Which place is cheaper, Whitsundays or Gili Trawangan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Gili Trawangan or Whitsundays?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Gili Trawangan and Whitsundays can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Gili Trawangan or Whitsundays?
Gili Trawangan
Gili Trawangan, known as Gili T, is the most visited of the three Gili Islands, located on the northeast side of Lombok. These islands are known for world-class diving and snorkeling spots. It's not hard to see why, considering that any direction you step off the shoreline, there's a beautiful underwater world to explore.
Whitsundays
Just off the coast of Queensland, Australia is a cluster of 74 different islands. These islands, the Whitsunday Islands, welcome over a half a million visitors every year to see one of the Seven Wonders of the World - the Great Barrier Reef.
As one of the most famous destinations in the world, it's not uncommon to see expensive yachts sailing around among the private ferries. Most of the islands are designated as national parks with access to snorkeling and diving in the coral reefs, or just to lay in the sand on the famous Whitehaven Beach.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to Indonesia, The Best G Adventures Tours to Indonesia, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Australia, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Australia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGili Trawangan $36Whitsundays $132
The average daily cost (per person) in Gili Trawangan is $36, while the average daily cost in Whitsundays is $132. 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 Gili Trawangan and Whitsundays in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGili Trawangan $24Whitsundays $69
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGili Trawangan $48Whitsundays $138
Compare Hotels in Gili Trawangan and Whitsundays
Looking for a hotel in Gili Trawangan or Whitsundays? 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.Gili Trawangan $2.76Whitsundays $55
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Gili Trawangan
Also for Gili Trawangan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer Three Gili Island Lombok by Speedboat: $100
- Lombok Transfer From 3 Gilis to Airport or Hotel In Lombok: $45
- Airport private Transfer: $39
- Central Gili Island Bus Transfer Senggigi Mataram Kuta Lombok: $16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Whitsundays
Also for Whitsundays, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Whitsunday Islands: Whitehaven Beach Camping Transfer: $124
Is it cheaper to fly into Gili Trawangan or Whitsundays?
Prices for flights to both Whitsundays and Gili Trawangan 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 dayGili Trawangan $7.21Whitsundays $30
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Gili Trawangan
For Gili Trawangan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Sweet and Spicy - Indonesian Cooking Class in Gili Trawangan: $28
- Learn to cook authentic Indonesian food at Gili Cooking Classes: $30
- Gili Trawangan Sunset BBQ Dinner Cruise with snorkeling: $91
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Whitsundays
For Whitsundays, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hamilton Island: Whitsundays Sunset BBQ Dinner Cruise: $98
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Gili Trawangan $3.98Whitsundays $25
Tours and Activities in Gili Trawangan
For Gili Trawangan, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 5H All Inclusive Breakfast &Snorkeling Cruise on Utopia Catamaran: $107
- 5H All Inclusive Sunset & Snorkeling Cruise on Utopia Catamaran: $107
- Gili Hai 3 Islands BBQ Cruise: $72
- Gili Hai 3 Islands BBQ Sunset Cruise: $72
- Gili Nanggu Day Tour: $80
- Gili Trawangan 3 Island Half day Cruise with BBQ Lunch and Snorkeling : $91
- Shared Gili Islands Snorkeling Tour: $19
- Kuta Tour (South Of Lombok Beutiful Tour): $49
- Lombok Private Customize Tour: $85
- Lombok Private Tour Waterfall And Traditional Village Including Beach: $55
- Private Snorkeling Experience in Gili Trawangan: $22
Tours and Activities in Whitsundays
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Whitsundays.
- Airlie Beach: Private Guided 2-Night Yacht Sailing Cruise: $4,941
- Daydream Island: Great Barrier Reef Adventure Cruise: $195
- From Daydream Is.: Whitsundays & Whitehaven Half-Day Cruise: $91
- Whitsundays Camira Sailing Adventure from Daydream Island: $150
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGili Trawangan $3.67Whitsundays $12
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Gili Trawangan and Whitsundays, we can see that Whitsundays is more expensive. And not only is Gili Trawangan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Gili Trawangan is in Asia and Whitsundays 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 Gili Trawangan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Gili Trawangan 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 Whitsundays would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Whitsundays than you might in Gili Trawangan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Gili Trawangan Expensive? and Is Whitsundays Expensive?.
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.