Which place is cheaper, Whitsundays or Qingdao?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Qingdao or Whitsundays?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Qingdao or Whitsundays, 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: Qingdao or Whitsundays?
Qingdao
Qingdao, China, located in the Shandong Province, is a very large city right on the Yellow Sea coast. The city, whose name means "The Green Island" due to it's gorgeous landscapes and interesting geography, was named China's most livable city in 2012. The city is rich in history, having almost become a German territory in 1897 and being occupied by the Japanese during WWI. Evidence of these occupiers is present in much of the architecture around the city, which includes a few Catholic and Protestant churches.
Whitsundays
Just off the coast of Queensland, Australia is a cluster of 74 different islands. These islands, the Whitsunday Islands, welcome over a half a million visitors every year to see one of the Seven Wonders of the World - the Great Barrier Reef.
As one of the most famous destinations in the world, it's not uncommon to see expensive yachts sailing around among the private ferries. Most of the islands are designated as national parks with access to snorkeling and diving in the coral reefs, or just to lay in the sand on the famous Whitehaven Beach.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in China, The Best Luxury Tours to China, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Melbourne, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Australia.
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Qingdao Prices
China PricesWhitsundays Prices
Australia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayQingdao $73Whitsundays $155
The average daily cost (per person) in Qingdao is $73, while the average daily cost in Whitsundays is $155. 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 Qingdao and Whitsundays in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personQingdao $27Whitsundays $69
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomQingdao $54Whitsundays $138
Compare Hotels in Qingdao and Whitsundays
Looking for a hotel in Qingdao or Whitsundays? 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.Qingdao $12Whitsundays $55
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Qingdao
Also for Qingdao, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Qingdao Liuting Airport Transfer Service by Minivan: $86
- Private Qingdao Airport Arrival Transfer to City Hotels: $80
- Qingdao Private Transfer from Qingdao Airport (TAO) to central Qingdao: $54
- Qingdao Private Transfer from Qingdao central to Qingdao Airport (TAO): $53
- Qingdao Northern Railway Station Arrival Private One-Way Transfer: $42
- Qingdao Cruise Port Departure Transfer from City Hotels: $36
- Qingdao Railway Station Depature Transfer from City Hotels: $36
- Qingdao Railway Station Arrival Transfer to City Hotel: $36
Is it cheaper to fly into Qingdao or Whitsundays?
Prices for flights to both Whitsundays and Qingdao 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 dayQingdao $35Whitsundays $52
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Whitsundays
For Whitsundays, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hamilton Island: Whitsundays Sunset Dinner Cruise: $99
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Qingdao $20Whitsundays $25
Tours and Activities in Qingdao
For Qingdao, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Private Qingdao Essentials Tour: City Highlights and Beer Museum: $216
- Alternative City Tour with Navy Museum, Beer Street and TV Tower, Lunch Included: $200
- German Era Tour of Old Town Qingdao with Lunch and Beer Museum: $200
- Half Day Tour and Trek to Fushan Mountain: $170
- Laoshan Mountain Full Day Private Activity Tour: $224
- Private Qingdao Historic architectural day tour with Tsingdao beer during Lunch: $245
- Private Qingdao Laoshan day tour with lunch& round way cable car: $240
- Private Qingdao Laoshan half day tour with one bottle of Tsingdao beer as gift: $199
- Private Qingdao highlights city tour with Lunch and Qingdao beer: $175
- Qingdao + Weihai Day Tour with Buffet: $265
- Qingdao After Dark: 4-Hour Illumination Tour with Options: $150
- Qingdao Discover Tour to the Mount Laoshan and Tasting Famous Local Beer: $248
Tours and Activities in Whitsundays
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Whitsundays.
