Which place is cheaper, Cairns or Harbin?
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 Harbin or Cairns?
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 Harbin and Cairns can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Harbin or Cairns?
Harbin
Harbin, China is the northernmost major city in the country, with a population of over 10 million. Harbin was founded in 1897 by Russia, which has resulted in a lot of Russian influence throughout the city and many Russian citizens. The city is most famous for their annual International Snow and Ice Festival, a two-month-long festival running from January through February of each year.
Cairns
Most travelers go to Cairns specifically to visit Great Barrier Reef. The city itself is surprisingly large and cosmopolitan with a population of approximately 140,000. The city's economy is almost exclusively based on tourism, although you will find some jobs centered around agriculture, or more specifically sugar cane, bananas, coffee, tea, wine, and some tropical fruits. The city itself is surrounded by rainforest and makes a great base for exploring Kuranda, with the Barron Gorge National Park and the Daintree offering a quieter tropical getaway than Cairns.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in China, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in China, The Best 4-Week (1-Month) Tours in Australia, and The Best Budget Tours to Australia.
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Harbin Prices
China PricesCairns Prices
Australia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHarbin $66Cairns $116
The average daily cost (per person) in Harbin is $66, while the average daily cost in Cairns 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 Harbin and Cairns in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHarbin $21Cairns $43
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHarbin $42Cairns $86
Compare Hotels in Harbin and Cairns
Looking for a hotel in Harbin or Cairns? 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: Cairns Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Harbin $1.52Cairns $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Harbin
Also for Harbin, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared Transfer Service to Ice and Snow World, Sun Island Snow Festival: $250
- Private HRB Airport Departure Transfer from Harbin City Hotel: $70
- Private HRB Airport Arrival Transfer to Harbin City Hotel: $70
- Private Full Day Transfer Service to Harbin Top Winter Attractions: $198
- Private Departure Transfer to Harbin North Railway Station from Harbin City: $100
- Private Arrival Transfer from Harbin West Railway Station to Harbin City Hotel: $65
- Harbin Volga Manor Private Transfer Service with Entry Tickets: $300
- Harbin Taiping Airport Chauffeur Service, Harbin Airport Transfer, Pick up.: $59
- Harbin Ice Festival Tickets and Transfer Service : $148
- Harbin Catholic Church Car Transfer Service: $80
- Harbin Airport (HRB) : Private Arrival Transfer with Meet & Greet Service: $32
- 4 Hour Private Transfer to Sun Island Snow Sculptures: $100
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairns
Also for Cairns, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shuttle Bus Transfer - Kuranda to Cairns City: $20
- Shared Transfer Between Cairns and Port Douglas: $87
- Private transfer between Cairns City Hotel and Airport: $20
- Private Transfers Cairns Airport to Port Douglas: $206
- Private Transfers - Cairns Airport to Palm Cove: $96
- Private Transfers - Cairns Airport to Cairns City: $69
- Private Transfer from Cairns hotels to Port Douglas Cruise Port: $161
- Private Transfer from Cairns Cruise Port to Port Douglas hotels: $180
- Private Transfer from Cairns Cruise Port to Cairns Airport (CNS): $86
- Private Transfer from Cairns City Hotels to Cairns Cruise Port: $72
- Private Transfer from Cairns Airport (CNS) to Port Douglas Port: $160
- Private Transfer from Cairns Airport (CNS) to Cairns Cruise Port: $86
Is it cheaper to fly into Harbin or Cairns?
Prices for flights to both Cairns and Harbin 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 dayHarbin $24Cairns $49
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Harbin
For Harbin, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Dinner Show with Costumes and Performances: $29
- Harbin Cultural Tour at Zhongyang Dajie to Baluoke with Dinner: $80
- Central Street, Baluoke Village, and Dinner Tour: $90
- Harbin Dumpling Cooking Class: $154
- Hot Spring Experience with Hot Pot Dinner in Harbin: $300
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cairns
For Cairns, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Ancient Egypt Sunset Tour with optional 3 Course Dinner : $66
- Ancient Egypt Night Tour with optional 2 Course Dinner: $66
- Dinner Cruise Experience: $92
- Cairns Catamaran Harbour and Dinner Cruise: $93
- Night at the Aquarium Guided Tour & 2 Course Dinner: $96
- Aquarium Guided Twilight Tour with 3-Course Dinner: $118
- Ancient Egypt Sunset Tour with 3 Course Dinner in Cairns: $124
- Ancient Egypt Night Tour with 2 Course Dinner in Cairns: $124
- City Sights Tour with Evening Dinner Cruise: $171
- Small-Group Afternoon Cairns City Tour with Harbour Dinner Cruise: $174
- Paronella Park Rainforest Full-Day Tour with Dinner: $66,130
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Harbin $53Cairns $37
Tours and Activities in Harbin
For Harbin, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Harbin Igloos Hot Pot Private Tour: $300
- Private Night Tour to Harbin Ice Festival: $261
- 1-Day Harbin Private Tour: $168
- 2-Day Harbin City Private Tour in Your Way in Winter Season: $280
- All-Inclusive Harbin City History and Local Culture Private Day Tour: $300
- Group Tour to Harbin Ice and Snow World plus Sun Island Snow Sculpture Festival: $298
- Half Day Tour for Harbin Guandong Ancient Lane and Wood Sculpture Museum: $104
- Half-Day Private Old Harbin Street Walking Tour with Meal: $300
- Harbin City Guided Tour to Zhongyang Street and Sophia Church: $180
- Harbin City Private Day Tour in Your Way in Winter Season: $200
- Harbin Ice Festival New Year Eve Countdown Group Tour on December 31: $200
- Harbin Ice Lantern Show and Center Street Tour: $150
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cairns
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Cairns's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Scuba Diving$36
