Which place is cheaper, Nelson or Matsue?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Matsue and Nelson can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Matsue is a quiet, peaceful, and pretty town. This is also a very beautiful destination which attracts plenty of visitors. It's also known for food, shopping, and museums.
Nelson is a outdoorsy, adventure-filled, and natural city. The beauty of this spot is also one of the main reasons why visitors come. And you can't forget about the shopping, museums, and nightlife.
Visitors will generally find more to do in Nelson than Matsue. While Matsue is larger than Nelson, Nelson has more sights, attractions, and activities for tourists. Nelson is very popular for its nightlife, beaches, and hiking, while Matsue attracts visitors for its museums and historical sights. Matsue is famous for its 17th century castle and its quaint atmosphere. Nelson is famous for its stunning national parks, beautiful coastline, and outdoor adventures. It is also well known for Abel Tasman National Park.
Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Nelson and Matsue. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.
Matsue is a well-known place for its sights and museums. Also, Nelson is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its museums and history.
You'll find a good number of museums and monuments packed into Matsue. Most people visit town specifically to see the Matsue Castle, which is one of the last original castles left in Japan. The city also has parks and gardens, as well as the Shimane Art Museum, Yaegaki Shrine, and Miho Shrine.
Nelson offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. While most people spend their time enjoying the nature-oriented activities, there are several museums in the area as well. Founder's Heritage Park Museum is a village-like setting that you can explore. There's also the Nelson Classic Car Museum and local art and craft galleries that are fun to walk through.
Dining out at restaurants in both Matsue and Nelson can be an enjoyable experience.
Eating is part of the travel experience when you visit Matsue. There are peaceful restaurants and cafes around town where you can sample the local dishes. Many restaurants have beautiful gardens and set lunch menus, which is a great way to sample fine dining cuisine at a reasonable price.
Nelson has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. Local ingredients, vineyards, and craft breweries all make the foodie scene around town interesting. There are many great restaurants that offer seasonal menus that change with the season. Eating is an experience in town, and locals take pride in the food they produce.
Nelson is a city with good options for nightlife and partying. However, Matsue is a town with minimal options for its evening party scene.
Nelson has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. The city attracts a good tourist crowd, and there are bars and clubs that keep things interesting late into the evening.
Matsue doesn't have the most active nightlife scene. It's a quiet town and there's not much of a nightlife scene, but if you spend the night you can probably find a quaint local bar where you can hang out.
Nelson is an unbeatable place for the beache. However, Matsue is not a beach destination.
Nelson is considered to be a world-class beach destination. Beaches in the area are sandy and most are great for swimming. There are many water sports available as well such as kayaking, kite surfing, and paddleboarding. You'll find locals and tourists alike hanging out at the beach and enjoying a barbecue.
Matsue is not a beach destination.
Matsue is a town with good options for its historic old town. However, Nelson does not have a historic old town.
Many visitors go to Matsue to see the historical old town. The town has one of the last of the twelve original castles that are still in Japan. There are also many canals that cross the town.
Nelson does not have a historic old town.
Nelson is an unbeatable place for its hiking experiences. However, Matsue is not a hiking destination.
Around Nelson visitors will find world-class hiking trails. The area is filled with walking and hiking trails that wander along the coast and soak up the spectacular views. There are also three national parks in the area that are filled with trails. Abel Tasman National Park, Kahurangi National Park, and Nelson Lakes National Park each have their own environments and scenery to explore.
Matsue is not a hiking destination.
Shopping is a popular activity in both Nelson and Matsue.
Matsue offers some nice shopping areas. Kyomise Shopping District is a charming street near Ohashi Bridge. It is lined with shops and restaurants and tourists will enjoy visiting the souvenir and specialty stores in the area.
Nelson has a variety of shopping areas worth visiting. There are weekly markets in the area and a variety of retail shops where you can pick up anything you might need.
Nelson is an unbeatable place for its family-friendly activities. Also, Matsue is still popular, but not quite as popular for its kid-friendly activities.
