Which place is cheaper, Melbourne or Lhasa?
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 Lhasa or Melbourne?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Lhasa or Melbourne? 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 Melbourne?
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.
Melbourne
Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia, after Sydney. It is also the capital city of the state of Victoria, in southeastern Australia. Melbourne is arguably the best city to experience culture and the arts in Australia. There is a friendly rivalry between Melbourne and Sydney over livability and popularity and Melbourne is definitely the city to visit for its parks, shopping, restaurants, galleries and theaters. Like Sydney, it is situated on the water, at the head of Port Phillip Bay. It's a beautiful city, and although it lacks the major sights that you'll find in Sydney such as the Sydney Opera House or the Harbour Bridge, you will never find yourself lacking for entertainment. It is also a wonderful base for exploring many of the nearby highlights, including Grampians National Park, The Great Ocean Road, and Phillip Island where you can view the penguin parade.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in China, The Best Cultural Tours in China, The Best Scuba Diving Tours in Australia, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Australia.
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Lhasa Prices
China PricesMelbourne Prices
Australia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLhasa $96Melbourne $213
The average daily cost (per person) in Lhasa is $96, while the average daily cost in Melbourne is $213. 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 Melbourne in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLhasa $42Melbourne $130
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLhasa $84Melbourne $260
Compare Hotels in Lhasa and Melbourne
Looking for a hotel in Lhasa or Melbourne? 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: Melbourne Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Lhasa $2.75Melbourne $21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lhasa
Also for Lhasa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Lhasa Kongga Airport private Transfer: $260
- Lhasa Kongga Airport Chauffeur Service, Lhasa Airport Transfer, Pickup: $170
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Melbourne
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Melbourne:
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Airport Bus$11
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Tram Ride$2.71
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Melbourne
Also for Melbourne, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Yarra Valley: Hot Air Balloon with Breakfast & CBD Transfers: $377
- Transfer Melbourne Airport MEL to City Centre/St Kilda/Hawthorne: $45
- Sydney Airport Transfer to Sydney CBD/ Other Suburbs: $96
- Private Transfer from Melbourne Port to Melbourne Airport (MEL): $80
- Private Transfer from Melbourne Airport (MEL) to Melbourne Port: $80
- Private Transfer Melbourne Airport: $109
- Private Luxury Transfer from Melbourne CBD to Melbourne Airport: $107
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Melbourne Airports: $94
- Private Arrival Transfer: Melbourne Airports to Hotel: $94
- Private Airport Transfer: Hotel → Melbourne Airport (MEL): $125
- Mornington Peninsula - Melbourne Airport Transfers: $218
- Nighttime Private City Tour with Transfer & Stops: $81
Is it cheaper to fly into Lhasa or Melbourne?
Prices for flights to both Melbourne 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 $48Melbourne $57
Typical Food Prices in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Coffee$2.85
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Pizza$4.99
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Melbourne Flavors: Queen Victoria Market Food Tour: $40
- Queen Victoria Market: 'Flavours of Australia' Food Tour: $52
- Multicultural Markets Food Tour – Melbourne’s Global Tastes: $56
- Inner North Street Food Tour: $72
- Sunset Kayak Tour with Dinner: $79
- Melbourne Sunset Kayaking Experience with Dinner: $87
- Best of Little Italy Dinner Tour: $92
- Chinese Dumpling Cooking Class with a Drink: $99
- Secret Food Tour: $109
- Melbourne Food Tour with 8+ Food Tastings in Hidden Laneways: $118
- Yarra Valley Full Day Grazing Tour: Gin, Wine, Pizza, Cheese: $125
- Choose Your Asian Cuisine Cooking Masterclass: $130
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Lhasa $18Melbourne $30
Tours and Activities in Lhasa
For Lhasa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 17 Days Kailash Mansarovar Tour & Guge Kingdom Exploration: $13,185
- 17-Day Tibet Tour with Everest Base Camp: $3,759
- 5-Day Private Tour with Potala Palace & Yamdrok Lake: $1,299
Tours and Activities in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 1 day Puffing Billy Steam Train and Wildlife Tour from Melbourne: $159
- 1.5Hr Yarra River Crown Flames and City Lights Cruise: $317
- 12 Apostles,Great Ocean Road Tour - hotel PICKUP & free entries: $100
- 2 Day Great Ocean Road Small Group Tour: $843
- 3 Day Combo: Great Ocean Road, Penguin Parade and FREE City Tour: $243
- 4 Hours Sightseeing Small Group Tour in Melbourne City: $73
- 4D3N Best Bits Victoria Sightseeing Tour: $992
- 5 Days 4 Nights: Melbourne Package tour: $1,323
- A Taste of Small-Group City Tour with Food and Drink: $98
- Art Tour of Melbourne: $94
- ArtVo Immersive Gallery Experience: $25
- Australian Designer Walking Tour in Melbourne CBD: $109
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLhasa $7.39Melbourne $18
Typical Alcohol Prices in Melbourne
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Melbourne from other travelers:
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Bottle of Wine$5.52
Sample the Local Flavors in Melbourne
Also in Melbourne, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Saturday Melbourne Bar Crawl: $19
- Tuesday Melbourne Bar Crawl: $19
- Melbourne Pub Crawl: $19
- Weekly Bar Crawl: 5 Free shots, Club Entry: $20
- Spirits and Ales Haunted Pub Walking Tour: $26
- Melbourne Music Venue Pub Crawl with History + 2 Free Drinks: $26
- Rock'n'roll venues pub crawl including 2 free drinks and history: $58
- Chocolate and wine tasting tour in the Yarra Valley.: $74
- Relaxed Half Day Yarra Valley Wine Tasting Tour from Melbourne: $79
- Yarra Valley Wine Tour with Gin, Cider & Chocolate: $84
- New Chocolate and wine tasting tour in the Yarra Valley: $89
- Yarra Valley: Bus Wine Tour with Lunch and a Glass of Wine: $116
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Lhasa and Melbourne, we can see that Melbourne 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 Melbourne 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 Melbourne would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Melbourne 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 Melbourne Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Lhasa or Melbourne?
Melbourne has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Lhasa. When comparing the sizes of Lhasa and Melbourne, 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.