Which place is cheaper, Darwin or Lombok?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Lombok or Darwin?
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 Lombok and Darwin. 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: Lombok or Darwin?
Lombok
Lombok is an island east of the well-tread Bali and west of lesser-developed Sumbawa. While Lombok is not as popular as its neighbor to the west, it is a great place to visit for that very reason. Less popularity means lower prices for accommodations, food, activities, and less-inundated tourist spots. Nonetheless, Lombok is rapidly developing in tourism, and the government is naming it and Sumbawa the number two tourism spots, following Bali.
Darwin
Darwin is a tropical city set against the Timor Sea in north central Australia. It is also the capital city of the Northern Territory. Despite being a relatively small city, Darwin is very diverse with residents from all over the world. The city itself has a very relaxed vibe with plenty to do. Visitors can enjoy everything from traditionally Asian style markets to culturally diverse events such as concerts, festivals or art shows.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Indonesia, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Indonesia, The Best Walking Tours in Australia, and The Best Eco Tours in Australia.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLombok $52Darwin $111
The average daily cost (per person) in Lombok is $52, while the average daily cost in Darwin is $111. 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 Lombok and Darwin in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLombok $29Darwin $62
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLombok $58Darwin $124
Compare Hotels in Lombok and Darwin
Looking for a hotel in Lombok or Darwin? 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: Lombok Hotel Prices and Darwin Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Lombok $11Darwin $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lombok
Also for Lombok, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer Service to Lombok Airport : $22
- Gili Trawangan, Air, or 1-Way Boat Transfer to Bali: $23
- Airport transfer from Lombok Airport to Kuta Mandalika : $23
- Private Transfer International Airport Lombok (LOP) To Hotel: $23
- Airport Transfer: Airport To Kuta/kuta To Airport: $27
- Lombok Airport Transfer : $27
- Lombok to Lombok Int Airport (LOP) - Departure Private Transfer: $29
- Private Transfer from Lombok Airport (LOP) to Mataram: $32
- Private Transfer from Mataram to Lombok Airport (LOP): $32
- Private Transfer from Mangsit to Lombok Airport (LOP): $32
- Private Transfer from Lombok Airport (LOP) to Dusun Kerandangan: $32
- Private Transfer from Lombok Airport (LOP) to Senggigi: $32
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Darwin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Darwin:
-
Shuttle to Train Station$9.73
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Darwin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Darwin:
- Darwin Int Airport (DRW) to Darwin - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $142
- Crocodile Jumping Boat Cruise with Transfer from Darwin: $92
- Darwin to Darwin Int Airport (DRW) - Departure Private Transfer: $71
- Private Transfer from Darwin City Hotels to Darwin Cruise Port: $59
- Private Transfer from Darwin Cruise Port to Darwin Airport (DRW): $59
- Private Transfer from Darwin Airport (DRW) to Darwin Cruise Port: $59
Is it cheaper to fly into Lombok or Darwin?
Prices for flights to both Darwin and Lombok 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 dayLombok $12Darwin $37
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lombok
For Lombok, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Anggrek Putih Cooking Class & Garden Tour: $38
- Love and Legends: The Ultimate Romantic Dinner on the beach : $47
- Babah Peranakan Chinese Cuisine Dinner in Lombok: $60
- Kids Cooking Class at Tugu Hotel Lombok: $63
- Exquisite Dinner with Spectacular View at Tugu Hotel Lombok: $64
- Traditional Cooking Class Experience With Recipes From The Past Generations: $67
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Darwin
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Darwin.
- Sunset Harbour Cruise with Fish and Chips Dinner: $71
- Darwin Harbor Sunset Cruise with Buffet Dinner: $85
- Charles Darwin Dinner Cruise: $90
- Darwin Sunset Dinner Cruise on Cape Adieu: $96
- Sunset 3-Hour Cruise from Darwin with Dinner and Sparkling Wine: $112
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Lombok $10Darwin $15
Tours and Activities in Lombok
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Lombok.
