A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Hualien vs. Fraser Island for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Hualien or Fraser Island?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Hualien or Fraser Island, 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: Hualien or Fraser Island?

Hualien

If you're looking for hustle and bustle, head to Taipei. If you're looking for fresh air and the prettiest town by the sea, Hualien is the place to be. With many national parks to explore, cliffs and mountains to climb and beaches to get some rest and relaxation, there's plenty to do, especially for nature lovers and those who crave peace and quiet, away from the bigger cities in Taiwan.

Fraser Island

Fraser Island, located off Australia's eastern Queensland coast, is the world's largest sand island. It is best known as a camping and ecotourism destination, with a number of panoramic viewpoints, beaches, lakes, and freshwater pools. Hervey Bay, a beachside city on the nearby mainland, is a primary gateway to the island.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Taipei, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Taiwan, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Australia, and The Best Honeymoon Tours in Australia.


Which place is cheaper, Fraser Island or Hualien?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Hualien is $136, while the average daily cost in Fraser Island is $243. 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 Hualien and Fraser Island in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Hualien $60
    Fraser Island $102
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Hualien $120
    Fraser Island $204
Compare Hotels in Hualien and Fraser Island

Looking for a hotel in Hualien or Fraser Island? 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.

Hotels in Hualien


Hotels in Fraser Island


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Hualien $29
    Fraser Island $93

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hualien

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hualien:

  • Private Transfer from Hualien Cruise Port to Taipei city hotels: $280
  • Private Transfer from Hualien Port to Taipei Taoyuan Airport TPE: $280

Is it cheaper to fly into Hualien or Fraser Island?

Prices for flights to both Fraser Island and Hualien 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Hualien $56
    Fraser Island $83

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Hualien $21
    Fraser Island $45

Tours and Activities in Hualien

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Hualien are as follows:

  • Wild ATV Self-driving Experience: $43
  • Taroko, Qingshui Cliff, Xincheng Old Street & Qixingtan Day Tour: $80
  • Hualien Changhong Bridge SUP Day tour: $85
  • Shuimutin Exclusive SUP Day tour(Hualien to Taitung): $89
  • Exclusive Private Taroko Gorge Day Tour with Local English Guide: $121
  • 2025 Taroko Gorge Tour Excellent Cultural Stories , 8 Hours: $130
  • Full-Day Private Taroko National Park Tour from Hualien City: $139
  • Taroko Gorge, Qingshui Cliffs & Qixingtan Beach Tour from Hualien: $159
  • Liyu Lake, Sugar Factory, and Ruisui Ranch Tour: $320

Tours and Activities in Fraser Island

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Fraser Island are as follows:

  • 2 Hours Hervey Bay Funset Cruise: $53
  • Hervey Bay: Best Value Half Day Whale Watching Cruise: $80
  • Hervey Bay Ultimate Whale Watching Cruise: $80
  • Hervey Bay Whale Watching Cruise: $104
  • Hervey Bay: Half Day Whale watching & Island Stop Tour: $111
  • Remote K'gari (Fraser Island) & Whale Experience: $173
  • Remote Fraser Island Experience: $173
  • K'gari (Fraser Island) All Inclusive Day Tour: $174
  • K'gari (Fraser Island) Small Group Day Tour - From Rainbow Beach: $186
  • K'gari (Fraser Island) Small Group 4WD Adventure - From Noosa: $201
  • Fraser Experience Shared Full Day Guided Tour: $208
  • Hervey Bay to K'gari/Fraser Island 2-Day Tour (Beach House): $370

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Hualien $15
    Fraser Island $21


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Hualien and Fraser Island, we can see that Fraser Island is more expensive. And not only is Hualien much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Hualien is in Asia and Fraser Island 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 Hualien would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Hualien 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 Fraser Island would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Fraser Island than you might in Hualien.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Hualien Expensive? and Is Fraser Island Expensive?.