Should you visit Perth or Airlie Beach?
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 Perth and Airlie Beach can help you decide which place is right for you.
Perth
Capital of Western Australia, Perth is a city that sits where the Swan River meets the sea, and given its ocean side location there is plenty to see and do on the water and beyond. Spend a day on Perth's sandy beaches or get lost in its parks and gardens, sail down the river or enjoy the city's history and culture visiting museums and historic sites, shopping, dining, and much more.
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.
Which city is cheaper, Airlie Beach or Perth?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Perth is $120, while the average daily cost in Airlie Beach is $129. 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. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Perth and Airlie Beach in more detail.
Accommodation
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $136 in Perth For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $108 for a double occupancy room in Airlie Beach.
Food
While meal prices in Perth can vary, the average travelers spends about $33 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Perth should cost around $13 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Perth is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
While meal prices in Airlie Beach can vary, the average travelers spends about $29 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Airlie Beach should cost around $12 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Airlie Beach is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Perth $33
Airlie Beach $29
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Perth
For Perth, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Private Pizza Making Class in Hunter Valley:
$48
-
Pizza Paddle Sunset Kayak Tour in Bateman's Bay:
$66
-
Perth Classic Bites & Local Flavors: Food Tour:
$71
-
Dinner Cruise at Sydney Harbour with Optional Mast Climb Experience:
$72
-
Cairns Dinner Cruise by Spirit of Cairns:
$73
-
Australian Outback Spectacular Dinner Show Ticket:
$74
-
Charles Darwin Dinner Cruise:
$75
-
Swan Valley Half-Day Food Tour and Wine Trail from Perth:
$75
-
Sydney Harbour Sunset Dinner Cruise by Captain Cook:
$77
-
Dumpling Cooking Class in Melbourne:
$80
-
Cairns Aquarium Twilight Tour with 3-Course Dinner:
$88
-
Half-Day Low and Slow BBQ Food Tour in Perth:
$91
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Airlie Beach
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Airlie Beach.
-
Private Pizza Making Class in Hunter Valley:
$48
-
Pizza Paddle Sunset Kayak Tour in Bateman's Bay:
$66
-
Dinner Cruise at Sydney Harbour with Optional Mast Climb Experience:
$72
-
Cairns Dinner Cruise by Spirit of Cairns:
$73
-
Australian Outback Spectacular Dinner Show Ticket:
$74
-
Charles Darwin Dinner Cruise:
$75
-
Sydney Harbour Sunset Dinner Cruise by Captain Cook:
$77
-
Dumpling Cooking Class in Melbourne:
$80
-
Cairns Aquarium Twilight Tour with 3-Course Dinner:
$88
-
Whitsundays Segway Sunset and Boardwalk Tour with Dinner:
$93
-
Pinnacles Sunset Dinner and Stargazing Tour:
$109
-
Private Cooking School in the Hunter Valley:
$114
Local Transportation
To get around in Perth, the average visitor spends $23 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
The cost of a taxi ride in Airlie Beach is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $18 per person, per day, on local transportation in Airlie Beach.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Perth
Also for Perth, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Shared City Transfers from Darwin to Stokes Hill Wharf:
$6.65
-
SkyBus Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL) Express Transfer Ticket:
$11
-
Shared Sunshine Coast Airport Transfers (MCY) for Sunshine Coast:
$12
-
Shared Cairns Airport Transfer (CNS) from and to Cairns, Port Douglas, Palm Cove:
$13
-
Shared Sydney Airport Transfers (SYD) for Sydney:
$13
-
Hobart International Airport (HBA) Express Bus Transfers by SkyBus:
$14
-
Shared Brisbane Airport Transfers (BNE) for Brisbane :
$15
-
Sea World Shared Shuttle Transfer from Gold Coast Hotels:
$15
-
Avalon Airport (AVV) Express Transfer by SkyBus for Melbourne City:
$15
-
Shared Gold Coast Airport Transfers (OOL) for Gold Coast:
$17
-
Paradise Country Shared Shuttle Transfer from Gold Coast Hotels:
$18
-
Wet'n'Wild Return Shared Shuttle Transfer from Gold Coast Hotels:
$18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Airlie Beach
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Airlie Beach:
-
Hot Air Balloon Experience with Round-trip Transfers & Vineyard Champagne Breakfast in Brisbane:
$191
-
[Promotion: Adult at Kids Price] Hot Air Balloon Experience with Round-trip Transfers & Vineyard Champagne Breakfast in Gold Coast:
$191
-
[Promotion: Adult at Kids Price] Hot Air Balloon Experience in Cairns with Round-trip Transfers:
$176
-
Shared Shuttle Bus Transfers between Alice Springs and Ayers Rock:
$133
-
Shared Shuttle Bus Transfers from Kings Canyon to Alice Springs:
$133
-
Shared Shuttle Bus Transfers between Ayers Rock and Kings Canyon:
$110
-
Private Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY) Transfers for Sunshine Coast CBD:
$84
-
Thredbo Day Trip with Round Trip Transfer from Sydney by Brighton Coach:
$81
-
Private Darwin Airport (DRW) Transfers for Darwin CBD:
$75
-
Private Alice Springs Airport (ASP) Transfers for Alice Springs CBD:
$75
-
Private Launceston Airport (LST) Transfers for Launceston CBD:
$71
-
Private Perth Airport (PER) Transfers for Perth CBD:
$71
Is it cheaper to fly into Perth or Airlie Beach?
