A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Lhasa vs. Fraser Island for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Lhasa or Fraser Island?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Lhasa or Fraser Island? 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 Fraser Island?

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.

Fraser Island

Fraser Island, located off Australia's eastern Queensland coast, is the world's largest sand island. It is best known as a camping and ecotourism destination, with a number of panoramic viewpoints, beaches, lakes, and freshwater pools. Hervey Bay, a beachside city on the nearby mainland, is a primary gateway to the island.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in China, The Best Cultural Tours in China, The Best Water Sports Tour Packages in Australia, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Australia.


Which place is cheaper, Fraser Island or Lhasa?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Lhasa is $71, while the average daily cost in Fraser Island is $206. 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 Fraser Island in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Lhasa $39
    Fraser Island $102
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Lhasa $78
    Fraser Island $204
Compare Hotels in Lhasa and Fraser Island

Looking for a hotel in Lhasa or Fraser Island? 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 Lhasa


Hotels in Fraser Island


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.


Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Lhasa $2.56
    Fraser Island $92

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

Is it cheaper to fly into Lhasa or Fraser Island?

Prices for flights to both Fraser Island 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Lhasa $26
    Fraser Island $47

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Lhasa $17
    Fraser Island $44

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 Fraser Island

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

  • 2 Hours Hervey Bay Funset Cruise: $52
  • Hervey Bay Ultimate Whale Watching Cruise: $72
  • Hervey Bay Whale Watching Cruise: $98
  • Hervey Bay: Best Value Half Day Whale Watching Cruise : $79
  • Hervey Bay: Half Day Whale watching & Island Stop Tour: $109
  • K'gari (Fraser Island) Day Tour: $180
  • K'gari/2-Day Tagalong Tour from Hervey Bay: $340
  • Remote Fraser Island Experience: $164
  • Remote K'gari (Fraser Island) & Whale Experience: $164

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Lhasa $6.90
    Fraser Island $20


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