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

Should you visit Lhasa or Sydney?

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

Should I visit Lhasa or Sydney? 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 Sydney?

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.

Sydney

Sydney, known as the harbour city, is the most famous and frequently visited city in Australia. It is at the economical and cultural heart of the country, and is one of the most beautiful and livable cities in the world. It's situated on the water with stunning views of the famous harbour throughout the city. It's most famous landmarks include the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It is also very close wonderful beaches, parks, and nature.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in China, The Best Cultural Tours in China, The Best Contiki Tours to Australia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Australia.


Which place is cheaper, Sydney or Lhasa?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Lhasa is $91, while the average daily cost in Sydney is $207. 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 Sydney in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Lhasa $40
    Sydney $103
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Lhasa $80
    Sydney $206
Compare Hotels in Lhasa and Sydney

Looking for a hotel in Lhasa or Sydney? 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 Sydney


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: Sydney Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Lhasa $2.60
    Sydney $15

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
  • Lhasa Kongga Airport private Transfer: $260

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Sydney

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Sydney:


  • Taxi Ride
    $13
  • Taxi to Airport
    $16

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sydney

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sydney:

  • Transfer from White Bay Cruise Terminal to Sydney Airport: $27
  • Transfer Between Airport & Hotels or Cruise Terminal: $13
  • Tandem Skydive with Optional Transfers: $251
  • SYD Airport to Sydney City Centre Private Transfer: $37
  • Private City, Harbour, and Bondi Tour with Transfer: $274
  • Private Airport Transfer with Meet and Greet: $60
  • Hunter Valley Sunrise Balloon Flight with Transfer: $363
  • Airport Transfer to Sydney CBD (Chauffeur Driven): $132
  • Airport Shuttle Transfer to and from CBD Hotels: $40
  • Sydney's Best Airport Arrival Transfers - Airport to CBD : $84
  • Sydney to Sydney Airport (SYD) - Departure Private Transfer: $70
  • Sydney Port Private Arrival Transfer: Cruise Port to City: $30

Is it cheaper to fly into Lhasa or Sydney?

Prices for flights to both Sydney 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 $46
    Sydney $77

Typical Food Prices in Sydney

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Sydney:


  • Tea
    $2.62
  • Lunch Special
    $9.81
  • Food/Drink Coogie Beach
    $9.81
  • Meat Pies
    $3.27

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sydney

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Sydney.

  • Vivid Festival of Light Harbor Cruise with Dinner: $36
  • City Highlights Walking Food Tour with Harbor Cruise: $45
  • Roti Making Class with 5-Course Dinner: $50
  • Harbour Dinner Cruise with Buffet: $50
  • Sydney Harbour Discovery Dinner Cruise Scenic Sights and Buffet: $50
  • Foraging Food Tour Sydney Native Aussie Food: $53
  • Sydney's Little Italy Food Tour: $54
  • Harbor Sunset Cruise with Dinner: $59
  • Twilight Dinner Cruise on Coral Trekker: $59
  • Sydney Harbour Tall Ship Twilight Dinner Cruise: $60
  • Taste of Sydney Fish Market Food Tour: $64
  • Kids Cooking Classes: $64

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Lhasa $17
    Sydney $31

Tours and Activities in Lhasa

For Lhasa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • 5-Day Private Tour with Potala Palace & Yamdrok Lake: $1,299
  • 17-Day Tibet Tour with Everest Base Camp: $3,759
  • 17 Days Kailash Mansarovar Tour & Guge Kingdom Exploration: $13,185

Typical Entertainment Prices in Sydney

Here are a few typical costs in Sydney for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Theatre Show
    $29
  • Sydney Tower Visit (for 2)
    $30
  • Blue Mountain Tour/Featherdale Park (for 2)
    $125
  • Powerhouse Museum
    $9.85

Tours and Activities in Sydney

Here are a few actual costs in Sydney for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Sunrise Serenity Kayak Tour of Sydney Harbour: $104
  • #1 Blue Mountains Tour Scenic World Waterfalls Wildlife Park: $188
  • 1 Day Thredbo Snow Adventure: $113
  • 1 Day Thredbo Snow Tour From Sydney: $117
  • 1/2 day Sydney Sightseeing and Bondi Beach Tour: $45
  • 14-Day Sydney to Cairns, Fraser, Whitsundays Comfort Tour: $5,614
  • 2 Hours Running Tour in Sydney: $99
  • 3 Hours Elvis Tribute Cruise on Sydney Harbour: $53
  • 30 Minute Shared Sydney Harbour Scenic Helicopter Tour: $238
  • 30-minute Private Sydney Harbour Helicopter Tour for 2: $331
  • 45-Minute Sydney Harbour Adventure Jet Boat Ride: $66
  • 45-Minute Vivid Sydney Scenic Jet Boat Cruise Tour: $40

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Lhasa $7.01
    Sydney $15

Typical Alcohol Prices in Sydney

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Sydney:


  • Wine
    $10

Sample the Local Flavors in Sydney

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Sydney:

  • Wollongong Bar Crawl Go Out with a Gong: $15
  • Big Night Out Pub Crawl with Local Party Hosts: $32
  • Private Wine Tasting at The Rocks: $46
  • Sydney Cellar Door - Old Vine Expressions Wine Tasting: $47
  • Marrickville Brewery Tour: $78
  • From: Sydney - Hunter Valley Wine Tasting Guided Day Tour: $89
  • Sydney Beer and Brewery Tour: $103
  • Brewery, Winery, and Distillery Tasting Tour: $112
  • From Full-Day Hunter Valley Wine Tour & Lunch: $145
  • From Hunter Valley Wine Tasting Day Tour: $145
  • From Hunter Valley Multi-Brewery Tour with Lunch: $149
  • Small Group Hunter Valley Wine Tour + Lunch, Gin & Choc ex Sydney: $151


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


Which is Bigger, Lhasa or Sydney?

Sydney has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Lhasa. When comparing the sizes of Lhasa and Sydney, 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.