Which place is cheaper, Brisbane or Kunming?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Kunming or Brisbane?
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 Kunming and Brisbane. 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: Kunming or Brisbane?
Kunming
Kunming, located in southern China, is the modern capital city of the Yunnan province. It is a transportation hub for visitors entering the region, and good transfer point to just about everywhere else in the province by train or bus. Within the city itself there are many things to see and do with a full range of parks and zoos, museums, temples, theatres, and scenic areas.
Brisbane
Although Brisbane is often overlooked as a travel destination in Australia, it is the capital of the state of Queensland, and is the third largest city in Australia. It's a very young and vibrant city with an active nightlife and a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. It's a modern and economically thriving city and, if you do have time to visit, it actually has a lot to offer travelers. It has some beautiful scenery, a wonderful warm climate all year long, and is actually one of the fastest growing cities in Australia.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Australia, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Australia.
-
Kunming Prices
China PricesBrisbane Prices
Australia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKunming $85Brisbane $154
The average daily cost (per person) in Kunming is $85, while the average daily cost in Brisbane is $154. 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 Kunming and Brisbane in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKunming $33Brisbane $81
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKunming $66Brisbane $162
Compare Hotels in Kunming and Brisbane
Looking for a hotel in Kunming or Brisbane? 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: Brisbane Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kunming $14Brisbane $18
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kunming
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Kunming:
-
Taxi Ride$1.54
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kunming
Also for Kunming, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Kunming Private Round Trip Transfer to Fuxianhu Lake: $90
- Kunming Changshui Airport Chauffeur Service, Kunming Airport Transfer, Pickup: $83
- Kunming Airport Private Transfer - Charge by Vehicle: $48
- [Airport Transfer] Kunming Changshui Airport ⇔ Kunming City Transfer ☆ High reputation for service! <Charter charter>: $36
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Brisbane
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Brisbane:
-
Airtrain to the City$9.81
-
Go Card$16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Brisbane
Also for Brisbane, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Brisbane Airport to Noosa for 1 to 3 people: $276
- Brisbane Bathhouse Circuit and 4 Course Lunch with Transfer: $268
- NOOSA: Private Transfer to/fro Brisbane Airport (BNE): $255
- Brisbane Cruise Port: Private Transfer to Brisbane hotels: $226
- Airport Transfer: Brisbane to Brisbane Airport BNE in Luxury Car: $151
- Departure Transfer: Brisbane to Airport BNE by Luxury Van: $138
- Sirromet Winery 3 Course Lunch, Tour, Tastings and Transfers: $134
- Private Transfer: Cruise Port to Brisbane Airport BNE or Brisbane City: $128
- From Australia Zoo Transfer and Entry Ticket: $118
- Brisbane Airport Private Transfer Service to Brisbane City: $112
- Private Airport/Resort Luxury Transfers: $107
- Private Transfer: Brisbane to Airport BNE by Business Car: $106
Is it cheaper to fly into Kunming or Brisbane?
Prices for flights to both Brisbane and Kunming 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 dayKunming $39Brisbane $54
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kunming
For Kunming, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Discovery more Kunming evening Food Tour with Local Guide: $78
- Private Kunming Night Tour with Dinner: $88
Typical Food Prices in Brisbane
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Brisbane:
-
Hamburger Lunch$5.23
-
Cup of Coffee$1.96
-
Chinese Food Lunch$8.18
-
Ice cream$3.60
-
Japanese Meal$14
-
Smoothie$4.25
-
Japanese Soup$7.52
-
Coffee & Muffin$4.58
-
Morning Mint Tea$2.29
-
Veggie Burger & Chips$9.16
-
Bread$1.70
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Brisbane
For Brisbane, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Gold Coast: Glow Worms, Sunset & Stargazing with BBQ dinner: $118
- Glow Worms, Sunset, Telescope Stargazing & Dinner: $133
- Vertigo Dinner – Dining on the Edge: $165
- Local Icons Food Tour: $354
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kunming $18Brisbane $24
Tours and Activities in Kunming
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Kunming.
- 1-Day Self-Guided Stone Forest Geological Park Tour from Kunming: $106
- Kunming Private Day Tour to Jiuxiang Cave with Boat Ride : $209
- 1 Day Stone Forest & Jiuxiang Cave Tour: $290
- 1-Day Dongchuan Red Land Photography Private Tour from Kunming: $269
- 1-Day Kunming Scenery Tour: $122
- 1-Day Kunming tour with the Green Lake,Bird & Flower market and Yuantong Temple: $201
- 1-Day Private Tour:Stone Forest and Western Hill(Dragon Gate) from Kunming: $245
- 2 Days Kunming City Tour with Professional Private Tour Guide: $226
- All inclusive Dongchuan red earth tour start from Kunming: $150
- Dongchuan Red Land Private Tour: $123
- Essences of Kunming Downtown Day Tour: $189
- From 15-Day Private Tour to Guilin and Yangshuo: $3,149
Typical Entertainment Prices in Brisbane
For Brisbane, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
-
Concert Tickets$13
Tours and Activities in Brisbane
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Brisbane.
- 2 hour Brisbane Segway Afternoon & Sunset Thrill Tour: $85
- 2.5 Hour Sightseeing Tours - Morning & Night: $105
- 4 Hour Jetski Adventure from Brisbane to Moreton Bay Islands: $177
- 6 Hour Welcome to Brisbane Private Sightseeing Private Tour: $724
- 6 Hours Brisbane Private Tour - Popular Sights in One Day: $724
- Adventure Moreton Island Scuba Dive Tour: $201
- Adventure Moreton Island Wrecks Adventure Package: $120
- Adventure Theme Scavenger Hunt Experience in Brisbane: $27
- Afternoon Moreton Bay Sailing Tour: $80
- Alice In Puzzleland an Escape Hunt Brisbane Experience: $32
- Alpaca Feeding with Wildlife & Nature Park VIP Private Tour: $959
- Alpaca Feeding with Wildlife Nature Park Visit Private Tour: $893
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayKunming $18Brisbane $50
Typical Alcohol Prices in Brisbane
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Brisbane:
-
Evening at the Bar$9.81
-
Sixpack of Beer$9.16
-
Guiness Beer$5.56
-
Sixpack of Beer$8.50
Sample the Local Flavors in Brisbane
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Brisbane:
- Island Pub Crawl with Lunch and High Speed Boat Tour in Brisbane : $101
- Afternoon Brisbane Half-Day Brewery Tour: $107
- Hop on Hop off Wine tasting tour to Tamborine Mountain: $111
- Island Pub Crawl with Lunch and High-Speed Boat: $116
- Hinterland Heritage Wine Tour : $134
- Gold Coast Full Day Brewery Tour: $140
- Tamborine Wine & Distillery Tour + 2 Course Lunch: $165
- One Hump Camel Farm and Wine Tour: $178
- Luxury Winery Tour with Gourmet Lunch & Distillery: $198
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kunming and Brisbane, we can see that Brisbane is more expensive. And not only is Kunming much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Kunming is in Asia and Brisbane 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 Kunming would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Kunming 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 Brisbane would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Brisbane than you might in Kunming.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Kunming Expensive? and Is Brisbane Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kunming or Brisbane?
Kunming has a larger population, and is about 7% larger than the population of Brisbane. When comparing the sizes of Kunming and Brisbane, 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.