- Airlie Beach: Whitsundays Full-Day Camira Sailing Adventure: $164
- MILADY Whitsundays 2-Night Private Yacht Sailing Cruise: $4,953
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayQingdao $14Whitsundays $12
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Qingdao and Whitsundays, we can see that Whitsundays is more expensive. And not only is Qingdao much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Qingdao is in Asia and Whitsundays 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 Qingdao would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Qingdao 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 Whitsundays would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Whitsundays than you might in Qingdao.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Qingdao Expensive? and Is Whitsundays Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Qingdao or Whitsundays?
Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Whitsundays is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but Qingdao has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Qingdao or Whitsundays in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Qingdao and Whitsundays.
In the summer, Qingdao is around the same temperature as Whitsundays. Typically, the summer temperatures in Qingdao in July average around 25°C (77°F), and Whitsundays averages at about 26°C (79°F)in January.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Whitsundays this time of the year. Qingdao usually receives less sunshine than Whitsundays during summer. Qingdao gets 183 hours of sunny skies, while Whitsundays receives 285 hours of full sun in the summer.
Whitsundays receives a lot of rain in the summer. Qingdao gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Qingdao usually receives less rain than Whitsundaysin January. Qingdao gets 211 mm (8.3 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 331 mm (13 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryQingdao 25°C (77°F)Whitsundays 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit Qingdao or Whitsundays in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Qingdao as well as Whitsundays.
In October, Qingdao is generally cooler than Whitsundaysin April. Daily temperatures in Qingdao average around 17°C (62°F), and Whitsundays fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Whitsundays. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Qingdao this time of the year. In the autumn, Qingdao often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Whitsundaysin April. Qingdao gets 220 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Whitsundays receives 207 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Whitsundays. Qingdao usually gets less rain in October than Whitsundaysin April. Qingdao gets 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilQingdao 17°C (62°F)Whitsundays 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit Qingdao or Whitsundays in the Winter?
Both Whitsundays and Qingdao are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities.
The weather in Qingdao can be very cold. Qingdao is much colder than Whitsundays in the winter. The daily temperature in Qingdao averages around -0°C (32°F) in January, and Whitsundays fluctuates around 16°C (62°F)in July.
It's quite sunny in Whitsundays. Qingdao usually receives less sunshine than Whitsundays during winter. Qingdao gets 185 hours of sunny skies, while Whitsundays receives 226 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Qingdao usually receives less rain than Whitsundaysin July. Qingdao gets 11 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyQingdao -0°C (32°F)Whitsundays 16°C (62°F)
Should I visit Qingdao or Whitsundays in the Spring?
Both Whitsundays and Qingdao during the spring are popular places to visit.
In the spring, Qingdao is much colder than Whitsundays. Typically, the spring temperatures in Qingdao in April average around 12°C (53°F), and Whitsundays averages at about 23°C (73°F)in October.
In Whitsundays, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Qingdao. In the spring, Qingdao often gets less sunshine than Whitsundaysin October. Qingdao gets 224 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Whitsundays receives 298 hours of full sun.
Qingdao usually gets less rain in April than Whitsundaysin October. Qingdao gets 37 mm (1.5 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberQingdao 12°C (53°F)Whitsundays 23°C (73°F)
Typical Weather for Whitsundays and Qingdao
| Qingdao | Whitsundays | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -0°C (32°F) | 11 mm (0.4 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 331 mm (13 in) |
| Feb | 1°C (34°F) | 12 mm (0.5 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 377 mm (14.8 in) |
| Mar | 6°C (43°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 312 mm (12.3 in) |
| Apr | 12°C (53°F) | 37 mm (1.5 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 143 mm (5.6 in) |
| May | 17°C (62°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) |
| Jun | 21°C (70°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) |
| Jul | 25°C (77°F) | 211 mm (8.3 in) | 16°C (62°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Aug | 26°C (79°F) | 162 mm (6.4 in) | 18°C (65°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) |
| Sep | 22°C (72°F) | 99 mm (3.9 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 15 mm (0.6 in) |
| Oct | 17°C (62°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) |
| Nov | 10°C (49°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 107 mm (4.2 in) |
| Dec | 3°C (37°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 191 mm (7.5 in) |
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.