Which place is cheaper, New South Wales or Northern Territory?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Northern Territory or New South Wales?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Northern Territory and New South Wales can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Northern Territory or New South Wales?
Northern Territory
For the chance to see nature at its grandest, put Australia's Northern Territory at the top of your list. The federal territory covering much of central Australia is what most people picture when they imagine an adventure n Australia. It's the real outback.
While this state contains some of the most breathtaking flora and fauna, it's also home to a rather posh capital. The city of Darwin is tropical, small and quite diverse. There are at least 50 different nationalities making up Darwin's 110,000 population.
With the largest Aboriginal population, this region is perfect for immersing yourself in the 40,000-year-old culture. Visit one of their villages and witness their expert skills at basket weaving, spear fishing and story telling.
When making the decision to travel to Australia, keep in mind that their seasons are the opposite of North America. While the climate tends to stay pretty mild all yearlong, don't be surprised to see that they are experiencing their wintertime when we are ready to lay by the pool all day.
New South Wales
In the south of Australia is a place full of every and any tourist activity you can dream of. With Sydney under its belt, New South Wales is the center of Australian culture and tourism.
Just south of Queensland and north of Victoria, the state of New South Wales is home to approximately 6.7 million people. It is easily the continent's most populous state. This region is the core of the British colonialism of 1788. Its capital, Sydney, is the oldest and largest city in the state. Today, it is home to shopping, art, entertainment, history, beaches, and plenty of adventures.
When planning a trip to the land down under, remember that their seasons are just opposite of ours. So if you want to go for Christmas, throw that bathing suit in your bag.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Melbourne, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Australia, The Best 10-Day Tours in Australia, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Australia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNorthern Territory $123New South Wales $163
The average daily cost (per person) in Northern Territory is $123, while the average daily cost in New South Wales is $163. 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 Northern Territory and New South Wales in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNorthern Territory $49New South Wales $80
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNorthern Territory $98New South Wales $160
Compare Hotels in Northern Territory and New South Wales
Looking for a hotel in Northern Territory or New South Wales? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Northern Territory $55New South Wales $22
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Northern Territory
Also for Northern Territory, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Darwin Cruise Port to Darwin city hotels: $59
- Private Transfer from Darwin City Hotels to Darwin Cruise Port: $59
- Crocodile Jumping Boat Cruise with Transfer from Darwin: $92
- Coach Transfer from Ayers Rock (Uluru) to Kings Canyon: $110
- Coach Transfer from Kings Canyon Resort to Ayers Rock (Uluru): $113
- Coach Transfer from Kings Canyon to Alice Springs: $134
- Darwin Int Airport (DRW) to Darwin - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $141
Hired Cars and Shuttles in New South Wales
Some specific examples of transportation prices in New South Wales:
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Sydney HTL-APT (SYD): $62
- Sydney to Sydney Airport (SYD) - Departure Private Transfer: $39
- Sydney Port Private Departure Transfer: City Hotel to Cruise Port: $28
- Sydney Port Private Arrival Transfer: Cruise Port to City: $28
- Sydney Arrival Transfer: Airport to City or Overseas Passenger Terminal: $22
- Sydney Airport to White Bay Port transfer: $27
- Sydney Airport to Sydney CBD shared ride seat in vehicle shuttle transfer: $13
- Sydney Airport Transfer: $121
- Sydney Airport Private Car Departure Transfer: $160
- Sydney Airport Premium (ARRIVAL) Transfer: $104
- Sydney Airport Departure Transfer (Sydney Central Business District to Airport): $163
- Sydney Airport (SYD) to Sydney Arrival Private Transfer: $39
Is it cheaper to fly into Northern Territory or New South Wales?
Prices for flights to both New South Wales and Northern Territory 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 dayNorthern Territory $34New South Wales $41
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Northern Territory
For Northern Territory, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Charles Darwin Dinner Cruise: $90
- From Ayers Rock Resort: Uluru Sunset Barbecue Dinner: $98
- Darwin Sunset Dinner Cruise on Cape Adieu: $101
- Sunset 3-Hour Cruise from Darwin with Dinner and Sparkling Wine: $110
- Uluru (Ayers Rock) Base and Sunset Half-Day Trip with Opt Outback BBQ Dinner: $127
- Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge 3.5-Hour Sunset Dinner Boat Tour: $163
- Uluru (Ayers Rock) Sunset + Outback Barbecue Dinner & Star Talk : $186
- Uluru Experience with BBQ Dinner: $200
- Ayers Rock Day Trip from Alice Springs Including BBQ Dinner: $230
- Mount Conner 4WD Small Group Tour from Ayers Rock including Dinner: $241
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in New South Wales
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in New South Wales.
