A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Katoomba vs. Tainan City for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Katoomba or Tainan City?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Katoomba and Tainan City. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Katoomba or Tainan City?

Katoomba

Designated an UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000, the Blue Mountains are located just west of Sydney in the highlands of New South Wales, Australia.

This area can be generally expensive, but is on par with other destinations in Australia and around Sydney. Plenty of luxury places can be found here that cost more than average, but plenty of cheaper places to stay can be found here, too. Expect to pay for various activities such as tours and entrance fees, too.

The landscape is sprawling with majestic scenery over a rugged terrain of steep cliffs, forests, waterfalls, and villages. Whether you come to hike, climb, bike, or drive to the scenic viewpoints, a curtain of tranquility falls upon the mountains in a blue haze from which they get their name.

Tainan City

The oldest city in Taiwan, Tainan was once the nation's capital during imperial times and is today famous for its temples and historic buildings which speak to this distant past. Additionally Tainan has become known for its lively night markets and fantastic snack foods available from a large concentrate of street vendors located throughout the city.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Australia, The Best 10-Day Tours in Australia, The Best Tours for Seniors to Taiwan, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Taiwan.


Which place is cheaper, Tainan City or Katoomba?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Katoomba is $134, while the average daily cost in Tainan City is $111. 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 Katoomba and Tainan City in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Katoomba $77
    Tainan City $59
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Katoomba $154
    Tainan City $118
Compare Hotels in Katoomba and Tainan City

Looking for a hotel in Katoomba or Tainan City? 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 Katoomba


Hotels in Tainan City


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: Katoomba Hotel Prices and Tainan City Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Katoomba $50
    Tainan City $19

Is it cheaper to fly into Katoomba or Tainan City?

Prices for flights to both Tainan City and Katoomba 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
    Katoomba $17
    Tainan City $39

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Katoomba $53
    Tainan City $11

Tours and Activities in Katoomba

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

  • Blue Mountains Hop On Hop Off Tour: $32
  • Blue Mountains BarNSW Local Produce Tasting Experience: $37
  • Blue Mountains 90 Minute Army Truck Adventures: $65
  • Army Truck Adventures - 90 Minute Guided Tour: $66
  • Half-Day Abseiling Adventure in Blue Mountains National Park: $83
  • Blue Mountains 3 Hour Army Truck Adventures: $97
  • Army Truck Adventures - 3 Hour Guided Tour: $98
  • Blue Mountains 1-Hour Trike Tour of Three Sisters: $107
  • Small-Group Blue Mountains Tour with Bush Walks and Featherdale Wildlife Park: $116
  • 4Hrs at Wolgan Valley Birdwatching Experience: $129
  • Truffle Hunt and Taste Experience in Oberon, NSW Australia: $146
  • Private Blue Mountains Rainforest and Waterfalls SUV Tour: $165

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Katoomba -
    Tainan City $5.75


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

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


Which is Bigger, Katoomba or Tainan City?

Tainan City has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Katoomba. When comparing the sizes of Katoomba and Tainan City, 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.