yakushima fluctuates around 22°C (71°F)in October.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Yakushima. It's quite rainy in Cairns. In April, Cairns usually receives more rain than Yakushimain October. Cairns gets 273 mm (10.8 in) of rain, while Yakushima receives 161 mm (6.3 in) of rain each month for the autumn. The dry season in Cairns is April to October.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberCairns 27°C (80°F)Yakushima 22°C (71°F)
Should I visit Cairns or Yakushima in the Winter?
Both Yakushima and Cairns during the winter are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Cairns for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
In the winter, Cairns is much warmer than Yakushima. Typically, the winter temperatures in Cairns in July average around 23°C (73°F), and Yakushima averages at about 11°C (52°F)in January.
Yakushima gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Cairns usually gets less rain in July than Yakushimain January. Cairns gets 35 mm (1.4 in) of rain, while Yakushima receives 106 mm (4.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryCairns 23°C (73°F)Yakushima 11°C (52°F)
Should I visit Cairns or Yakushima in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Cairns and Yakushima. Many visitors come to Cairns in the spring for the beaches.
In October, Cairns is generally much warmer than Yakushimain April. Daily temperatures in Cairns average around 27°C (80°F), and Yakushima fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).
Yakushima receives a lot of rain in the spring. In October, Cairns usually receives less rain than Yakushimain April. Cairns gets 44 mm (1.7 in) of rain, while Yakushima receives 207 mm (8.1 in) of rain each month for the spring. April to October in Cairns is the dry season. Also, November to March is the rainy season in Cairns.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilCairns 27°C (80°F)Yakushima 18°C (64°F)
Typical Weather for Yakushima and Cairns
| Cairns | Yakushima | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 29°C (84°F) | 429 mm (16.9 in) | 11°C (52°F) | 106 mm (4.2 in) |
| Feb | 29°C (83°F) | 469 mm (18.5 in) | 12°C (53°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) |
| Mar | 28°C (82°F) | 471 mm (18.5 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 160 mm (6.3 in) |
| Apr | 27°C (80°F) | 273 mm (10.8 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 207 mm (8.1 in) |
| May | 25°C (78°F) | 118 mm (4.6 in) | 21°C (69°F) | 288 mm (11.3 in) |
| Jun | 23°C (74°F) | 62 mm (2.5 in) | 24°C (74°F) | 352 mm (13.9 in) |
| Jul | 23°C (73°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 189 mm (7.4 in) |
| Aug | 24°C (75°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 205 mm (8.1 in) |
| Sep | 25°C (77°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 253 mm (10 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (80°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) | 22°C (71°F) | 161 mm (6.3 in) |
| Nov | 28°C (82°F) | 104 mm (4.1 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 118 mm (4.6 in) |
| Dec | 29°C (83°F) | 211 mm (8.3 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 93 mm (3.7 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.