A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Milford Sound vs. Yakushima for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Milford Sound or Yakushima?

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 Milford Sound and Yakushima. 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: Milford Sound or Yakushima?

Milford Sound

Milford Sound is a fjord in Fiordland that was created by a glacier. The area is known for rain, but if you end up here on a rainy, know that you are seeing the waterfalls at their fullest.

People go to Milford Sound for the natural beauty. It is unlike any other place on earth. If you're the adventurous type, get yourself a kayak to explore the area. Also, if you have the chance, take a cruise to Milford Deep Underwater Observatory.

Yakushima

Yakushima, Japan is a UNESCO World Heritage island located north of Okinawa and off the south east of of Kyushu. The island is well-known to Japanese tourists but not so much to international ones, making it a bit of a hidden gem to international tourists. This also means that English isn't spoken as much as in larger cities, so make sure to brush up on your Japanese and bring a dictionary.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in New Zealand, The Best Luxury Tours to New Zealand, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Japan, and The Best Luxury Tours to Japan.


Which place is cheaper, Yakushima or Milford Sound?

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 Milford Sound is $141, while the average daily cost in Yakushima is $141. 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 Milford Sound and Yakushima in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Milford Sound $67
    Yakushima $61
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Milford Sound $134
    Yakushima $122
Compare Hotels in Milford Sound and Yakushima

Looking for a hotel in Milford Sound or Yakushima? 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 Milford Sound


Hotels in Yakushima


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: Yakushima Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Milford Sound $14
    Yakushima $51

Is it cheaper to fly into Milford Sound or Yakushima?

Prices for flights to both Yakushima and Milford Sound 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
    Milford Sound $58
    Yakushima $50

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Milford Sound $38
    Yakushima $21

Tours and Activities in Milford Sound

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

  • Milford Sound Heli-Cruise-Heli + Earnslaw Burn Landing | 5hr: $974

Tours and Activities in Yakushima

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

  • Private Guided Tour: $336

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Milford Sound $13
    Yakushima $6.61


When comparing the travel costs between Milford Sound and Yakushima, we can see that Yakushima is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Milford Sound is in Pacific and Yakushima is in Asia, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Milford Sound Expensive? and Is Yakushima Expensive?.


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