Tours and Activities in Cairns
For Cairns, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Kuranda Rainforestation Nature Park Ticket (BNP): $47
- 1 Hour Jetski Tour Cairns: $134
- 2 Days Tour on Atherton Tablelands and Cape Tribbin: $288
- 2-Day Daintree & Outback Tour from Cairns & Port Douglas: $261
- 2-Day Paronella Park & Tablelands Tour+Cape Tribulation Tour: $324
- 2-Day Waterfall and Daintree Tour: $191
- 30 min Jetski Tour Cairns: $74
- All Inclusive Day Tour to Frankland Islands Great Barrier Reef: $168
- All Inclusive Great Barrier Reef Cruise w optional Scuba Diving : $178
- All Inclusive Waterfalls and Rainforest Tour from Cairns : $120
- Ancient Egypt Night Tour in the heart of Cairns: $65
- Ancient Egypt Sunset Tour in the heart of Cairns: $65
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHarbin $7.96Cairns $13
Sample the Local Flavors in Harbin
Also in Harbin, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Half-Day Private Harbin Beer Museum and Brewery Tour: $250
Sample the Local Flavors in Cairns
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Cairns:
- Cairns Party Bus Pub Crawl Night Out Experience: $44
- From Atherton Tablelands Food and Wine Tasting Tour: $169
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Harbin and Cairns, we can see that Cairns is more expensive. And not only is Harbin much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Harbin is in Asia and Cairns 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 Harbin would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Harbin 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 Cairns would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cairns than you might in Harbin.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Harbin Expensive? and Is Cairns Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Harbin or Cairns?
Harbin has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Cairns. When comparing the sizes of Harbin and Cairns, 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.
When is the best time to visit Harbin or Cairns?
Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Cairns is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but Harbin has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Harbin or Cairns in the Summer?
Both Cairns and Harbin are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. Also, the summer months attract visitors to Cairns because of the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences.
In the summer, Harbin is cooler than Cairns. Typically, the summer temperatures in Harbin in July average around 24°C (75°F), and Cairns averages at about 29°C (84°F)in January.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Cairns. It's quite rainy in Harbin. In July, Harbin usually receives less rain than Cairnsin January. Harbin gets 153 mm (6 in) of rain, while Cairns receives 429 mm (16.9 in) of rain each month for the summer. The rainy season in Cairns is November to March.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryHarbin 24°C (75°F)Cairns 29°C (84°F)
Should I visit Harbin or Cairns in the Autumn?
Both Cairns and Harbin during the autumn are popular places to visit. Also, the hiking trails and the shopping scene are the main draw to Cairns this time of year.
In October, Harbin is generally much colder than Cairnsin April. Daily temperatures in Harbin average around 7°C (44°F), and Cairns fluctuates around 27°C (80°F).
Cairns gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Harbin usually gets less rain in October than Cairnsin April. Harbin gets 23 mm (0.9 in) of rain, while Cairns receives 273 mm (10.8 in) of rain this time of the year. April to October is the dry season in Cairns.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilHarbin 7°C (44°F)Cairns 27°C (80°F)
Should I visit Harbin or Cairns in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Harbin and Cairns. Also, many travelers come to Cairns for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
It's quite cold in Harbin in the winter. Harbin is much colder than Cairns in the winter. The daily temperature in Harbin averages around -18°C (-0°F) in January, and Cairns fluctuates around 23°C (73°F)in July.
In January, Harbin usually receives less rain than Cairnsin July. Harbin gets 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain, while Cairns receives 35 mm (1.4 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyHarbin -18°C (-0°F)Cairns 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit Harbin or Cairns in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Harbin as well as Cairns. Also, many visitors come to Cairns in the spring for the beaches.
In the spring, Harbin is much colder than Cairns. Typically, the spring temperatures in Harbin in April average around 8°C (46°F), and Cairns averages at about 27°C (80°F)in October.
Harbin usually gets less rain in April than Cairnsin October. Harbin gets 21 mm (0.8 in) of rain, while Cairns receives 44 mm (1.7 in) of rain this time of the year. Also, April to October in Cairns is the dry season. November to March in Cairns is the rainy season.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberHarbin 8°C (46°F)Cairns 27°C (80°F)
Typical Weather for Cairns and Harbin
| Harbin | Cairns | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -18°C (-0°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 429 mm (16.9 in) |
| Feb | -14°C (7°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 469 mm (18.5 in) |
| Mar | -3°C (26°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 471 mm (18.5 in) |
| Apr | 8°C (46°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 273 mm (10.8 in) |
| May | 15°C (60°F) | 37 mm (1.5 in) | 25°C (78°F) | 118 mm (4.6 in) |
| Jun | 21°C (70°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) | 23°C (74°F) | 62 mm (2.5 in) |
| Jul | 24°C (75°F) | 153 mm (6 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) |
| Aug | 22°C (72°F) | 116 mm (4.6 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Sep | 16°C (60°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Oct | 7°C (44°F) | 23 mm (0.9 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) |
| Nov | -4°C (24°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 104 mm (4.1 in) |
| Dec | -14°C (7°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 211 mm (8.3 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.