A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Pyeongchang vs. Airlie Beach for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Pyeongchang or Airlie Beach?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Pyeongchang or Airlie Beach, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Pyeongchang or Airlie Beach?

Pyeongchang

Pyeongchang is a county of South Korea situated in the Taebaek Mountains in Gangwon Province. A popular location for winter sports, it was chosen as the host city for the 2018 Winter Olympics. Other attractions include Buddhist temples, parks, villages, and natural scenery.

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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Seoul, The Best 10-Day Tours from Seoul, The Best Adventure Tours to Australia, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Australia.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pyeongchang and Airlie Beach, we can see that Airlie Beach is more expensive. And not only is Pyeongchang much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Pyeongchang 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 Pyeongchang would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Pyeongchang 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 Pyeongchang.

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

When is the best time to visit Pyeongchang or Airlie Beach?

Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Airlie Beach is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but Pyeongchang has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].

Should I visit Pyeongchang or Airlie Beach in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Pyeongchang as well as Airlie Beach. Also, many visitors come to Airlie Beach in the summer for the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences.

Pyeongchang is around the same temperature as Airlie Beach in the summer. The daily temperature in Pyeongchang averages around 24°C (76°F) in July, and Airlie Beach fluctuates around 26°C (79°F)in January.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Airlie Beach. In the summer, Pyeongchang often gets less sunshine than Airlie Beachin January. Pyeongchang gets 144 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Airlie Beach receives 285 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Airlie Beach. Pyeongchang receives a lot of rain in the summer. Pyeongchang usually gets less rain in July than Airlie Beachin January. Pyeongchang gets 217 mm (8.5 in) of rain, while Airlie Beach receives 331 mm (13 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Pyeongchang or Airlie Beach in the Autumn?

Both Airlie Beach and Pyeongchang are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Also, most visitors come to Airlie Beach for the hiking trails, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area during these months.

In the autumn, Pyeongchang is cooler than Airlie Beach. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Pyeongchang in October average around 15°C (60°F), and Airlie Beach averages at about 23°C (73°F)in April.

It's quite sunny in Airlie Beach. Pyeongchang usually receives less sunshine than Airlie Beach during autumn. Pyeongchang gets 185 hours of sunny skies, while Airlie Beach receives 207 hours of full sun in the autumn.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Airlie Beach. It's quite rainy in Pyeongchang. In October, Pyeongchang usually receives less rain than Airlie Beachin April. Pyeongchang gets 112 mm (4.4 in) of rain, while Airlie Beach receives 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Pyeongchang or Airlie Beach in the Winter?

Both Airlie Beach and Pyeongchang during the winter are popular places to visit. Furthermore, the winter months attract visitors to Airlie Beach because of the shopping scene and the cuisine.

Pyeongchang can be very cold during winter. In January, Pyeongchang is generally much colder than Airlie Beachin July. Daily temperatures in Pyeongchang average around 0°C (33°F), and Airlie Beach fluctuates around 16°C (62°F).

In Airlie Beach, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, Pyeongchang often gets less sunshine than Airlie Beachin July. Pyeongchang gets 190 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Airlie Beach receives 226 hours of full sun.

Pyeongchang usually gets more rain in January than Airlie Beachin July. Pyeongchang gets 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Airlie Beach receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Pyeongchang or Airlie Beach in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Pyeongchang and Airlie Beach. Furthermore, the beaches and the natural beauty are the main draw to Airlie Beach this time of year.

Pyeongchang is much colder than Airlie Beach in the spring. The daily temperature in Pyeongchang averages around 12°C (54°F) in April, and Airlie Beach fluctuates around 23°C (73°F)in October.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Airlie Beach this time of the year. In Pyeongchang, it's very sunny this time of the year. Pyeongchang usually receives less sunshine than Airlie Beach during spring. Pyeongchang gets 204 hours of sunny skies, while Airlie Beach receives 298 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Pyeongchang usually receives more rain than Airlie Beachin October. Pyeongchang gets 77 mm (3 in) of rain, while Airlie Beach receives 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Airlie Beach and Pyeongchang