Should you visit Darwin or Auckland?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Darwin or Auckland, this travel cost comparison can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Darwin
Darwin is a tropical city set against the Timor Sea in north central Australia. It is also the capital city of the Northern Territory. Despite being a relatively small city, Darwin is very diverse with residents from all over the world. The city itself has a very relaxed vibe with plenty to do. Visitors can enjoy everything from traditionally Asian style markets to culturally diverse events such as concerts, festivals or art shows.
Auckland
Auckland is located on the North Island of New Zealand on an isthmus between the Northland Peninsula and the other parts of the North Island. Auckland is not only a city but also a region. In 2010 New Zealand combined what had previously been four separate cities into one region. These cities include the southern city of Manukau, the western city of Waitakere, the North Shore in the north, and Auckland City. The City of Auckland is the largest city in Polynesia and is very diverse with many expatriates from elsewhere in Polynesia. This diversity becomes most apparent in Auckland's many festivals and sporting events.
Which city is cheaper, Auckland or Darwin?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Darwin is $98, while the average daily cost in Auckland is $127. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Darwin and Auckland in more detail.
Accommodation
A hotel room in Darwin is about $110 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $162 in Auckland For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
Food in Darwin costs travelers about $33 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
Auckland food costs typically run travelers around $24 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
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Food
Meals for one day
Darwin $33
Auckland $24
Typical Food prices in Auckland
For Auckland, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Auckland
For Auckland, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Auckland Harbour Sailboat Cruise Including Three Course Dinner:
$107
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Darwin is $10 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Auckland than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $14 on transportation in Auckland on average per day.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Darwin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Darwin:
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Shuttle to Train Station
$11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Darwin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Darwin:
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Wildman Fishing Tours - Fishing + Scenic Flight Transfer:
$1,146
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Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Darwin Airport:
$142
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Private Arrival Transfer: Darwin Airport to Hotel:
$142
Typical Local Transportation prices in Auckland
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Auckland:
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Bus from Airport
$11
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Airport Shuttle
$17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Auckland
Also for Auckland, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Arrival Transfer: Auckland Airport to Auckland Central City Centre:
$21
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Auckland Airport: Express Bus Transfer to Auckland City:
$23
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Private Airport Transfer: from Auckland to Auckland Airport (AKL):
$27
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Private Airport Transfer: Auckland Airport (AKL) to Auckland:
$27
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Private 1-Way Transfer to/from Airport:
$31
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Private Transfer From Auckland City To Auckland Airport:
$41
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Private Transfer From Auckland International Airport To Auckland City:
$44
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Private Transfer From Auckland Domestic Airport To Auckland City:
$44
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Private 1-Way Transfer to/from the Airport:
$66
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Departure Private Transfer Auckland City to Auckland Airport AKL by Sedan Car:
$68
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Auckland Airport transfers:
$70
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Auckland Airport (AKL) Private Transfer:
$71
Is it cheaper to fly into Darwin or Auckland?
Prices for flights to both Auckland and Darwin 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.
Entertainment
Darwin's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $14 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Sightseeing expenses in Auckland, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $25 per day, per person.
Tours and Activities in Darwin
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Darwin are as follows:
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11-day Darwin to Cairns tour:
$1,580
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2-Day Kakadu and Arnhem Land Tour from Darwin:
$753
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3-Day Kakadu National Park and Arnhem Land Explorer Tour from Darwin:
$1,028
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5 Day Kakadu National Park and Arnhem Land Tour:
$2,837
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9 Day Darwin to Broome Adventure:
$1,779
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9-Day Kimberley Offroad Adventure from Darwin to Broome:
$1,580
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Adelaide River Jumping Crocodile Cruise with Roundtrip Helicopter from Darwin:
$545
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Arnhem Land Injalak Hill Full-Day Tour from Darwin:
$213
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Bombing of Darwin World War II Tour with Harbour Cruise:
$100
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Darwin Adventure Rentals - 10 Day Rental - 4WD Camper rentals:
$1,216
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Darwin Adventure Rentals - 5 Day Rental - 4WD Camper rentals:
$608
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Darwin Adventure Rentals - 6 Day Rental - 4WD Camper rentals:
$730
Typical Entertainment prices in Auckland
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Auckland's activities, tours, and tickets:
Tours and Activities in Auckland
For Auckland, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Auckland Self Guided Audio Tour:
$12
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Maritime Museum Entry Ticket:
$14
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Hīkoi To Britomart Māori Art Walking Tour:
$17
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Odyssey Sensory Maze Entrance Ticket:
$18
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Vibrosaun Therapy Experience:
$19
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The Hunt for the Missing Monarch - An Auckland Adventure:
$30
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Clue Zealand - The Hunt for the Missing Monarch - An Auckland Adventure:
$31
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Escape Game Adventure:
$34
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Axe Throwing - 2 hour experience:
$37
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All Blacks Experience: Interactive Guided Tour:
$37
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Auckland City Self Guided Bike tour:
$37
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Auckland Welcome Tour: Private Tour with a Local:
$38
Alcohol
The average person spends about $11 on alcoholic beverages in Darwin per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typically, people visiting Auckland spend on average $12 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Typical Alcohol prices in Darwin
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Darwin from other travelers:
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Evening at a Bar
$17
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Glass of Wine
$5.04
Sample the Local Flavors in Darwin
Also in Darwin, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Heli Pub Crawl – 4 Pubs:
$782
Sample the Local Flavors in Auckland
Also in Auckland, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Tour and Tastings in an Urban Craft Beer Brewery:
$23
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Wild West Coast & Black Sand Beach Tour incl Craft Beer Brewery Lunch & Tasting:
$100
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Premium Full Day Waiheke Wine Tour:
$125
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Small-Group Wine Tasting Experience on Waiheke Island:
$131
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Waiheke Island Premium Food & Wine Tour with Platter Lunch:
$146
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Waiheke Island: Afternoon Small Group Wine Tour with Lunch:
$157
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The Essence of Waiheke Wine Tour:
$157
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Full-Day Waiheke Island Food and Wine Tour:
$165
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Matakana: Full-Day Food and Wine Tour:
$169
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The Afternoon Artisan Food and Wine Tour:
$169
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Auckland Shore Excursion: City Sightseeing, Harbour Cruise and Waiheke Island Wine Tasting:
$171
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Small-Group Kumeu Wine Country Tour Includes Wine Tastings & Lunch:
$189
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Darwin and Auckland, we can see that Auckland is more expensive. And not only is Darwin much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Darwin would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Darwin 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 Auckland would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Auckland than you might in Darwin.
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