Should you visit Darwin or Sydney?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Darwin or Sydney, 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.
Sydney
Sydney, known as the harbour city, is the most famous and frequently visited city in Australia. It is at the economical and cultural heart of the country, and is one of the most beautiful and livable cities in the world. It's situated on the water with stunning views of the famous harbour throughout the city. It's most famous landmarks include the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It is also very close wonderful beaches, parks, and nature.
Which city is cheaper, Sydney 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 Sydney is $144. 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 Sydney in more detail.
Accommodation
A hotel room in Darwin is about $110 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
A hotel room in Sydney is about $174 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
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.
In Sydney travelers spend around $34 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
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Food
Meals for one day
Darwin $33
Sydney $34
Typical Food prices in Sydney
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Sydney:
-
Tea
$2.88
-
Lunch Special
$11
-
Food/Drink Coogie Beach
$11
-
Meat Pies
$3.60
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sydney
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Sydney.
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Retro Dinner Cruise on Sydney Harbour:
$59
-
Dinner Christmas Party! Nov&Dec:
$62
-
Vivid Dinner Cruise Sydney Harbour:
$63
-
Latino Dinner Cruise on Sydney Harbour:
$67
-
Harbour Dinner Cruise with 3 or 6-Course Menu:
$71
-
Valentine's Day Dinner Cruise with live Brazilian show on Sydney Harbour:
$78
-
Sydney Harbour Sunset Dinner Cruise:
$78
-
Tall Ship Harbour Twilight Dinner Cruise:
$79
-
Australia Day Dinner and Fireworks Cruise on Sydney Harbour:
$103
-
Sydney Harbour Dinner Cruise:
$126
-
Harbor Cruise with 3-Course Premium Dinner:
$126
-
Sydney Harbour Gold Penfolds Dinner Cruise:
$197
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.
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $13 per day to get around in Sydney.
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
Typical Local Transportation prices in Sydney
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Sydney:
-
Taxi Ride
$14
-
Taxi to Airport
$18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sydney
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sydney:
-
Airport (YYZ) to City - Toronto Arrival Transfer:
$5.00
-
Shuttle Transfer from Circular Quay Cruise Terminal to Sydney Airport:
$13
-
Airport Shuttle Transfer from Sydney City to Sydney Airport:
$13
-
Airport Shuttle Transfer to and from CBD Hotels:
$18
-
Private Airport Transfer: from Sydney to Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD):
$29
-
Sydney Private Chauffeured Airport Transfer:
$36
-
Sydney Airport (SYD) to Sydney hotel or address - Arrival Private Transfer:
$42
-
Sydney to Sydney Airport (SYD) - Departure Private Transfer:
$42
-
Sydney Airport Private Car Arrival Transfer:
$44
-
Sydney Airport Private Car Departure Transfer:
$44
-
Sydney's Best Chauffeured Airport Transfers:
$50
-
Sydney Private Airport Transfer:
$53
Is it cheaper to fly into Darwin or Sydney?
Prices for flights to both Sydney 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.
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $29 per person, per day in Sydney. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
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
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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
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Bombing of Darwin World War II Tour with Harbour Cruise:
$100
-
Litchfield Park Tour & Jumping Crocodile Cruise from Darwin:
$126
Typical Entertainment prices in Sydney
Here are a few typical costs in Sydney for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
Tours and Activities in Sydney
Here are a few actual costs in Sydney for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Chinese Garden General Admission Ticket:
$6.32
-
MultiDay Tour - Test for Booking.com:
$6.90
-
Standard Tour 3 - Test for Booking.com:
$6.90
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Sydney Jewish Museum General Entry Ticket:
$12
-
Sydney Opera House Guided Digital Tour:
$14
-
Australian National Maritime Museum: All-Inclusive Ticket:
$18
-
Sydney Tower Eye Ticket:
$20
-
Australian National Maritime Museum Entry Ticket - See it All:
$20
-
Sydney Sightseeing Bus Tour with Bondi Beach:
$22
-
Cake and pastry walking tour - Sydney:
$24
-
Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) and Museum Walking Tour:
$24
-
True Crime Tour:
$25
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.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Sydney may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $13 per day on alcoholic beverages.
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
-
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:
-
Heli Pub Crawl – 4 Pubs:
$782
Typical Alcohol prices in Sydney
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Sydney:
Sample the Local Flavors in Sydney
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Sydney:
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Urban Winery Wine Tasting Tour with Cheese Platter:
$61
-
Brewery, Winery, and Distillery Tasting Tour:
$112
-
Northern Beaches Brewery Tour and Tasting:
$123
-
Small-Group Hunter Valley Wine Tasting Tour from Sydney:
$130
-
Hunter Valley Wine Tour from Sydney with Lunch and 3 Cellar Door Tastings:
$138
-
Hunter Valley Small Group Luxury Wine Tasting Tour from Sydney:
$138
-
Sip n Savour: Southern Highlands Premium Wine Tour from Sydney:
$154
-
Hunter Valley Wine Tasting Tour from Sydney:
$157
-
Wine Tours Sydney - Southern Highlands Day Escape, Full Day Wine Tasting Tour:
$217
-
Hunter Valley Wine Tasting Small Group: Cheese, Choc, Lunch, from Sydney+Hunter:
$217
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Hunter Valley Wine Tour from Sydney | Private Sydney Wine Tour:
$356
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Hunter Valley Highlights Private Wine Tour from Sydney:
$387
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Darwin and Sydney, we can see that Sydney 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 Sydney would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Sydney than you might in Darwin.
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