Which city is cheaper, Gold Coast or Newcastle?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
A Travel Price Comparison for Australia Newcastle vs. Gold Coast for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons
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Should you visit Newcastle or Gold Coast?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Newcastle or Gold Coast? 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: Newcastle or Gold Coast?
Newcastle
Newcastle is 150 kilometers north of Sydney in New South Wales. It is also the second largest city in the state, and serves as a central point to explore the area's beaches, wineries, and beautiful natural landscape. North of the city is Stockton beach, which has many miles of isolated, beautiful beaches, stretching all the way up to Nelson Bay. The wineries are inland to the west and have some of Australia's finest wine which you can taste. If you want to see rainforests, you can head northwest to Barrington Tops National Park, which has great rainforests and freshwater streams. You may even get to see a platypus. The city also has the country's oldest sea port. In the past the city's economy was centered around the steel industry, but today the University of Newcastle is one of the area's most important employers.
Gold Coast
The Gold Coast is one of Australia's premier destinations. Famous for gorgeous beaches, warm weather, watersports, and plenty of activities for all ages, millions of tourists from Australia as well as everywhere in the world flock to this region every year. With beaches, national parks, theme parks, shopping and dining, nice resorts, boating, fishing, diving, theme parks and more, the Gold Coast offers something for everyone.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNewcastle $93Gold Coast $100
The average daily cost (per person) in Newcastle is $93, while the average daily cost in Gold Coast is $100. 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 city. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Newcastle and Gold Coast in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNewcastle $46Gold Coast $56
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNewcastle $92Gold Coast $112
Compare Hotels in Newcastle and Gold Coast
Looking for a hotel in Newcastle or Gold Coast? 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: Newcastle Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Newcastle $8.55Gold Coast $23
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Newcastle
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Newcastle:
- Private Transfer from Newcastle to Belfast Airport (BFS): $148
- Private Transfer from Newcastle to Belfast City Airport (BHD): $128
- Newcastle Airport (NCL) Departure Private Transfer from Hotels: $47
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Gold Coast
Also for Gold Coast, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Gold Coast Theme Parks: Shared Hotel Transfers: $14
- Gold Coast Airport Arrival Shared Transfer: $17
- Gold Coast Airport Departure Transfer: $18
- Brisbane: Private Theme Park One-Way Transfer: $25
- Theme Park Transfer: $32
- Brisbane Airport Departure transfer From the Gold Coast shared shuttle: $43
- Private Airport Transfer to Gold Coast Airport (OOL) from South Gold Coast 1-6px: $47
- Private Airport Transfer to Gold Coast Airport (OOL) from North Gold Coast 1-6px: $67
- Private Gold Coast Airport Departure Transfer: $89
- Gold Coast Airport Transfers : Gold Coast City to Airport OOL in Business Car: $92
- Departure Private Transfers from Gold Coast City to Gold Coast Airport OOL: $92
- Private Airport Transfer to Brisbane Airport (BNE) from North Gold Coast 1-6 pax: $107
Is it cheaper to fly into Newcastle or Gold Coast?
Prices for flights to both Gold Coast and Newcastle 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 dayNewcastle $36Gold Coast $28
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Newcastle
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Newcastle.
- Looking for a fun experience, hit the sweet spot with beer and pizza at Slice!: $73
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Newcastle $16Gold Coast $19
Tours and Activities in Newcastle
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Newcastle are as follows:
- From Hunter Valley Beer & Wine Small Group Tour: $136
- Humpback Whale Encounter Tour from Newcastle: $78
- Hunter Coastal Adventure Tour by Boat from Newcastle: $78
- Maitland's True Crime Tour: $25
- Newcastle Dark Stories True Crime Tour: $27
- Harbor and Coast 2.5-Hour Sightseeing Cruise: $71
- True Crime Guided Walking Tour: $25
Tours and Activities in Gold Coast
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Gold Coast.
- Surfers Paradise: Gold Coast Afternoon River Cruise: $23
- Southport Cemetery Paranormal Activity Tour QUEENSLAND: $29
- Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary Ticket: $36
- Gold Coast Sailing Cruise with sparkling wine & nibbles platter: $62
- Evening Rainforest and Glow Worm Experience: $71
- Lamington National Park, O'Reilly's and Vineyard Tour: $71
- Glow Worm Evening Eco-Adventure from the Gold Coast: $76
- Full-day Springbrook National Park Tour from the Gold Coast: $84
- Introductory SCUBA Diving Experience: $86
- TreeTop Challenge Tamborine Mountain Guided Zipline Tour: $87
- Broadwater Adventure + Helicopter Tour Combo: $91
- Learn to Surf Experience with Lunch & Activities: $93
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNewcastle $10Gold Coast $5.32
Sample the Local Flavors in Newcastle
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Newcastle:
- From Hunter Valley Brewery Tour with Lunch: $136
When comparing the travel costs between Newcastle and Gold Coast, we can see that Gold Coast 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. Since both cities are in Pacific, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
When is the best time to visit Newcastle or Gold Coast?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the southern hemisphere, summer is in January and winter is in July.
