Which place is cheaper, Airlie Beach or Lhasa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Lhasa or Airlie Beach?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Lhasa or Airlie Beach? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Lhasa or Airlie Beach?
Lhasa
Lhasa is the famed capital of Tibet, and is one of the most fascinating cities in the world to visit. It's name means "Land of the Gods" and the city dates back more than 1,300 years. It's elevation is 3,650 meters above sea level, making it one of the highest cities in the world. It sits on the northern slopes of the Himalayan Mountains by the Lhasa River and is the second largest city on the Tibetan Plateau after Xining.
Airlie Beach
Airlie Beach, in Queensland, offers the closest port to the Whitsunday Islands on the Great Barrier Reef. It's a small town of only 25,000 and has grown out of the area's popularity as a tourist destination. It's main industry remains tourism and, as such, there are many venues set up to accommodate travelers hoping to make trips to the Whitsunday Islands and the Outer Great Barrier Reef. The town has the feel of a vacation destination. While in the past Airlie Beach appealed specifically to the backpacker crowd, it's popularity has spread and now there are facilities catering to all travel types. The area has become more commercialized and there are plenty of large resorts to choose from. Even so, you'll still find no shortage of affordable accommodation around town.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in China, The Best Cultural Tours in China, The Best Adventure Tours to Australia, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Australia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLhasa $71Airlie Beach $141
The average daily cost (per person) in Lhasa is $71, while the average daily cost in Airlie Beach 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 Lhasa and Airlie Beach in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLhasa $39Airlie Beach $58
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLhasa $78Airlie Beach $116
Compare Hotels in Lhasa and Airlie Beach
Looking for a hotel in Lhasa or Airlie Beach? 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: Airlie Beach Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Lhasa $2.56Airlie Beach $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lhasa
Also for Lhasa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Lhasa Kongga Airport Chauffeur Service, Lhasa Airport Transfer, Pickup: $170
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Airlie Beach
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Airlie Beach:
- Whitsunday: Prosperpine Airport to Airlie Beach Transfer: $16
- Whitehaven Beach Club Transfers from Airlie Beach: $92
- South Molle Island Camping Transfer: $59
- South Molle Island Camping Transfer: $47
- Return Transfer PPP Airport Shute Harbour / Renta Yacht / Freedom Shores: $32
- One Way Only - Airport Transfer share shuttle service: $17
- Crayfish Beach Hook Island Camping Transfer: $139
- Airport Transfers - Return (round fare) share shuttle service: $28
- Private Transfer to Whitsunday Coast Airport: $314
Is it cheaper to fly into Lhasa or Airlie Beach?
Prices for flights to both Airlie Beach and Lhasa 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 dayLhasa $26Airlie Beach $32
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Airlie Beach
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Airlie Beach.
- 3-Hour Sunset Segway Tour with Dinner: $72
- Whitsundays Segway Sunset and Boardwalk Tour with Dinner: $83
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Lhasa $17Airlie Beach $160
Tours and Activities in Lhasa
For Lhasa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 4 Days Lhasa City Essence Tour: $745
- 4 Days Lhasa City Tibet Tour included Permit issued: $760
- Private Full-Day Tour w/ Lunch: $800
- 5 Days Classic Lhasa Tour with Yamdrok Lake in Tibet: $999
- Nepal Tibet Tour 8 Days: $2,729
Tours and Activities in Airlie Beach
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Airlie Beach are as follows:
- 1 hour Mimosa Morning Turtle Spotting Cruise: $59
- 1-Day Whitsunday Islands Cruise: Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet: $140
- 2 Hour Airlie Beach Sunset Cruise: $59
- Airlie Beach Glass Bottom Boat Tour: $59
- Airlie Beach Jet Ski Tour: $105
- Airlie Beach Sunset Cruise : $46
- Airlie Beach Trike Tours: $50
- Airlie Beach sightseeing Tour: $50
- 2-Hour Sunset Cruise with Sparkling Wine: $45
- Adults-Only Whitehaven Beach Sailing Tour: $182
- Airlie Adventure Jet Ski Tour: $163
- Glass-Bottom Boat Tour: $58
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLhasa $6.90Airlie Beach $8.99
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Lhasa and Airlie Beach, we can see that Airlie Beach is more expensive. And not only is Lhasa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Lhasa is in Asia and Airlie Beach 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 Lhasa would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lhasa 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 Airlie Beach would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Airlie Beach than you might in Lhasa.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Lhasa Expensive? and Is Airlie Beach 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.