A Travel Price Comparison for Australia Darwin vs. Katoomba for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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Should you visit Darwin or Katoomba?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Darwin or Katoomba, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down 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.

Katoomba

Designated an UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000, the Blue Mountains are located just west of Sydney in the highlands of New South Wales, Australia.

This area can be generally expensive, but is on par with other destinations in Australia and around Sydney. Plenty of luxury places can be found here that cost more than average, but plenty of cheaper places to stay can be found here, too. Expect to pay for various activities such as tours and entrance fees, too.

The landscape is sprawling with majestic scenery over a rugged terrain of steep cliffs, forests, waterfalls, and villages. Whether you come to hike, climb, bike, or drive to the scenic viewpoints, a curtain of tranquility falls upon the mountains in a blue haze from which they get their name.

Which city is cheaper, Katoomba or Darwin?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Darwin is $96, while the average daily cost in Katoomba is $117. 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. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Darwin and Katoomba in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Darwin $54
    Katoomba $67
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Darwin $108
    Katoomba $134

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Darwin $10
    Katoomba $43
Typical Local Transportation prices in Darwin

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Darwin:


  • Shuttle to Train Station
    $11

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Darwin

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Darwin:

  • Private Arrival Transfer: Darwin Airport to Hotel: $142
  • Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Darwin Airport: $142
  • Wildman Fishing Tours - Fishing + Scenic Flight Transfer: $1,146

Is it cheaper to fly into Darwin or Katoomba?

Prices for flights to both Katoomba 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.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Darwin $32
    Katoomba $15

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Darwin $13
    Katoomba $46

Tours and Activities in Darwin

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

  • Royal Flying Doctor Service Tourist Facility: Two Iconic Territory Stories: $20
  • Royal Flying Doctors Service Entry Ticket: $20
  • Darwin Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour: $30
  • Harbor Highlights Cruise: $32
  • 2.5-Hour Harbour Sunset Cruise: $46
  • Discover the City of Half-Day City Coach Tour: $51
  • Darwin City Sightseeing Tour with Optional Sunset Cruise: $52
  • Bombing of Darwin WW2 Tour with Harbor Cruise: $93
  • Jumping Crocs & Nature Adventure Cruise from Darwin: $94
  • Darwin City tour - Darwin City and Lifestyle tour: $100
  • Bombing of Darwin World War II Tour with Harbour Cruise: $100
  • Litchfield Park Tour & Jumping Crocodile Cruise from Darwin: $126

Tours and Activities in Katoomba

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

  • Blue Mountains Explorer Bus: 1-Day Hop-On Hop-Off Tour: $35
  • Blue Mountains Hop-on Hop-off Tour with Optional Scenic World Rides: $43
  • Ninety Minute Wombat Adventures Guided Tour: $67
  • Small-Group Half-Day Abseiling Adventure from Katoomba: $99
  • Blue Mountains 1-Hour Trike Tour of Three Sisters: $111
  • Blue Mountains Secret Places Adventure: $118
  • Half-Day Abseiling Adventure in Blue Mountains National Park: $119
  • Blue Mountains Botanic Garden and Bilpin Tour from Katoomba with Cider Tasting: $167
  • Small-Group Full-Day Canyoning and Abseiling Adventure from Katoomba: $174
  • Small-Group Full-Day Rock Climbing Adventure from Katoomba: $174
  • From Sydney: Blue Mountains Small-Group Tour Picnic & Hike: $181
  • Blue Mountains: Private Scenic Tour with Optional Stops: $184

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Darwin $11
    Katoomba -
Typical Alcohol prices in Darwin

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


  • Evening at a Bar
    $17
  • Glass of Wine
    $4.94

Sample the Local Flavors in Darwin

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

  • Heli Pub Crawl – 4 Pubs: $782

About these numbers

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Darwin and Katoomba, we can see that Katoomba 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 Katoomba would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Katoomba than you might in Darwin.

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Darwin vs. Katoomba Travel Comparison

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