A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Kunming vs. Newcastle for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Kunming or Newcastle?

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 Newcastle. 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 Newcastle?

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.

Newcastle

Newcastle is 150 kilometers north of Sydney in New South Wales. It is also the second largest city in the state, and serves as a central point to explore the area's beaches, wineries, and beautiful natural landscape. North of the city is Stockton beach, which has many miles of isolated, beautiful beaches, stretching all the way up to Nelson Bay. The wineries are inland to the west and have some of Australia's finest wine which you can taste. If you want to see rainforests, you can head northwest to Barrington Tops National Park, which has great rainforests and freshwater streams. You may even get to see a platypus. The city also has the country's oldest sea port. In the past the city's economy was centered around the steel industry, but today the University of Newcastle is one of the area's most important employers.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China, The Best 4-Week (1-Month) Tours in Australia, and The Best Budget Tours to Australia.


Which place is cheaper, Newcastle or Kunming?

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 Kunming is $85, while the average daily cost in Newcastle is $117. 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 Newcastle in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Kunming $33
    Newcastle $45
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Kunming $66
    Newcastle $90
Compare Hotels in Kunming and Newcastle

Looking for a hotel in Kunming or Newcastle? 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 Kunming


Hotels in Newcastle


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: Newcastle Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Kunming $14
    Newcastle $8.41
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:

  • [Airport Transfer] Kunming Changshui Airport ⇔ Kunming City Transfer ☆ High reputation for service! <Charter charter>: $36
  • Kunming Airport Private Transfer - Charge by Vehicle: $48
  • Kunming Changshui Airport Chauffeur Service, Kunming Airport Transfer, Pickup: $83
  • Kunming Private Round Trip Transfer to Fuxianhu Lake: $90

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Newcastle

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Newcastle:

  • Newcastle Airport to Newcastle - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $148
  • Private Transfer from Newcastle Port to Newcastle Airport (NTL): $82
  • Private Transfer from Newcastle City Hotels to Newcastle Port: $80
  • Newcastle to Newcastle Airport (NTL) - Departure Private Transfer: $74
  • Newcastle Airport (NTL) to Newcastle - Arrival Private Transfer: $74

Is it cheaper to fly into Kunming or Newcastle?

Prices for flights to both Newcastle 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 day
    Kunming $39
    Newcastle $61

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

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Newcastle

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Newcastle.

  • Harbour Dinner Cruise with Live Music: $69
  • Earp Distilling Co: Date Night with Blending Class & Dinner: $73
  • Cooking Classes at the Yellow Door Kitchen: $96

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Kunming $18
    Newcastle $15

Tours and Activities in Kunming

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Kunming.

  • Kunming City & Cultural Walking tour: $26
  • Yunnan University & Culture Alley Guided Tour: $26
  • Half Day Private Tour with Customizable Itinerary: $43
  • Kunming City Tour with Private Guide: $44
  • Kunming Western Hills Scenic Area Private Tour: $64
  • Old Town Private Tour (Half Day): $66
  • Guandu Ancient Town Private Tour (Half-Day): $66
  • Kunming Western Hills Scenic Area Private Tour (Half Day): $66
  • Private Tour with Customizable Itinerary: $66
  • Stone Forest + Yiliang Roast Duck + Kunming City Private Tour: $68
  • Stone Forest, Roast Duck Lunch and City Tour: $70
  • Lijiang: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain with Scenic Train Tour: $74

Tours and Activities in Newcastle

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

  • 3- Hour Wine and Harvest the Hunter Horse Tour in Pokolbin: $93
  • Shared Newcastle Harbor Cruise: $43
  • 3-Hour Hunter Valley Scenic Helicopter Tour Including 3-Course Lunch from Cessnock: $270
  • Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard - Sweet Indulgence Experience: $40
  • Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard: Fromage and Fortified Wine Experience: $53
  • Award Winning Full Day Wine and Food Experience: $150
  • Christmas Lunch Cruise on Newcastle Harbour: $57
  • Coastal 2.5-hour Adventure Boat Tour from Newcastle: $83
  • From Hunter Valley Beer & Wine Group Tour: $165
  • From Sydney: Tandem Skydive Experience over Newcastle Beach: $264
  • From Sydney: Tandem Skydive Experience over Newcastle Beach: $266
  • Humpback Whale Encounter Tour from Newcastle: $83

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Kunming $18
    Newcastle $10

Sample the Local Flavors in Newcastle

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Newcastle:

  • Cael’s Gate Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley: $6.66
  • Ivanhoe Wines: Trip Advisor Seated Wine Tasting : $10
  • Boutique Wine Tasting Experience in Pokolbin: $11
  • Newcastle Bar Crawl Experience: $15
  • Tulloch Wines - Wine Tasting paired with Local Handmade Chocolates: $23
  • Cheese and Wine Tasting Experience in Pokolbin: $26
  • Wonnarua Sparkling Wine Tasting: $30
  • Ivanhoe Wines: Trip Advisor Premium Wine Tasting: $30
  • Tintilla Estate: Wine Tasting with a Meat and Cheese Platter: $33
  • Tulloch Wines- Mystery Wine Tasting Experience with Local Cheese and Charcuterie: $35
  • Tulloch Wines Hunter Heroes Wine Tasting with Local Cheese & Charcuterie Board: $35
  • Premium Wine Tasting Experience in Pokolbin: $50


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kunming and Newcastle, we can see that Newcastle 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 Newcastle 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 Newcastle would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Newcastle 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 Newcastle Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Kunming or Newcastle?

Kunming has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Newcastle. When comparing the sizes of Kunming and Newcastle, 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.