Which place is cheaper, New South Wales or Queensland?
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 Queensland or New South Wales?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Queensland or New South Wales, 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: Queensland or New South Wales?
Queensland
If you're an adventurer and thrill seeker, it's likely that Queensland, Australia is on your list of dream destinations. This state comprises of most of the eastern coast, but its main draws are the famous Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree National Park. Travelers flock to the stunning Australian Gold Coast of Brisbane.
Queensland experiences a climate ranging from subtropical to tropical, but keep in mind that Australia experiences the opposite seasons than North America. When it's summer here, the Aussies are experiencing winter.
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 Luxury Tours to Australia, The Best Adventure Tours to Australia, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Australia, and The Best Scuba Diving Tours in Australia.
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Queensland Prices
Australia PricesNew South Wales Prices
Australia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayQueensland $159New South Wales $192
The average daily cost (per person) in Queensland is $159, while the average daily cost in New South Wales is $192. 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 Queensland and New South Wales in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personQueensland $72New South Wales $87
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomQueensland $144New South Wales $174
Compare Hotels in Queensland and New South Wales
Looking for a hotel in Queensland 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.Queensland $26New South Wales $24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Queensland
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Queensland:
- Gold Coast Hotels & Theme Park Transfers: $16
- Cairns Airport Shared Transfer to Cairns: $20
- Transfer To Whitsunday Coast Airport One way: $20
- Transfer from Whitsunday Coast Airport One way: $20
- Established Return Airport Transfer Proserpine to Airlie Beach: $34
- Eumundi Markets Bus Transfer from Noosa, Noosaville & Mooloolaba: $34
- Gold Coast Airport: Shared Transfer to Byron Bay: $35
- Airport Transfer to Shute Harbour / Renta Yacht / Freedom Shores: $40
- Eumundi Markets Bus Transfer: Mooloolaba Sunshine Coast & Noosa: $44
- AIRPORT TRANSFER between Cairns Airport & Port Douglas (6am-5pm): $46
- Private Transfer Gold Coast Airport OOL to City Centre/Brisbane: $48
- Cairns hotels to Cairns Airport(CNS) - Departure Private Transfer: $50
Hired Cars and Shuttles in New South Wales
Some specific examples of transportation prices in New South Wales:
- Baunti Fish Fry Tour with Hotel Transfers: $68
- Byron Bay Brewery & Distillery Tour: Tastings, Lunch & transfers: $164
- Island Orientation Package incl. Return Airport Transfers & Tour: $21
- Island Orientation Tour with Airport Transfer Norfolk Island: $21
- Newcastle Airport (NTL) to Newcastle - Arrival Private Transfer: $73
- Private Transfer - Newcastle Cruise Port to Sydney Airport (SYD): $246
- Private Transfer from Newcastle Cruise Port to Sydney City Hotels: $246
- Private Transfer from Newcastle Port to Newcastle Airport (NTL): $81
- Private Transfer from Newcastle Port to Newcastle city hotels: $78
Is it cheaper to fly into Queensland or New South Wales?
Prices for flights to both New South Wales and Queensland 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 dayQueensland $58New South Wales $74
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Queensland
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Queensland.
- Longreach: Country Classics Buffet Dinner: $35
- Smithy's Outback Dinner & Show in Longreach: $71
- Brisbane/Gold Coast: Sunset, Dinner, Stars/Premium Telescope: $84
- Gold Coast Buffet Dinner Sightseeing Cruise: $99
- Cairns Catamaran Harbour and Dinner Cruise: $104
- Night at the Aquarium Tour & 2 Course Dinner: $109
- Silver-Tails Rail Sunset With Smithy's Dinner & Show in Longreach: $121
- Drover's Sunset Cruise incl. Smithy's Dinner & Show in Longreach: $121
- Cooking Classes on Witta Maleny Sunshine Coast: $129
- Gold Coast: Glow Worms, Sunset & Stargazing with BBQ dinner: $141
- Brisbane: Glow Worms, Sunset, Telescope Stargazing & Dinner: $141
- Ancient Egypt Sunset Tour and 3 Course Dinner: $142
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.
