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

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Should you visit Darwin or Surfers Paradise?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Darwin or Surfers Paradise, 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.

Where Should I go: Darwin or Surfers Paradise?

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.

Surfers Paradise

A tourist mecca, Surfers Paradise is one of the most popular travel destinations along Australia's famed Gold Coast. The beach stretches for miles and there is an endless supply of almost constant parties. You'll find high rise apartments lined up along the shore and plenty of shopping areas, restaurants, nightclubs, and bars. Travelers from around the world visit the area, and it's a right of passage for Australia's teens to vacation in or near Surfers Paradise. For many travelers, Surfers Paradise comes across as little more than a mass marketed, over commercialized, party destination, but for others it is a vacation dream. Prices are highly inflated so you have to keep your whits about you to avoid being ripped off. Surfers Paradise is a destination of extremes and it conjures up extreme emotions in many travelers, be it positive or negative.

Which city is cheaper, Surfers Paradise or Darwin?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Darwin is $97, while the average daily cost in Surfers Paradise 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 city. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Darwin and Surfers Paradise in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Darwin $54
    Surfers Paradise $58
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Darwin $108
    Surfers Paradise $116
Compare Hotels in Darwin and Surfers Paradise

Looking for a hotel in Darwin or Surfers Paradise? 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 Darwin


Hotels in Surfers Paradise


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: Darwin Hotel Prices and Surfers Paradise Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Darwin $10
    Surfers Paradise $9.79
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:

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

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Surfers Paradise

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

  • One-Way Shared Transfer to Byron Bay: $30
  • Gold Coast: Airport to Hotel Return Transfer: $33
  • Private Brisbane Airport Departure Transfer From Gold Coast: $177

Is it cheaper to fly into Darwin or Surfers Paradise?

Prices for flights to both Surfers Paradise 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
    Surfers Paradise $23

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Surfers Paradise

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

  • Surfers Paradise Sunset Kayak and Dinner: $40
  • Dinner Buffet Cruise on the Gold Coast: $70
  • Gold Coast: Spirits of the Red Sand Aboriginal Show & Dinner: $87

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Darwin $13
    Surfers Paradise $20

Tours and Activities in Darwin

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

  • 11-day Darwin to Cairns tour: $1,580
  • 2-Day Kakadu and Arnhem Land Tour from Darwin: $753
  • 3-Day Kakadu National Park and Arnhem Land Explorer Tour from Darwin: $1,028
  • 5 Day Kakadu National Park and Arnhem Land Tour: $2,837
  • 9 Day Darwin to Broome Adventure: $1,779
  • 9-Day Kimberley Offroad Adventure from Darwin to Broome: $1,580
  • Adelaide River Jumping Crocodile Cruise with Roundtrip Helicopter from Darwin: $545
  • Arnhem Land Injalak Hill Full-Day Tour from Darwin: $213
  • Bombing of Darwin World War II Tour with Harbour Cruise: $100
  • Darwin Adventure Rentals - 10 Day Rental - 4WD Camper rentals: $1,216
  • Darwin Adventure Rentals - 5 Day Rental - 4WD Camper rentals: $608
  • Darwin Adventure Rentals - 6 Day Rental - 4WD Camper rentals: $730

Typical Entertainment prices in Surfers Paradise

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Surfers Paradise's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Surf Lesson
    $85

Tours and Activities in Surfers Paradise

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

  • Green Cabs Surfers Paradise Tours: $16
  • Gold Coast Morning Tea Cruise from Surfers Paradise: $18
  • Gold Coast 1.5-Hour Sightseeing River Cruise from Surfers Paradise: $20
  • Gold Coast 1.5-Hour Sightseeing River Cruise from Surfers Paradise: $21
  • Gold Coast Sightseeing Cruise: $23
  • Infinity Attraction in Queensland Admission Ticket: $23
  • Skip the Line:Wax Museum Ticket-World in Wax & Guided Tour of Chamber of Horrors: $25
  • Gold Coast: Aquaduck City Tour and River Cruise: $29
  • Aquaduck Gold Coast 1 hour City and River Tour: $32
  • Gold Coast Quack'rDuck Amphibious Tour from Surfers Paradise: $32
  • Stand Up Paddle Board Tour: $36
  • Private Stand Up Paddle Tour: $46

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Darwin $11
    Surfers Paradise $9.79
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
    $4.97

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

Sample the Local Flavors in Surfers Paradise

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

  • Private Half Day Wine Tour from Gold Coast to Tamborine Mountain: $119
  • Hipster Sipster Brewery and Distillery Tour: $154

About these numbers

When comparing the travel costs between Darwin and Surfers Paradise, 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.