Should I visit Newcastle or Gold Coast in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Newcastle as well as Gold Coast.
Newcastle is cooler than Gold Coast in the summer. The temperature in Newcastle is usually 22°C (72°F) in January, and Gold Coast stays around 25°C (77°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Gold Coast. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Newcastle this time of the year. In the summer, Newcastle often gets less sunshine than Gold Coast. Newcastle gets 232 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Gold Coast receives 256 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Gold Coast. Newcastle receives a lot of rain in the summer. Newcastle usually gets less rain in January than Gold Coast. Newcastle gets 111 mm (4.4 in) of rain, while Gold Coast receives 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JanuaryNewcastle 22°C (72°F)Gold Coast 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Newcastle or Gold Coast in the Autumn?
Both Gold Coast and Newcastle are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities.
In the autumn, Newcastle is cooler than Gold Coast. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Newcastle in April are around 19°C (67°F), and Gold Coast is about 22°C (71°F).
It's quite sunny in Gold Coast. Newcastle usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Gold Coast during autumn. Newcastle gets 199 hours of sunny skies, while Gold Coast receives 214 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Gold Coast. It's quite rainy in Newcastle. In April, Newcastle usually receives more rain than Gold Coast. Newcastle gets 112 mm (4.4 in) of rain, while Gold Coast receives 101 mm (4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures AprilNewcastle 19°C (67°F)Gold Coast 22°C (71°F)
Should I visit Newcastle or Gold Coast in the Winter?
Both Gold Coast and Newcastle during the winter are popular places to visit.
In July, Newcastle is generally cooler than Gold Coast. Temperatures in Newcastle average around 13°C (55°F), and Gold Coast stays around 15°C (59°F).
In Gold Coast, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Newcastle. In the winter, Newcastle often gets less sunshine than Gold Coast. Newcastle gets 206 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Gold Coast receives 226 hours of full sun.
Newcastle usually gets less rain in July than Gold Coast. Newcastle gets 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Gold Coast receives 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JulyNewcastle 13°C (55°F)Gold Coast 15°C (59°F)
Should I visit Newcastle or Gold Coast in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Newcastle and Gold Coast.
Newcastle is cooler than Gold Coast in the spring. The temperature in Newcastle is usually 18°C (64°F) in October, and Gold Coast stays around 21°C (69°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Gold Coast this time of the year. In Newcastle, it's very sunny this time of the year. Newcastle usually receives less sunshine than Gold Coast during spring. Newcastle gets 237 hours of sunny skies, while Gold Coast receives 259 hours of full sun in the spring.
Gold Coast receives a lot of rain in the spring. In October, Newcastle usually receives less rain than Gold Coast. Newcastle gets 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Gold Coast receives 103 mm (4 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures OctoberNewcastle 18°C (64°F)Gold Coast 21°C (69°F)
Typical Weather for Gold Coast and Newcastle
| Newcastle | Gold Coast | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 22°C (72°F) | 111 mm (4.4 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 167 mm (6.6 in) |
| Feb | 22°C (72°F) | 111 mm (4.4 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 157 mm (6.2 in) |
| Mar | 21°C (71°F) | 124 mm (4.9 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 140 mm (5.5 in) |
| Apr | 19°C (67°F) | 112 mm (4.4 in) | 22°C (71°F) | 101 mm (4 in) |
| May | 16°C (61°F) | 102 mm (4 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 91 mm (3.6 in) |
| Jun | 14°C (57°F) | 140 mm (5.5 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) |
| Jul | 13°C (55°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| Aug | 14°C (57°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 46 mm (1.8 in) |
| Sep | 16°C (60°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 18°C (65°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Oct | 18°C (64°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) | 21°C (69°F) | 103 mm (4 in) |
| Nov | 20°C (67°F) | 82 mm (3.2 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 118 mm (4.6 in) |
| Dec | 21°C (70°F) | 82 mm (3.2 in) | 24°C (76°F) | 129 mm (5.1 in) |
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