Which place is cheaper, Newcastle or Kunming?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
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 Contiki Tours to Australia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Australia.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKunming $67Newcastle $91
The average daily cost (per person) in Kunming is $67, while the average daily cost in Newcastle is $91. 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 personKunming $33Newcastle $44
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKunming $66Newcastle $88
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.
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 $13Newcastle $8.34
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kunming
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Kunming:
-
Taxi Ride$1.52
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kunming
Also for Kunming, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Kunming Private Departure Transfer:City Hotel to Railway Station: $22
- [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, Pick up: $71
- Kunming Private Round Trip Transfer to Fuxianhu Lake: $90
- Private Transfer from Kunming hotel to Guizhou Xingyi hotel: $240
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Newcastle
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Newcastle:
- Bimbadgen Lunch Tour with Helicopter Transfers: $751
- Tandem Beach Skydive with Optional Transfers: $248
- Private Transfer from Newcastle Cruise Port to Sydney City Hotels: $88
- Private Transfer - Newcastle Cruise Port to Sydney Airport (SYD): $88
- Private Transfer from Newcastle Port to Newcastle Airport (NTL): $29
- Private Transfer from Newcastle Airport (NTL) to Newcastle Port: $29
- Private Transfer from Newcastle City Hotels to Newcastle Port: $28
- Private Transfer from Newcastle Port to Newcastle city hotels: $28
- Newcastle to Newcastle Airport (NTL) - Departure Private Transfer: $26
- Newcastle Airport (NTL) to Newcastle - Arrival Private Transfer: $26
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 dayKunming $22Newcastle $35
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kunming
For Kunming, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Kunming evening food tour with locals: $65
- Private Kunming Night Tour with Dinner: $78
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kunming $18Newcastle $15
Tours and Activities in Kunming
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Kunming.
- Half Day Kunming History Tour: $80
- Private Night Tour to Enjoy Dynamic Yunnan Show: $86
- Morning Market Tour - Eat like a local: $93
- 1-Day Self-Guided Stone Forest Geological Park Tour from Kunming: $106
- Stone Forest Day Tour: $106
- Private Day Tour of Jiuxiang Cave from Yunnan: $109
- 4-Hour Tea-tasting and Cha Guo Zi (茶果子）Experience Tour: $112
- One day Stone Forest and Nuohei Yi Village Tour: $114
- Private Kunming Illuminated Night Tour: Dianchi Lake,1903 Park and Fountain Show: $118
- 1- Day Kunming Short Hiking Tour: $122
- 1-Day Kunming Temple and Market Tour: $122
- 1-Day Kunming Scenery Tour: $122
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: $92
- 3-Hour Hunter Valley Scenic Helicopter Tour Including 3-Course Lunch from Cessnock: $254
- Architecture, Street Art & Hidden Secrets Walking Tour of Newcastle: $33
- Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard - Sweet Indulgence Experience: $37
- Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard: Fromage and Fortified Wine Experience: $50
- Award Winning Full Day Wine and Food Experience: $150
- Eat And Drink Newcastle History Walking Tour: $60
- Family Pass: Fighter World Museum Admission Ticket: $30
- From Hunter Valley Beer & Wine Group Tour: $163
- Full Day Tour in Country Towns, Rivers and Aussie Farm: $159
- Helicopter Tour of Hunter Valley in New South Wales with Lunch: $281
- Humpback Whale Encounter Tour from Newcastle: $83
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayKunming $17Newcastle $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 Broke: $5.32
- Boutique Wine Tasting Experience in Pokolbin: $6.60
- Ivanhoe Wines: Trip Advisor Seated Wine Tasting Masterclass: $9.91
- Tulloch Wines - Wine Tasting paired with Local Handmade Chocolates: $20
- 30-Minute Distillery Guided Tour in Carrington : $23
- Cheese and Wine Tasting Experience in Pokolbin: $26
- Tintilla Estate: Wine Tasting with a Meat and Cheese Platter: $26
- Tulloch Wines Hunter Heroes Wine Tasting with Local Cheese & Charcuterie Board: $33
- Tulloch Wines- Mystery Wine Tasting Experience with Local Cheese and Charcuterie: $33
- Premium Wine Tasting Experience in Pokolbin: $50
- Snapshot Half Day Hunter Valley Wine Tour: $72
- Hunter Valley Wine Tour from the Hunter with Wine Craft Beer Cheese Chocolate: $102
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.
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.