When is the best time to visit Darwin or Surfers Paradise?

Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the southern hemisphere, summer is in January and winter is in July.

Should I visit Darwin or Surfers Paradise in the Summer?

Both Surfers Paradise and Darwin during the summer are popular places to visit.

In the summer, Darwin is a little warmer than Surfers Paradise. Typically, the summer temperatures in Darwin in January are around 29°C (83°F), and Surfers Paradise is about 25°C (77°F).

In Surfers Paradise, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the summer, Darwin often gets less sunshine than Surfers Paradise. Darwin gets 173 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Surfers Paradise receives 256 hours of full sun.

Surfers Paradise gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Darwin. Darwin usually gets more rain in January than Surfers Paradise. Darwin gets 437 mm (17.2 in) of rain, while Surfers Paradise receives 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures January
    Darwin 29°C (83°F) 
    Surfers Paradise 25°C (77°F)

Should I visit Darwin or Surfers Paradise in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Darwin and Surfers Paradise.

In April, Darwin is generally a little warmer than Surfers Paradise. Temperatures in Darwin average around 29°C (84°F), and Surfers Paradise stays around 22°C (71°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Surfers Paradise this time of the year. In Darwin, it's very sunny this time of the year. Darwin usually receives more sunshine than Surfers Paradise during autumn. Darwin gets 267 hours of sunny skies, while Surfers Paradise receives 214 hours of full sun in the autumn.

Surfers Paradise receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In April, Darwin usually receives less rain than Surfers Paradise. Darwin gets 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Surfers Paradise receives 101 mm (4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures April
    Darwin 29°C (84°F) 
    Surfers Paradise 22°C (71°F)

Should I visit Darwin or Surfers Paradise in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Darwin as well as Surfers Paradise.

Darwin is much warmer than Surfers Paradise in the winter. The temperature in Darwin is usually 25°C (77°F) in July, and Surfers Paradise stays around 15°C (59°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Surfers Paradise. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Darwin this time of the year. In the winter, Darwin often gets more sunshine than Surfers Paradise. Darwin gets 312 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Surfers Paradise receives 226 hours of full sun.

Darwin usually gets less rain in July than Surfers Paradise. Darwin gets 1 mm (0 in) of rain, while Surfers Paradise receives 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures July
    Darwin 25°C (77°F) 
    Surfers Paradise 15°C (59°F)

Should I visit Darwin or Surfers Paradise in the Spring?

Both Surfers Paradise and Darwin are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities.

In the spring, Darwin is a little warmer than Surfers Paradise. Typically, the spring temperatures in Darwin in October are around 29°C (85°F), and Surfers Paradise is about 21°C (69°F).

It's quite sunny in Surfers Paradise. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Darwin. Darwin usually receives more sunshine than Surfers Paradise during spring. Darwin gets 291 hours of sunny skies, while Surfers Paradise receives 259 hours of full sun in the spring.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Surfers Paradise. In October, Darwin usually receives less rain than Surfers Paradise. Darwin gets 76 mm (3 in) of rain, while Surfers Paradise receives 103 mm (4 in) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures October
    Darwin 29°C (85°F) 
    Surfers Paradise 21°C (69°F)

Typical Weather for Surfers Paradise and Darwin

Darwin Surfers Paradise
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 29°C (83°F) 437 mm (17.2 in) 25°C (77°F) 167 mm (6.6 in)
Feb 28°C (83°F) 343 mm (13.5 in) 25°C (77°F) 157 mm (6.2 in)
Mar 28°C (83°F) 342 mm (13.5 in) 24°C (75°F) 140 mm (5.5 in)
Apr 29°C (84°F) 85 mm (3.3 in) 22°C (71°F) 101 mm (4 in)
May 27°C (81°F) 29 mm (1.1 in) 19°C (66°F) 91 mm (3.6 in)
Jun 26°C (78°F) 2 mm (0.1 in) 16°C (61°F) 61 mm (2.4 in)
Jul 25°C (77°F) 1 mm (0 in) 15°C (59°F) 70 mm (2.8 in)
Aug 26°C (79°F) 8 mm (0.3 in) 16°C (61°F) 46 mm (1.8 in)
Sep 28°C (83°F) 19 mm (0.7 in) 18°C (65°F) 30 mm (1.2 in)
Oct 29°C (85°F) 76 mm (3 in) 21°C (69°F) 103 mm (4 in)
Nov 30°C (85°F) 131 mm (5.2 in) 23°C (73°F) 118 mm (4.6 in)
Dec 29°C (85°F) 234 mm (9.2 in) 24°C (76°F) 129 mm (5.1 in)


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Darwin vs. Surfers Paradise Travel Comparison

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