Which place is cheaper, Yakushima or Gold Coast?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Gold Coast or Yakushima?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Gold Coast or Yakushima? 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 Yakushima?
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.
Yakushima
Yakushima, Japan is a UNESCO World Heritage island located north of Okinawa and off the south east of of Kyushu. The island is well-known to Japanese tourists but not so much to international ones, making it a bit of a hidden gem to international tourists. This also means that English isn't spoken as much as in larger cities, so make sure to brush up on your Japanese and bring a dictionary.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Australia, The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Australia, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Japan, and The Best Luxury Tours to Japan.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGold Coast $98Yakushima $116
The average daily cost (per person) in Gold Coast is $98, while the average daily cost in Yakushima is $116. 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 Yakushima in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGold Coast $55Yakushima $59
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGold Coast $110Yakushima $118
Compare Hotels in Gold Coast and Yakushima
Looking for a hotel in Gold Coast or Yakushima? 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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Yakushima Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Gold Coast $23Yakushima $49
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Gold Coast
Also for Gold Coast, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Gold Coast Airport Arrival Shared Transfer: $21
- Airport to Hotel Return Transfer: $21
- Movie World To Brisbane Hotel One Way Transfer: $26
- Gold Coast Airport: One-Way Private Transfer to Gold Coast: $73
- Departure Private Transfer: Gold Coast to Airport OOL in Business Car: $98
- Arrival Private Transfer: Airport OOL to Gold Coast in Business Car: $98
- Gold Coast Airport Transfer: Airport OOL to Gold Coast in Business Car: $98
- Australia Zoo Ticket and Roundtrip Transfer: $101
- Tangalooma Beach Day Cruise with Bus Transfers: $114
- Gold Coast Airport Transfer: Airport OOL to Gold Coast in Luxury Van: $126
- Gold Coast Airport Transfer: Gold Coast to Airport OOL in Luxury Van: $126
- Departure Private Transfer: Gold Coast to Airport OOL in Luxury Van: $127
Is it cheaper to fly into Gold Coast or Yakushima?
Prices for flights to both Yakushima 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 $27Yakushima $28
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:
- Australian Outback Spectacular Dinner & Show: $72
- Gold Coast Buffet Dinner Sightseeing Cruise: $79
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Gold Coast $19Yakushima $20
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
- SkyPoint Observation Deck Ticket: $24
- Surfers Paradise: IceBar Entry Ticket and Drink: $29
- Surfer's Paradise Sightseeing Cruise: $29
- Surfers Paradise and Midday River Cruise: $32
- Surfers Paradise: Gold Coast Afternoon River Cruise 4pm: $32
- Gold Coast Morning Tea Cruise from Surfers Paradise: $32
- Surfers Paradise Sunset Cruise: $32
- City Lights Cruise: $36
- Aquaduck City Tour and River Cruise: $36
- Gold Coast Sunset River Cruise: $36
- Aquaduck Gold Coast 1 hour City and River Tour: $36
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGold Coast $5.19Yakushima $6.38
Sample the Local Flavors in Gold Coast
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Gold Coast:
- Tamborine Mountain: Wine Tasting Tour with 2-Course Lunch: $124
- Full-Day Guided Wine Tour in Mt Tamborine From Gold Coast : $132
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Gold Coast and Yakushima, we can see that Yakushima is more expensive. And not only is Gold Coast much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Gold Coast is in Pacific and Yakushima 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 Gold Coast would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Gold Coast 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 Yakushima would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Yakushima than you might in Gold Coast.
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 Yakushima Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Gold Coast or Yakushima?
Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Gold Coast is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but Yakushima has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Gold Coast or Yakushima in the Summer?
Both Yakushima and Gold Coast during the summer are popular places to visit. The summer months attract visitors to Gold Coast because of the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences.
In January, Gold Coast is generally around the same temperature as Yakushimain July. Daily temperatures in Gold Coast average around 25°C (77°F), and Yakushima fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
Yakushima gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Gold Coast. Gold Coast usually gets less rain in January than Yakushimain July. Gold Coast gets 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain, while Yakushima receives 189 mm (7.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyGold Coast 25°C (77°F)Yakushima 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Gold Coast or Yakushima in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Gold Coast and Yakushima. The hiking trails, the city's sights and attractions, and the shopping scene are the main draw to Gold Coast this time of year.
Gold Coast is around the same temperature as Yakushima in the autumn. The daily temperature in Gold Coast averages around 22°C (71°F) in April, and Yakushima fluctuates around 22°C (71°F)in October.
Yakushima receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Gold Coast gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Gold Coast usually receives less rain than Yakushimain October. Gold Coast gets 101 mm (4 in) of rain, while Yakushima receives 161 mm (6.3 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberGold Coast 22°C (71°F)Yakushima 22°C (71°F)
Should I visit Gold Coast or Yakushima in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Gold Coast as well as Yakushima. Many travelers come to Gold Coast for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
In the winter, Gold Coast is a little warmer than Yakushima. Typically, the winter temperatures in Gold Coast in July average around 15°C (59°F), and Yakushima averages at about 11°C (52°F)in January.
It's quite rainy in Yakushima. Gold Coast usually gets less rain in July than Yakushimain January. Gold Coast gets 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Yakushima receives 106 mm (4.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryGold Coast 15°C (59°F)Yakushima 11°C (52°F)
Should I visit Gold Coast or Yakushima in the Spring?
Both Yakushima and Gold Coast are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Gold Coast in the spring for the beaches and the activities around the city.
In October, Gold Coast is generally a little warmer than Yakushimain April. Daily temperatures in Gold Coast average around 21°C (69°F), and Yakushima fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).
It rains a lot this time of the year in Yakushima. It's quite rainy in Gold Coast. In October, Gold Coast usually receives less rain than Yakushimain April. Gold Coast gets 103 mm (4 in) of rain, while Yakushima receives 207 mm (8.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilGold Coast 21°C (69°F)Yakushima 18°C (64°F)
Typical Weather for Yakushima and Gold Coast
| Gold Coast | Yakushima | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 25°C (77°F) | 167 mm (6.6 in) | 11°C (52°F) | 106 mm (4.2 in) |
| Feb | 25°C (77°F) | 157 mm (6.2 in) | 12°C (53°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) |
| Mar | 24°C (75°F) | 140 mm (5.5 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 160 mm (6.3 in) |
| Apr | 22°C (71°F) | 101 mm (4 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 207 mm (8.1 in) |
| May | 19°C (66°F) | 91 mm (3.6 in) | 21°C (69°F) | 288 mm (11.3 in) |
| Jun | 16°C (61°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 24°C (74°F) | 352 mm (13.9 in) |
| Jul | 15°C (59°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 189 mm (7.4 in) |
| Aug | 16°C (61°F) | 46 mm (1.8 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 205 mm (8.1 in) |
| Sep | 18°C (65°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 253 mm (10 in) |
| Oct | 21°C (69°F) | 103 mm (4 in) | 22°C (71°F) | 161 mm (6.3 in) |
| Nov | 23°C (73°F) | 118 mm (4.6 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 118 mm (4.6 in) |
| Dec | 24°C (76°F) | 129 mm (5.1 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
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.