Which place is cheaper, Yakushima or Lake Tekapo?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Lake Tekapo or Yakushima?
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 Lake Tekapo and Yakushima. 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: Lake Tekapo or Yakushima?
Lake Tekapo
Tekapo is a lakeside town on the South Island of New Zealand, and it is part of the Mackenzie District of Canterbury. This is one of the bluest lakes in the country and is surrounded by the mighty mountains of the Southern Alps.
Yakushima
Yakushima, Japan is a UNESCO World Heritage island located north of Okinawa and off the south east of of Kyushu. The island is well-known to Japanese tourists but not so much to international ones, making it a bit of a hidden gem to international tourists. This also means that English isn't spoken as much as in larger cities, so make sure to brush up on your Japanese and bring a dictionary.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to New Zealand, The Best Contiki Tours to New Zealand, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Japan, and The Best Luxury Tours to Japan.
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Lake Tekapo Prices
New Zealand PricesYakushima Prices
Japan Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLake Tekapo $84Yakushima $141
The average daily cost (per person) in Lake Tekapo is $84, while the average daily cost in Yakushima is $141. 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 Lake Tekapo and Yakushima in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLake Tekapo $59Yakushima $61
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLake Tekapo $118Yakushima $122
Compare Hotels in Lake Tekapo and Yakushima
Looking for a hotel in Lake Tekapo or Yakushima? 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: Lake Tekapo Hotel Prices and Yakushima Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Lake Tekapo -Yakushima $51
Is it cheaper to fly into Lake Tekapo or Yakushima?
Prices for flights to both Yakushima and Lake Tekapo 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
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Food Meals for one dayLake Tekapo $22Yakushima $50
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Lake Tekapo -Yakushima $21
Tours and Activities in Lake Tekapo
Here are a few actual costs in Lake Tekapo for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Indoor Māori Cultural Astronomy Experience: $35
- Dark Sky Indoor Maori Cultural Astronomy Experience: $36
- Virtual Stargazing and Astronomy Experience: $52
- Virtual Stargazing & Astronomy Experience in Lake Tekapo: $55
- Alpine Stargazing Experience with a Guide: $58
- Silver River Stargazing Experience in Lake Tekapo: $59
- Mt. Hay Farm Experience Genuine Country Farming(Carbon Positive): $59
- Stargazing Experience: $70
- Chameleon Stargazing Shared Tour: $72
- Stargazing Experience at Cowan's Observatory: $76
- Stargazing Experience at Cowan's Private Observatory: $79
- Tekapo: Mt Cook Day Tour with Pukaki, Tasman, & Tekapo Lake: $87
Tours and Activities in Yakushima
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Yakushima are as follows:
- Private Guided Tour: $336
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLake Tekapo -Yakushima $6.61
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Lake Tekapo and Yakushima, we can see that Yakushima is more expensive. And not only is Lake Tekapo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Lake Tekapo is in Pacific and Yakushima 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 Lake Tekapo would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lake Tekapo 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 Yakushima would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Yakushima than you might in Lake Tekapo.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Lake Tekapo Expensive? and Is Yakushima Expensive?.
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.