Should you visit Darwin or Noosa Heads?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Darwin or Noosa Heads, 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.
Noosa Heads
A town and suburb located on Queensland, Australia's Sunshine Coast, Noosa is best known as a destination of pleasant weather, beautiful beachside scenery, shopping, dining, and outdoor adventure. Some of the top attractions of the area include Noosa National Park and Sunshine Beach.
Which city is cheaper, Noosa Heads 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 Noosa Heads is $97. 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 Noosa Heads in more detail.
Accommodation
A hotel room in Darwin is about $110 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
Travelers usually pay around $102 for a double occupancy room in Noosa Heads If you want to be in a premiere location or have high end amenities, 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.
Noosa Heads food costs typically run travelers around $30 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
Noosa Heads $30
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 Noosa Heads than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $15 on transportation in Noosa Heads 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 Arrival Transfer: Darwin Airport to Hotel:
$142
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Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Darwin Airport:
$142
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Noosa Heads
Also for Noosa Heads, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Transfer from Noosa to Sunshine Coast Airport for 1 to 4 people:
$97
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Private Transfer from Noosa to Sunshine Coast Airport for 1 to 7 people:
$122
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Private Transfer from Noosa to Sunshine Coast Airport- 8seater + Luggage Trailer:
$143
Is it cheaper to fly into Darwin or Noosa Heads?
Prices for flights to both Noosa Heads 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 Noosa Heads, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $35 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 Noosa Heads
For Noosa Heads, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Surf Lesson
$47
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Sea Kayak Tour (for 2)
$94
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Sunset Cruise (for 2)
$14
Tours and Activities in Noosa Heads
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Noosa Heads.
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Full-Day Guided Hinterland Adventure Tour in Queensland:
$83
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Noosa Surf Lesson Austraila's Longest Wave 4x4 Day Adventure:
$97
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Stand Up Paddle 4WD Day Trip from Noosa Including Great Beach Drive Experience:
$111
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Noosa River Cruise for 2 people on a Classic Mahogany Speed Boat - 90 min.:
$349
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Noosa River Cruise for 3 to 4 people on a Classic Mahogany Speed Boat - 90 min.:
$364
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.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Noosa Heads, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $9.06.
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 Noosa Heads
Also in Noosa Heads, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Noosa Brewery & Distillery Trail:
$134
When comparing the travel costs between Darwin and Noosa Heads, we can see that Darwin is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Pacific, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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