Which place is cheaper, Surfers Paradise or Datong?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Datong or Surfers Paradise?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Datong 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: Datong or Surfers Paradise?
Datong
If you're looking for an old world city, with a renovated feel, you might want to spend some time in Datong, China. This city was once walled-in and the newest initiative is to rebuild their great wall to maintain their old world charm. Datong is definitely done a lot to make itself a contender in the world of vacation destinations.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in China, The Best Cultural Tours in China, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Australia, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Australia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDatong $57Surfers Paradise $109
The average daily cost (per person) in Datong is $57, while the average daily cost in Surfers Paradise is $109. 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 destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Datong and Surfers Paradise in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDatong $24Surfers Paradise $70
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDatong $48Surfers Paradise $140
Compare Hotels in Datong and Surfers Paradise
Looking for a hotel in Datong 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.
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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Datong $13Surfers Paradise $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Datong
Also for Datong, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from Datong Railway Stations to Hotels in City Center: $35
- Private Transfer Service from Yungang Airport to Datong Hotel: $29
- Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Hanging Temple and Hengshan from Datong: $118
- Flexible Private Transfer Service from Datong to Pingyao with Sightseeing Stops: $225
- Dunhuang Private Round Trip Transfer to Jiayuguan and Xuanbi Great Wall : $100
- Private Round-Trip Transfer to Hanging Temple: $98
- Datong Hanging Temple Private Transfer from Hotel or Station: $69
- Chengdu: Private Round-Trip Transfer to Leshan Budda: $128
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Surfers Paradise
Also for Surfers Paradise, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer to Brisbane/BNE Airport from Gold Coast/OOL Airport( 1-7 pax): $241
- All-Inclusive Dolphin & Tangalooma Wrecks Day Cruise (Gold Coast Transfer): $188
- Private Transfer Brisbane Airport to Gold Coast 4-6 Passengers: $181
- Private Transfer from Brisbane Airports to Surfers Paradise: $112
- One Way Luxury Transfer to Gold Coast Theme Parks : $98
- Surfers Paradise to Gold Coast Airport Luxury Transfer: $91
- Private Transfer from Gold Coast Airport - Surfers Paradise: $52
- Gold Coast Theme Parks: Shared Hotel Transfers: $15
Is it cheaper to fly into Datong or Surfers Paradise?
Prices for flights to both Surfers Paradise and Datong 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
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Food Meals for one dayDatong $20Surfers Paradise $28
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:
- Buffet Dinner Sightseeing Cruise: $82
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Datong $26Surfers Paradise $25
Tours and Activities in Datong
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Datong.
- 1-Day Pingyao tour from Datong and ends of Beijing or Xi'an by Bullet Train: $267
- 1-Day Private Tour: Datong Highlights with the Lunch: $215
- 2-Day Dadong Tour Including Tickets: $520
- 2-Day Private Datong Tour:Hanging Temple, Yugang Grottoes,Wooden Pagoda and More: $298
- All Inclusive Datong Private Day Tour to Hanging Temple and Yungang Grottoes : $268
- All Inclusive Private Day Tour to Hanging Temple at Hengshan from Datong : $188
- All-Inclusive Private Day Tour to Wooden Pagoda and Hanging Temple from Datong: $220
- All-Inclusive Private Tour to Yungang Grottoes and Hanging Temple from Datong: $220
- Black Myth Wukong Actual Locations 6-Day Shanxi Private Tour: $1,224
- Datong Classic Day Tour: $135
- Datong Day Tour to Yungang Grottoes and Hanging Temple: $203
- Datong Hanging Temple Wooden Pagoda Self-guided Tour by Car: $95
Typical Entertainment Prices in Surfers Paradise
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Surfers Paradise's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Surf Lesson$82
Tours and Activities in Surfers Paradise
For Surfers Paradise, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Evening Rainforest & Glow Worm Experience - Small Group Tour: $84
- 1.5hr Jetski Tour with island stopover - SELF DRIVE - NO LICENCE NEEDED: $195
- 2.5hrs Jetski Tour with island stopover / Self Drive / Surfers Paradise: $272
- Body Massage Experience in Gold Coast : $170
- Buffet Lunch Sightseeing Cruise: $62
- Catch a Crab Tour with Optional Seafood Lunch: $66
- Fisherman's Friend Morning Tea Cruise: $35
- Glow Worms - Nocturnal Rainforest/Waterfall Adventure: $70
- Gold Coast - Hopo 2 Hour Sightseeing Cruise: $27
- Gold Coast 1.5-Hour Sightseeing River Cruise from Surfers Paradise: $31
- Gold Coast City Lights Cruise: $38
- Gold Coast Hop On Hop Off Sightseeing Cruise 1 Day Pass: $32
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDatong $13Surfers Paradise $12
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Datong and Surfers Paradise, we can see that Surfers Paradise is more expensive. And not only is Datong much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Datong is in Asia and Surfers Paradise is in Pacific, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Datong would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Datong 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 Surfers Paradise would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Surfers Paradise than you might in Datong.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Datong Expensive? and Is Surfers Paradise Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Datong or Surfers Paradise?
Datong has a larger population, and is about 60 times larger than the population of Surfers Paradise. When comparing the sizes of Datong and Surfers Paradise, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.