A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Canberra vs. Gili Trawangan for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Canberra or Gili Trawangan?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Canberra or Gili Trawangan? 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: Canberra or Gili Trawangan?

Canberra

There is something special about the capital city of Australia. Canberra's not just a wonderful spot for outdoor adventures. It's a city completely designed and built up around the coast of an artificial lake. When architects Walter Burley and Marion Mahony Griffin proposed their plans for Canberra it was met with a lot of criticism. Many people thought it would be a "waste of a good sheep pasture."

Gili Trawangan

Gili Trawangan, known as Gili T, is the most visited of the three Gili Islands, located on the northeast side of Lombok. These islands are known for world-class diving and snorkeling spots. It's not hard to see why, considering that any direction you step off the shoreline, there's a beautiful underwater world to explore.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Walking Tours in Australia, The Best Eco Tours in Australia, The Best Tours for Seniors to Indonesia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Indonesia.


Which place is cheaper, Gili Trawangan or Canberra?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Canberra is $133, while the average daily cost in Gili Trawangan is $36. 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 Canberra and Gili Trawangan in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Canberra $82
    Gili Trawangan $24
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Canberra $164
    Gili Trawangan $48
Compare Hotels in Canberra and Gili Trawangan

Looking for a hotel in Canberra or Gili Trawangan? 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.

Hotels in Canberra


Hotels in Gili Trawangan


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: Canberra Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Canberra $24
    Gili Trawangan $2.76

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Canberra

Also for Canberra, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer from Canberra city hotels to Eden Cruise Port: $82
  • Private Transfer from Canberra Airport CBR to Eden Cruise Port : $82
  • Guided Tour of Floriade Festival with Transfers: $117
  • Canberra to Canberra Int Airport - Departure Private Transfer: $34
  • Canberra Int'l Airport to Canberra - Arrival Private Transfer: $34
  • Canberra Airport (CBR) to Canberra - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $68

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Gili Trawangan

Also for Gili Trawangan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer Three Gili Island Lombok by Speedboat: $100
  • Lombok Transfer From 3 Gilis to Airport or Hotel In Lombok: $45
  • Central Gili Island Bus Transfer Senggigi Mataram Kuta Lombok: $16
  • Airport private Transfer: $39

Is it cheaper to fly into Canberra or Gili Trawangan?

Prices for flights to both Gili Trawangan and Canberra 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Canberra $34
    Gili Trawangan $7.21
Typical Food Prices in Canberra

For Canberra, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Lunch
    $16

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Gili Trawangan

For Gili Trawangan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Sweet and Spicy - Indonesian Cooking Class in Gili Trawangan: $28
  • Learn to cook authentic Indonesian food at Gili Cooking Classes: $30
  • Gili Trawangan Sunset BBQ Dinner Cruise with snorkeling: $91

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Canberra $17
    Gili Trawangan $3.98

Tours and Activities in Canberra

For Canberra, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Tour in Canberra: $30
  • Australian Institute of Sport: The AIS Tour: $14
  • Best of Wildlife and Birds Tour: $98
  • Building + Architecture Tour | 10am Daily: $13
  • Canberra Floriade Tour: $118
  • Canberra Small Group Winery Tour: $149
  • Beer, Wine, and Spirits Tasting Tour: $111
  • Best of Wildlife Tour: $88
  • City Highlights Day Tour with Entrance Fees: $117
  • Capital Christmas: Private Festive Tour in Canberra: $642
  • Discover Canberra’s Heritage: A Full-Day Private Tour: $864
  • Discover Pearls of Canberra - Private Walking Tour: $133

Tours and Activities in Gili Trawangan

For Gili Trawangan, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • 5H All Inclusive Breakfast &Snorkeling Cruise on Utopia Catamaran: $107
  • 5H All Inclusive Sunset & Snorkeling Cruise on Utopia Catamaran: $107
  • Gili Hai 3 Islands BBQ Cruise: $72
  • Gili Hai 3 Islands BBQ Sunset Cruise: $72
  • Gili Nanggu Day Tour: $80
  • Gili Trawangan 3 Island Half day Cruise with BBQ Lunch and Snorkeling : $91
  • Shared Gili Islands Snorkeling Tour: $19
  • Kuta Tour (South Of Lombok Beutiful Tour): $49
  • Lombok Private Customize Tour: $85
  • Lombok Private Tour Waterfall And Traditional Village Including Beach: $55
  • Private Snorkeling Experience in Gili Trawangan: $22

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Canberra $16
    Gili Trawangan $3.67
Typical Alcohol Prices in Canberra

Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Canberra from other travelers:


  • Drinks at a Bar
    $9.08

Sample the Local Flavors in Canberra

Also in Canberra, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Canberra Brewery and Beer Tour in 3 Hours: $98
  • Canberra Brewery Winery and Distillery Tour: $112
  • Capital Brewery Full-Day Tour: $121
  • CanBEERa Explorer: Capital Brewery Full-Day Tour: $123
  • From Winery, Distillery, & Tasting Tour with Lunch: $147
  • Canberra Wine Tour: $158
  • Full-Day Canberra Brewery, Wineries & Distillery tour /w lunch: $162


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Canberra and Gili Trawangan, we can see that Canberra is more expensive. And not only is Gili Trawangan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Canberra is in Pacific and Gili Trawangan 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 Gili Trawangan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Gili Trawangan 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 Canberra would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Canberra than you might in Gili Trawangan.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Canberra Expensive? and Is Gili Trawangan Expensive?.


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