- Bangalow Native Bush Food Tour: $54
- Who Killed the Surveyor Mystery Dinner: $71
- Progressive Dinner to Island Homes: $71
- Commandants Dinner & Show: $71
- Norfolk Island Progressive Dinner to Island Homes: $86
- Ghost Tour & Dinner Norfolk Island: $86
- Batemans Bay Sunset Pizza Kayak Tour - Float and Feast: $106
- Cooking Classes at the Yellow Door Kitchen: $128
- Date Night with Blending Class and Dinner: $158
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Queensland $40New South Wales $32
Tours and Activities in Queensland
Here are a few actual costs in Queensland for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Brisbane Walking Tour: Self-Guided City Game: $6.42
- Escape to Coochiemudlo Island: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Audio Tour of Brisbane: From Convict Colony to Modern Metropolis: $9.99
- Skip the Line: Cairns Museum Admission Ticket: $11
- Skip the Line: Cairns Museum Single Admission Ticket: $11
- Discover Port Douglas: Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
- Spring Brook National Park Self Guided Driving Tour: $15
- Australia's First Upside Down House Photo Experience: $15
- Mayhem in Brisbane GPS App Walking Tour Mobile Game: $15
- Convict Colonial Brisbane GPS App Walking Tour Mobile Game: $15
- Kuranda Koala Gardens General Entry Ticket: $17
- Birdworld Kuranda Entry Ticket: $17
Tours and Activities in New South Wales
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for New South Wales are as follows:
- Wine & Cheese Tasting Experience in Hunter Valley: $15
- Haven Gallery Byron Bay interactive and immersive art experience: $21
- Mead and Honey Tasting Experience: $23
- Newcastle Dark Stories True Crime Tour: $24
- Wine, Cheese & Chocolate Tasting Experience in Hunter Valley: $29
- Unlimited Sandboarding Adventure: $32
- Port Stephens: Dolphin Discovery Cruise: $33
- Family Pass Fighter World Museum Admission Ticket: $34
- Near Gold Coast: Crystal Castle Admission Ticket: $36
- Conjola Tours: $39
- Port Stephens 4WD Beach Sand Dune Adventure: $41
- Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard - Sweet Indulgence Experience: $43
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayQueensland $13New South Wales $15
Sample the Local Flavors in Queensland
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Queensland:
- Rum Distillery Tour: $14
- An Epic Bar Crawl Sunshine Coast: Sippin on Sunshine: $15
- XXXX Brewery Tour: $29
- Cairns Party Bus Pub Crawl Night Out Experience: $46
- Craft Distillery and Brewery Tour on Gold Coast: $82
- Sirromet Winery Tour with Wine Tasting & Lunch (from Brisbane): $121
- Brewery Tour and Beer Tasting in Brisbane: $129
- Craft Your Own Spirit at Tamborine Mountain Distillery: $132
- Full-Day Guided Wine Tour in Mt Tamborine From Gold Coast: $143
- Full Day Guided Wine Tour in Mt Tamborine From Brisbane: $143
- Brisbane Brewery Full Day Tour with Lunch: $149
- Mount Tamborine Deluxe Wine Tasting with Two Course Lunch: $161
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:
- Boutique Wine Tasting Experience in Pokolbin: $12
- Cael's Gate Reserve Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley: $18
- Tulloch Wines - Wine Tasting paired with Local Handmade Chocolates: $25
- Cheese and Wine Tasting Experience in Pokolbin: $28
- Wonnarua Sparkling Wine Tasting: $32
- Ivanhoe Wines: Trip Advisor Premium Wine Tasting: $32
- Tintilla Estate: Wine Tasting with a Meat and Cheese Platter: $36
- Tulloch Wines- Mystery Wine Tasting Experience with Local Cheese and Charcuterie: $38
- Tulloch Wines Hunter Heroes Wine Tasting with Local Cheese & Charcuterie Board: $38
- Wine Tasting in Pokolbin with Foodie Adventure: $43
- Premium Wine Tasting Experience in Pokolbin: $54
- Snapshot Half Day Hunter Valley Wine Tour: $92
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Queensland and New South Wales, we can see that New South Wales is more expensive. And not only is Queensland much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Queensland would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Queensland 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 Queensland.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Queensland Expensive? and Is New South Wales Expensive?.
Which has a larger population, Queensland or New South Wales?
New South Wales has a larger population, and is about 60% larger than the population of Queensland. When comparing the sizes of Queensland 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.