A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Dali vs. Newcastle for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Dali or Newcastle?

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

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Dali and Newcastle can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Dali or Newcastle?

Dali

Dali is a city in southern China with a long and glorious history dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The Xiaguan neighborhood of the city is the modern industrial center where most public transportation arrives; however, the Old Town of Dali is the place that draws the most visitors. Being one of China's ancient cities, Dali is said to have been a gateway to the Silk Road, and still attracts attention with its traditional architecture, beautiful scenery, ethnic cultures, and nightlife.

Newcastle

Newcastle is 150 kilometers north of Sydney in New South Wales. It is also the second largest city in the state, and serves as a central point to explore the area's beaches, wineries, and beautiful natural landscape. North of the city is Stockton beach, which has many miles of isolated, beautiful beaches, stretching all the way up to Nelson Bay. The wineries are inland to the west and have some of Australia's finest wine which you can taste. If you want to see rainforests, you can head northwest to Barrington Tops National Park, which has great rainforests and freshwater streams. You may even get to see a platypus. The city also has the country's oldest sea port. In the past the city's economy was centered around the steel industry, but today the University of Newcastle is one of the area's most important employers.

For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in China, The Best Adventure Tours to China, The Best Contiki Tours to Australia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Australia.


Which place is cheaper, Newcastle or Dali?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Dali is $48, while the average daily cost in Newcastle is $91. 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 Dali and Newcastle in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Dali $17
    Newcastle $44
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Dali $34
    Newcastle $88
Compare Hotels in Dali and Newcastle

Looking for a hotel in Dali or Newcastle? 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 Dali


Hotels in Newcastle


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: Newcastle Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Dali $9.19
    Newcastle $8.34
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Dali

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Dali:


  • Local Bus
    $0.41

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dali

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

  • Dali Airport Chauffeur Service,Dali Airport Transfer: $40
  • Private Transfer from Dali to Lijiang/Shuhe hotel: $149
  • Private Transfer from Dali to Lijiang/Shuhe hotel and Stops at Shaxi Old Town: $160

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Newcastle

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Newcastle:

  • Private Transfer from Newcastle Port to Newcastle city hotels: $28
  • Private Transfer from Newcastle Port to Newcastle Airport (NTL): $29
  • Private Transfer from Newcastle Cruise Port to Sydney City Hotels: $88
  • Private Transfer from Newcastle City Hotels to Newcastle Port: $28
  • Private Transfer from Newcastle Airport (NTL) to Newcastle Port: $29
  • Private Transfer - Newcastle Cruise Port to Sydney Airport (SYD): $88
  • Tandem Beach Skydive with Optional Transfers: $248
  • Bimbadgen Lunch Tour with Helicopter Transfers: $751
  • Newcastle to Newcastle Airport (NTL) - Departure Private Transfer: $26
  • Newcastle Airport (NTL) to Newcastle - Arrival Private Transfer: $26

Is it cheaper to fly into Dali or Newcastle?

Prices for flights to both Newcastle and Dali 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
    Dali $18
    Newcastle $35
Typical Food Prices in Dali

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


  • Lunch
    $4.42
  • Breakfast
    $3.45

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Dali $18
    Newcastle $15

Tours and Activities in Dali

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

  • 1-Day Erhai Sightseeing in Dali: $129
  • 1 day Dali Highlights Mini Group Tour: $140
  • 1-Day Tie Dye Experience Tour in Dali: $160
  • Private Day Tour of Dali Explore the Ancient City: $175
  • Private hiking tour to Cangshan Mountain from Dali: $175
  • Private tour to Xizhou old town local market Erhai lake three Pagodas from Dali: $184
  • Dali Private Tour to Xizhou Ancient Town and Erhai Lake : $186
  • 1-Day Dali tour with the Daili old town, Xizhou Village and Three Pagodas: $195
  • 2-Days Self-Guided tour from Dali to Lijiang and overnight in Shaxi old town: $205
  • Private Customized Tour: Dali City Highlights in One Day: $213
  • All Inclusive Private Day Tour to Shaxi Ancient Town from Dali: $213
  • Private Day Tour: Erhai Lake, Three Pagodas, Dali Ancient Town: $217

Tours and Activities in Newcastle

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Newcastle are as follows:

  • 3- Hour Wine and Harvest the Hunter Horse Tour in Pokolbin: $92
  • 3-Hour Hunter Valley Scenic Helicopter Tour Including 3-Course Lunch from Cessnock: $254
  • Architecture, Street Art & Hidden Secrets Walking Tour of Newcastle: $33
  • Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard - Sweet Indulgence Experience: $37
  • Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard: Fromage and Fortified Wine Experience: $50
  • Award Winning Full Day Wine and Food Experience: $150
  • Eat And Drink Newcastle History Walking Tour: $60
  • Family Pass: Fighter World Museum Admission Ticket: $30
  • From Hunter Valley Beer & Wine Group Tour: $163
  • Full Day Tour in Country Towns, Rivers and Aussie Farm: $159
  • Helicopter Tour of Hunter Valley in New South Wales with Lunch: $281
  • Humpback Whale Encounter Tour from Newcastle: $83

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Dali $11
    Newcastle $10

Sample the Local Flavors in Newcastle

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Newcastle:

  • Cael’s Gate Wine Tasting in Broke: $5.32
  • Boutique Wine Tasting Experience in Pokolbin: $6.60
  • Ivanhoe Wines: Trip Advisor Seated Wine Tasting Masterclass: $9.91
  • Tulloch Wines - Wine Tasting paired with Local Handmade Chocolates: $20
  • 30-Minute Distillery Guided Tour in Carrington : $23
  • Cheese and Wine Tasting Experience in Pokolbin: $26
  • Tintilla Estate: Wine Tasting with a Meat and Cheese Platter: $26
  • Tulloch Wines Hunter Heroes Wine Tasting with Local Cheese & Charcuterie Board: $33
  • Tulloch Wines- Mystery Wine Tasting Experience with Local Cheese and Charcuterie: $33
  • Premium Wine Tasting Experience in Pokolbin: $50
  • Snapshot Half Day Hunter Valley Wine Tour: $72
  • Hunter Valley Wine Tour from the Hunter with Wine Craft Beer Cheese Chocolate: $102


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

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


Which is Bigger, Dali or Newcastle?

Newcastle has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Dali. When comparing the sizes of Dali and Newcastle, 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.