Prices for flights to both Airlie Beach and Perth 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.
Entertainment
In Perth, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $13 per person, per day.
Entertainment and activities in Airlie Beach typically cost an average of $147 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Tours and Activities in Perth
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Perth.
-
North Stradbroke Island Water Taxi Ferry Ticket:
$7.95
-
Searoad Ferry Tickets between Queenscliff and Sorrento:
$8.85
-
Bridestowe Lavender Estate Tour:
$8.85
-
Koala Conservation Reserve Tickets in Phillip Island:
$9.95
-
Margaret River Region Lighthouse Tours:
$11
-
Hunter Valley Wine Theatre Experience:
$11
-
Live Pearl Harvest Experience - Perth:
$12
-
Sydney Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour with Mobile App:
$12
-
Perth Self-Guided Audio Tour:
$13
-
Kuranda Koala Gardens General Admission Ticket in Cairns:
$13
-
Private Hunter Valley Wine Barrel Rolling Experience:
$13
-
Phillip Island Chocolate Factory Ticket:
$13
Tours and Activities in Airlie Beach
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Airlie Beach are as follows:
-
Abseiling Adventure in Adelaide :
$73
-
Half Day Kayak Tour in Bateman's Bay + FREE Paddle Pack:
$95
-
Hunter Valley Scenic Wine and Cheese Tour from Sydney:
$125
-
Nowra Treetop and Zipline Adventure:
$32
-
Yarra Valley Hot Air Balloon Flight and Winery Tour:
$385
-
'Have a Go' Clay Target Shooting Experience in Brisbane:
$110
-
12 Apostles, Otways & Great Ocean Road Hiking Adventure from Melbourne:
$132
-
1D1N Kangaroo Island Road to Recovery Tour:
$514
-
2 Day Great Barrier Reef "Reefsuites" Experience:
$631
-
2 Night Small Group Whitsundays Sailing Adventure Aboard Mandrake:
$375
-
2 night Whitsunday Islands Cruise on Atlantic Clipper from Airlie Beach:
$394
-
2-Day Great Barrier Reef "Reefsleep" Experience:
$470
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Perth, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $6.82.
The average person spends about $8.27 on alcoholic beverages in Airlie Beach per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Sample the Local Flavors in Perth
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Perth:
-
Savannah Estate Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley:
$3.69
-
Hunter’s Dream Estate Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley:
$3.69
-
Misty Glen Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley:
$3.69
-
Tintilla Estate Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley:
$3.69
-
Capercaillie Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley:
$3.69
-
Hanging Tree Wines Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley:
$3.69
-
Tempus Two Wine Tasting Experience:
$3.69
-
Pokolbin Estate Wine Tasting Experience:
$3.69
-
Krinklewood Vineyard Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley:
$7.39
-
Glandore Estate Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley:
$7.39
-
Hungerford Hill Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley :
$7.39
-
Red Door Collective Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley (Adults Only):
$7.39
Sample the Local Flavors in Airlie Beach
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Airlie Beach:
-
Savannah Estate Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley:
$3.69
-
Tempus Two Wine Tasting Experience:
$3.69
-
Hanging Tree Wines Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley:
$3.69
-
Capercaillie Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley:
$3.69
-
Misty Glen Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley:
$3.69
-
Tintilla Estate Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley:
$3.69
-
Hunter’s Dream Estate Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley:
$3.69
-
Pokolbin Estate Wine Tasting Experience:
$3.69
-
Wine Tasting at Horner Wines in Hunter Valley:
$7.39
-
Talits Estate Cellar Door Wine Tasting Experience:
$7.39
-
Wine Tasting at Wine House in Hunter Valley:
$7.39
-
Glandore Estate Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley:
$7.39
When comparing the travel costs between Perth and Airlie Beach, we can see that Airlie Beach 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.
Related Articles for Perth
Related Articles for Airlie Beach
