Which place is cheaper, Boracay or Gold Coast?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Gold Coast or Boracay?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Gold Coast or Boracay? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Gold Coast or Boracay?
Gold Coast
The Gold Coast is one of Australia's premier destinations. Famous for gorgeous beaches, warm weather, watersports, and plenty of activities for all ages, millions of tourists from Australia as well as everywhere in the world flock to this region every year. With beaches, national parks, theme parks, shopping and dining, nice resorts, boating, fishing, diving, theme parks and more, the Gold Coast offers something for everyone.
Boracay
A small island in the Philippines known for its resorts and beaches, Boracay is a little escape. Each beach has its own unique character, each with new treasures waiting to be discovered.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Honeymoon Tours in Australia, The Best Photography Tours in Australia, The Best 10-Day Tours in Philippines, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Philippines.
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Gold Coast Prices
Australia PricesBoracay Prices
Philippines Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGold Coast $119Boracay $66
The average daily cost (per person) in Gold Coast is $119, while the average daily cost in Boracay is $66. 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 Gold Coast and Boracay in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGold Coast $55Boracay $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGold Coast $110Boracay $46
Compare Hotels in Gold Coast and Boracay
Looking for a hotel in Gold Coast or Boracay? 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.Gold Coast $23Boracay $28
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Gold Coast
Also for Gold Coast, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival Transfer: Airport OOL to Gold Coast by Business Car: $113
- Arrival Transfer: Airport OOL to Gold Coast by Luxury Van: $139
- Departure Private Transfer: Gold Coast to Airport OOL in Business Car: $108
- Departure Private Transfer: Gold Coast to Airport OOL in Luxury Van: $133
- From Gold Coast : Australia Zoo Transfer and Entry Ticket: $132
- Gold Coast Airport Transfer: Airport OOL to Gold Coast in Business Car: $108
- Gold Coast Airport Transfer: Gold Coast to Airport OOL in Business Car: $108
- Gold Coast Airport Transfer: Gold Coast to Airport OOL in Luxury Car: $139
- Gold Coast Airport: Shared Transfer to Gold Coast: $21
- Gold Coast to Byron Bay scenic One Way Transfer: $81
- Chill Out at Byron Bay Bus Transfer: $72
- OOL Airport to City Centre Private Transfer: $42
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Boracay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Boracay:
- Speedboat Caticlan to Boracay Transfer (Oneway): $81
- Private Transfer from Boracay Port to Boracay Island Hotel: $59
- Private Transfer from Boracay Island Hotels Boracay Cruise Port: $59
- PRIVATE AIRPORT TRANSFER TO BORACAY: $58
- Caticlan Airport (MPH) to Boracay - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $53
- Caticlan Airport (MPH) to Boracay - Round-Trip Private Transfer : $53
- Private Transfer from Caticlan Airport to Boracay: $43
- Boracay Adventures Transfer Services Via Caticlan: $35
- Two-way Shared Transfer from/to Airport to Hotel: $34
- Caticlan: Speedboat Airport Transfer to Boracay: $34
- Departure: Ferry boat Transfer Boracay to Caticlan Airport: $30
- Airport Transfer to Boracay or vice versa: $29
Is it cheaper to fly into Gold Coast or Boracay?
Prices for flights to both Boracay and Gold Coast 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 dayGold Coast $47Boracay $25
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Gold Coast
For Gold Coast, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Brisbane/Sunset, Dinner, Stars/Premium Telescope: $79
- Australian Outback Spectacular Dinner & Show: $79
- Gold Coast Buffet Dinner Sightseeing Cruise: $87
- Gold Coast Private Sunset Sailing Charter w/ dinner & drinks: $310
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Gold Coast $19Boracay $15
Tours and Activities in Gold Coast
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Gold Coast.
- Spring Brook National Park Self Guided Driving Tour: $15
- Spring Brook National Park Driving Tour with an APP: $15
- Surfers Paradise: Sightseeing Midday River and Canal Cruise: $15
- Surfers Paradise: Sightseeing Morning River and Canal Cruise: $21
- Surfers Paradise Sightseeing City Lights Cruise: $21
- SkyPoint Observation Deck Ticket: $22
- SkyPoint Observation Deck Ticket: $23
- Surfers Paradise: Cruise, HOTA Gallery Entry, & Dining Pass: $26
- Surfers Paradise: Sightseeing Sunset River Cruise: $29
- Sightseeing Hop-on Hop-off Cruise: $30
- Surfers Paradise: IceBar Entry Ticket and Drink: $32
- Aquaduck City Tour and River Cruise: $38
Tours and Activities in Boracay
Here are a few actual costs in Boracay for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2 Hours Boracay Inland Private Tour in E-Trike: $125
- 2-Hour Boracay Land Tour via Etrike: $32
- Boracay - Crystal Kayak phot-op Experience: $8.95
- Boracay ATV Tour and Kawa Hot Bath: $85
- Boracay Atv Mainland Adventure with lunch: $59
- Boracay Cliff Jumping & Snorkeling Experience (Private): $105
- Boracay E-trike Land Tour: $23
- Boracay Eco-Hopping Tour: $85
- Boracay Island Hopping Experience: $63
- Boracay Island Hopping Tour with Hot Kawa Bath Experience: $30
- Boracay Island Hopping with Lunch+ Atv Mainland Adventure: $57
- Boracay Island Hopping+ Helmet Diving (Shared Tour): $63
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGold Coast $5.23Boracay $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Gold Coast
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Gold Coast:
- Granddad Jack's Distillery Gin Tasting & Talk: $43
- Queensland Distillery Tour: $76
- Craft Distillery and Brewery Tour on Gold Coast: $77
- Sirromet Wine Tasting and Blending Workshop for 2: $84
- Wine, Distillery & Rainforest Day Tour: $151
- Private Bespoke Hinterland Heritage Wine Tour: $161
- Tamborine Mountain Wine Tour with 2-Course Lunch: $165
- Full-Day Guided Wine Tour in Mt Tamborine From Gold Coast : $167
- Luxury Wine Tour with Gourmet Lunch & Distillery: $198
- Gold Coast and Craft Brewery VIP Tour from Brisbane: $959
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Gold Coast and Boracay, we can see that Gold Coast is more expensive. And not only is Boracay much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Gold Coast is in Pacific and Boracay is in Asia, 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 Boracay would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Boracay 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 Gold Coast would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Gold Coast than you might in Boracay.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Gold Coast Expensive? and Is Boracay Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Gold Coast or Boracay?
Gold Coast has a larger population, and is about 230 times larger than the population of Boracay. When comparing the sizes of Gold Coast and Boracay, 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.