- Vivid Lights Festival Pizza Cruise Tour in Vivid Sydney: $16
- Sydney's Little Italy Food Tour: $49
- Christmas in July Dinner Cruise on Sydney Harbour: $56
- Norfolk Island Progressive Dinner to Island Homes: $60
- Small Group Refugee Chef Dinner Banquet at Bohemian Cafe: $62
- Progressive Dinner to Island Homes: $63
- Ghost Tour & Dinner Norfolk Island: $64
- Who Killed the Surveyor Mystery Dinner: $64
- Commandants Dinner & Show: $64
- Sydney Harbour Tall Ship Twilight Dinner Cruise: $71
- Batemans Bay Sunset Pizza Kayak Tour - Float and Feast: $72
- Sydney Harbour Sunset Dinner Cruise: $75
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Northern Territory $32New South Wales $29
Tours and Activities in Northern Territory
For Northern Territory, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Skip the Line: Alice Springs School of the Air Guided Tour Ticket: $9.15
- Australia’s Red Centre: A Self-Guided West Macs Driving Tour: $9.99
- Uluru Audio Tour App: $13
- A Self-Guided Driving Tour in Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park: $15
- Cutta Cutta Caves Nature Park Guided Tours: $20
- Alice Springs Desert Park Nocturnal Tour: $21
- Alice Springs Desert Park General Entry Ticket: $26
- 1 Hour Adelaide River Queen Jumping Crocodile Cruise: $26
- 1 Hour Jumping Crocodile Cruise on the Adelaide River: $29
- Darwin Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour: $31
- 1 Hour Pathfinder Jumping Crocodile Cruise: $43
- Katherine Outback Experience Show Ticket: $49
Tours and Activities in New South Wales
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for New South Wales are as follows:
- 3- Hour Wine and Harvest the Hunter Horse Tour in Pokolbin: $91
- Bespoke Cycle Tours - Sydney Harbour E-Bike Coffee/Lunch Tour: $180
- Small-Group Sydney's Northern Beaches and Ku-ring-gai National Park Bus Tour: $226
- Sydney & Bondi Half Day Tour Including with Rocks Walking Tour : $84
- 1 Hour Sydney Harbour Highlights Catamaran Cruise: $32
- 2-Hour Guided Walking Tour in Sydney Harbour National Park : $36
- 3 Hours Abba Tribute Cruise on Sydney Harbour: $65
- 3 Hr Whale Watching Discovery Cruise in Sydney: $71
- 3-Hour Hunter Valley Scenic Helicopter Tour Including 3-Course Lunch from Cessnock: $252
- 3-Hour Kayak and Snorkeling Experience in Batemans Bay: $84
- 3-Hour Private Bike Tour with a Local Sydney Guide: $226
- 3-Hour Small-Group Byron Bay Tour: $65
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNorthern Territory $11New South Wales $14
Sample the Local Flavors in New South Wales
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in New South Wales:
- Cael’s Gate Wine Tasting in Broke: $5.23
- Boutique Wine Tasting Experience in Pokolbin: $6.54
- Ivanhoe Wines: Trip Advisor Seated Wine Tasting Masterclass: $9.81
- Tulloch Wines - Wine Tasting paired with Local Handmade Chocolates: $20
- 30-Minute Distillery Guided Tour in Carrington : $23
- Cheese and Wine Tasting Experience in Pokolbin: $26
- Sydney's Haunted Pub Tour with a Licensed Guide: $26
- Tintilla Estate: Wine Tasting with a Meat and Cheese Platter: $26
- Tulloch Wines Hunter Heroes Wine Tasting with Local Cheese & Charcuterie Board: $33
- Tulloch Wines- Mystery Wine Tasting Experience with Local Cheese and Charcuterie: $33
- Sydney Cellar Door - Old Vine Expressions Wine Tasting: $46
- Premium Wine Tasting Experience in Pokolbin: $49
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Northern Territory and New South Wales, we can see that New South Wales is more expensive. And not only is Northern Territory much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Northern Territory would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Northern Territory 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 New South Wales would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in New South Wales than you might in Northern Territory.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Northern Territory Expensive? and Is New South Wales Expensive?.
Which has a larger population, Northern Territory or New South Wales?
New South Wales has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Northern Territory. When comparing the sizes of Northern Territory and New South Wales, 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.
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.