- Gili T Island: The Thrilling Sunset Snorkeling Adventure: $17
- Lombok Private Custom Tour - Lombok Car Hire with Driver : $31
- Mataram Lombok Historical City tour: $49
- Complete your Lombok Holiday with Lombok Instagram Tour: $50
- Private Lombok Hidden Beach Tour: Elak Elak, Sekotong, and Mekaki Beach: $50
- Beach Tour in Lombok Indonesia: $51
- Tiu Kelep and Sendang Gile Waterfall Trekking Tour: $55
- Sendang Gile and Tiu Kelep Waterfall Tour - Private Day Tour: $55
- One Day Tour Pink Beach East Lombok Excursion: $55
- Lombok Sasak Culture Tour from Mataram: $59
- Private Lombok Cycling Tour : Lingsar Temple, Rice Field, Village & Market Tour: $59
- Best Lombok Rice Terrace Walking Tour With Waterfall & Monkey: $60
Tours and Activities in Darwin
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Darwin are as follows:
- 1 Day Corroboree Billabong Wetland Experience including 2.5 hour cruise + lunch: $139
- 1 Hour Adelaide River Queen Jumping Crocodile Cruise: $26
- 1 Hour Jumping Crocodile Cruise on the Adelaide River: $30
- 4 Hour Self Guided Gourmet Lunch and Aboriginal Art Tours: $138
- 4-Hour Outback Gourmet Food & Aboriginal Art Tour: $164
- 4x4 Litchfield Park Adventures : $238
- Bombing of Darwin WWII Heritage Tours: $89
- Bombing of Darwin World War II Tour with Harbour Cruise: $98
- Corroboree Billabong Wetland Cruises - 1.5 hour Morning cruise: $50
- Crocosaurus Cove General Admission Ticket: $26
- Darwin City Explorer Tour: $102
- Darwin City Sightseeing Tour: $65
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayLombok $8.15Darwin $13
Typical Alcohol Prices in Darwin
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Darwin from other travelers:
-
Evening at a Bar$16
-
Glass of Wine$4.54
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Lombok and Darwin, we can see that Darwin is more expensive. And not only is Lombok much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Lombok is in Asia and Darwin 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 Lombok would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lombok 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 Darwin would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Darwin than you might in Lombok.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Lombok Expensive? and Is Darwin Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Lombok or Darwin?
Darwin has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Lombok experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Lombok or Darwin in the Summer?
Both Darwin and Lombok during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Lombok because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Also, most visitors come to Darwin for the beaches, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
Lombok is around the same temperature as Darwin in the summer. The daily temperature in Lombok averages around 26°C (79°F) in July, and Darwin fluctuates around 29°C (83°F)in January.
Darwin gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Lombok usually gets less rain in July than Darwinin January. Lombok gets 18 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while Darwin receives 437 mm (17.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryLombok 26°C (79°F)Darwin 29°C (83°F)
Should I visit Lombok or Darwin in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Lombok and Darwin. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Lombok year-round. Also, the autumn months attract visitors to Darwin because of the hiking trails and the shopping scene.
In the autumn, Lombok is around the same temperature as Darwin. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Lombok in October average around 28°C (82°F), and Darwin averages at about 29°C (84°F)in April.
Lombok gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Lombok usually receives more rain than Darwinin April. Lombok gets 109 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Darwin receives 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
-
Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilLombok 28°C (82°F)Darwin 29°C (84°F)
Should I visit Lombok or Darwin in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Lombok as well as Darwin. Lombok attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Also, the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Darwin this time of year.
In January, Lombok is generally a little warmer than Darwinin July. Daily temperatures in Lombok average around 28°C (82°F), and Darwin fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Darwin. In the winter, Lombok often gets less sunshine than Darwinin July. Lombok gets 188 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Darwin receives 312 hours of full sun.
Lombok usually gets more rain in January than Darwinin July. Lombok gets 97 mm (3.8 in) of rain, while Darwin receives 1 mm (0 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyLombok 28°C (82°F)Darwin 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Lombok or Darwin in the Spring?
Both Darwin and Lombok are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Lombok throughout the year. Also, many travelers come to Darwin for the beaches.
Lombok is around the same temperature as Darwin in the spring. The daily temperature in Lombok averages around 28°C (82°F) in April, and Darwin fluctuates around 29°C (85°F)in October.
In April, Lombok usually receives more rain than Darwinin October. Lombok gets 92 mm (3.6 in) of rain, while Darwin receives 76 mm (3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
-
Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberLombok 28°C (82°F)Darwin 29°C (85°F)
Typical Weather for Darwin and Lombok
| Lombok | Darwin | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 28°C (82°F) | 97 mm (3.8 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 437 mm (17.2 in) |
| Feb | 28°C (82°F) | 122 mm (4.8 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 343 mm (13.5 in) |
| Mar | 28°C (82°F) | 135 mm (5.3 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 342 mm (13.5 in) |
| Apr | 28°C (82°F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) |
| May | 28°C (82°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) |
| Jun | 27°C (81°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Jul | 26°C (79°F) | 18 mm (0.7 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 1 mm (0 in) |
| Aug | 26°C (79°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 19 mm (0.7 in) |
| Oct | 28°C (82°F) | 109 mm (4.3 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 76 mm (3 in) |
| Nov | 28°C (82°F) | 216 mm (8.5 in) | 30°C (85°F) | 131 mm (5.2 in) |
| Dec | 28°C (82°F) | 140 mm (5.5 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 234 mm (9.2 in) |
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.