Which place is cheaper, Airlie Beach or Mount Kailash?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Mount Kailash or Airlie Beach?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Mount Kailash or Airlie Beach? 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: Mount Kailash or Airlie Beach?
Mount Kailash
The main point of entry to Mount Kailash is a small village called Darchen. Once an important sheep station for nomads and their flocks, the village has now grown to provide for the pilgrims wishing to embark towards Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar. It contains a number of guest houses and restaurants as well as a hotel where pilgrims must get permission from the Public Security Bureau to make the trek around the mountain. Also in the village are a handful of small stores and kiosks, as well as some grounds for camping. It is about 330 km (a one-day bus drive) from the town of Shiquanhe to the northeast, where Gunsa Airport is located, offering flights twice a week to Lhasa and Chengdu.
Airlie Beach
Airlie Beach, in Queensland, offers the closest port to the Whitsunday Islands on the Great Barrier Reef. It's a small town of only 25,000 and has grown out of the area's popularity as a tourist destination. It's main industry remains tourism and, as such, there are many venues set up to accommodate travelers hoping to make trips to the Whitsunday Islands and the Outer Great Barrier Reef. The town has the feel of a vacation destination. While in the past Airlie Beach appealed specifically to the backpacker crowd, it's popularity has spread and now there are facilities catering to all travel types. The area has become more commercialized and there are plenty of large resorts to choose from. Even so, you'll still find no shortage of affordable accommodation around town.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in China, The Best Adventure Tours to Australia, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Australia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMount Kailash $71Airlie Beach $141
The average daily cost (per person) in Mount Kailash is $71, while the average daily cost in Airlie Beach 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 Mount Kailash and Airlie Beach in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMount Kailash $27Airlie Beach $58
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMount Kailash $54Airlie Beach $116
Compare Hotels in Mount Kailash and Airlie Beach
Looking for a hotel in Mount Kailash or Airlie Beach? 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: Airlie Beach Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mount Kailash $31Airlie Beach $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Airlie Beach
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Airlie Beach:
- Private Transfer to Whitsunday Coast Airport: $314
- Airport Transfers - Return (round fare) share shuttle service: $28
- One Way Only - Airport Transfer share shuttle service: $17
- Return Transfer PPP Airport Shute Harbour / Renta Yacht / Freedom Shores: $32
- South Molle Island Camping Transfer: $47
- Whitehaven Beach Club Transfers from Airlie Beach: $92
- Whitsunday: Prosperpine Airport to Airlie Beach Transfer: $16
Is it cheaper to fly into Mount Kailash or Airlie Beach?
Prices for flights to both Airlie Beach and Mount Kailash 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 dayMount Kailash $24Airlie Beach $32
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Airlie Beach
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Airlie Beach.
- 3-Hour Sunset Segway Tour with Dinner: $72
- Whitsundays Segway Sunset and Boardwalk Tour with Dinner: $83
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mount Kailash $15Airlie Beach $160
Tours and Activities in Airlie Beach
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Airlie Beach are as follows:
- Private Airlie Beach Tuk-Tuk Tours: $20
- 2-Hour Sunset Cruise with Sparkling Wine: $45
- Whisper Cruises - One-Hour Turtle Spotting Bay Cruise: $46
- Sundowner Sunset Cruise Airlie Beach: $46
- Airlie Beach Sunset Cruise : $46
- Airlie Beach Trike Tours: $50
- Whitsundays Sunset Sailing Cruise: $53
- Glass-Bottom Boat Tour: $58
- Airlie Beach Glass Bottom Boat Tour: $59
- Whitsundays Guided Jet Ski Tour: $86
- Segway Rainforest Discovery Tour: $91
- From Airlie: Whitsundays and Whitehaven Half-Day Cruise: $91
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMount Kailash $2.76Airlie Beach $8.99
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mount Kailash and Airlie Beach, we can see that Airlie Beach is more expensive. And not only is Mount Kailash much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Mount Kailash is in Asia and Airlie Beach 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 Mount Kailash would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Mount Kailash 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 Airlie Beach would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Airlie Beach than you might in Mount Kailash.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Mount Kailash Expensive? and Is Airlie Beach Expensive?.
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.