Nelson is an extremely popular city to visit for families. Surrounded by family-friendly national parks, this city has a number of things for kids to do. In particularly, Abel Tasman National Park is a highlight for kids, with canoeing, sailing and other activities. Kids will also enjoy a visit to Cable Bay Adventure Park or seeing the historically themed Founders Park.
Matsue offers lots of family activities. Kids will enjoy the city's history as much as adults. There are several temples and shrines to explore as well as Lake Shinji. The best views of the lake are from the Shimane Art Museum.
Nelson is an unbeatable place for its romantic activities. Also, Matsue is still popular, but not quite as popular for couples.
Nelson is a great city for couples, as it has plenty to offer. Wilderness, national parks, beaches, and mountain scenery make this a wonderful couples destination. The area also has beautiful vineyards and gardens as well hiking and outdoor adventures.
Matsue is a good town for couples to visit. Castles, gardens, and museums all make this a beautiful and romantic destination. Couples will enjoy immersing themselves in the city's history. There's also a beautiful lake and the impressive Matsue Vogel Park.
Nelson is an unbeatable place for backpackers. Also, Matsue is still popular, but not quite as popular for backpackers and budget travelers.
Backpackers and budget travelers come from all over the world to visit Nelson. There are many hostels in the area as well as outdoor activities and adventure sports that backpackers will love.
Plenty of backpackers visit Matsue. There are a couple of hostels and guesthouses as well as budget hotels around town for backpackers.
Matsue is a well-known place for its public transit. However, Nelson is not a good city for times when you don't have a car.
Visitors to Matsue can move around easily with public transportation. There are city buses as well as Ichibata Bus. Tourists will mostly use the Lakeline loop, which connects the two railway stations with all of the city's major attractions. Buses run every 20 minutes.
Public transit is mostly limited in Nelson. The city has a local bus network, but to efficiently explore everything that the area has to offer, you'll want to have a car.
Matsue and Nelson both are great when exploring on foot.
Matsue is a very walkable town. Most of the town's sights can be reached on foot. You can walk from the JR Matsue Station to the castle in half an hour and it's only 15 minutes from the Shinjiko Onsen Station.
Nelson is a very walkable destination. There are many great walks in the area and its a wonderful way to get around.
For even more information, also check out Is Matsue Worth Visiting? and Is Nelson Worth Visiting?.
In either Matsue or Nelson, you'll find plenty of activities to fill your time. Most visitors tend to spend more time in Nelson than Matsue because of the overall number of sights and activities. Usually, 2-3 days is a good amount of time for Matsue, and 3-5 days is enough time in Nelson.
Families should spend more time in Nelson than Matsue. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Nelson, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.
Couples should spend more time in Nelson than Matsue. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Nelson that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.
Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Nelson than Matsue if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Nelson.
Many travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the destination of Matsue. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.
Many travelers enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting the destination of Nelson. Hikers are also drawn to this area. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.
Matsue is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.
Nelson is a great place to explore. With so much to do, a weekend is probably not enough time to see everything. Your budget might influence how long you stay.
It's hard to know how much time to spend in Matsue. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.
It's hard to know how much time to spend in Nelson. For many, it makes a great getaway for five days. Make sure you spend some time hiking while you're in the area. With all of its activities, you can easily fill five days here. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.
Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the pretty destination of Matsue. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.
Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the beautiful destination of Nelson. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Many travelers plan to spend time hiking while in the area. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Contiki Tours to Japan, The Best G Adventures Tours to Japan, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to New Zealand, and The Best Wildlife Tours to New Zealand.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Matsue is $65, while the average daily cost in Nelson is $94. 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 Matsue and Nelson in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Matsue or Nelson? 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.
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Matsue:
Prices for flights to both Nelson and Matsue 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.
Here are a few actual costs in Matsue for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Nelson are as follows:
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Nelson:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Matsue and Nelson, we can see that Nelson is more expensive. And not only is Matsue much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Matsue is in Asia and Nelson 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 Matsue would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Matsue 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 Nelson would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Nelson than you might in Matsue.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Matsue Expensive? and Is Nelson Expensive?.
Matsue has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Nelson. When comparing the sizes of Matsue and Nelson, 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.