Which place is cheaper, Cairns or Sandakan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sandakan or Cairns?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Sandakan or Cairns? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Sandakan or Cairns?
Sandakan
Located on the Northeast side of the state of Sabah in Borneo is the city of Sandakan, which is the 2nd largest city in the country. Sandakan was a prosperous port town in the 1800s because of its exports of tobacco, timber, pearls, and ivory. However, this booming town that was formerly the administrative capital in North Borneo was bombed practically out of existence at the end of World War II.
Cairns
Most travelers go to Cairns specifically to visit Great Barrier Reef. The city itself is surprisingly large and cosmopolitan with a population of approximately 140,000. The city's economy is almost exclusively based on tourism, although you will find some jobs centered around agriculture, or more specifically sugar cane, bananas, coffee, tea, wine, and some tropical fruits. The city itself is surrounded by rainforest and makes a great base for exploring Kuranda, with the Barron Gorge National Park and the Daintree offering a quieter tropical getaway than Cairns.
For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Malaysia, The Best Adventure Tours to Malaysia, The Best Contiki Tours to Australia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Australia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySandakan $58Cairns $94
The average daily cost (per person) in Sandakan is $58, while the average daily cost in Cairns is $94. 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 Sandakan and Cairns in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSandakan $20Cairns $43
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSandakan $40Cairns $86
Compare Hotels in Sandakan and Cairns
Looking for a hotel in Sandakan or Cairns? 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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Sandakan Hotel Prices and Cairns Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sandakan $33Cairns $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairns
Also for Cairns, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Cairns airport to cairns city private Transfers: $13
- Cairns Airport/City Transfers: $14
- Shared Airport Transfer to/from City and Beaches: $14
- Airport Transfers between Cairns Airport and Cairns City: $14
- Airport Transfers between Cairns Airport and Palm Cove: $20
- Private Transfer From Cairns Cruise Port to Cairns City Hotels: $21
- Private Transfer from Cairns City Hotels to Cairns Cruise Port: $21
- Cairns Airport luxury private transfer Airport to City Hotel: $32
- Shared Shuttle Transfer - Cairns Airport to Port Douglas: $40
- Private Transfer from Cairns Airport (CNS) to Cairns Cruise Port: $45
- Private Transfer from Cairns Cruise Port to Cairns Airport (CNS): $45
- Shuttle Bus Shared Transfer Cairns Airport to Port Douglas: $50
Is it cheaper to fly into Sandakan or Cairns?
Prices for flights to both Cairns and Sandakan 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 daySandakan $19Cairns $28
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sandakan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Sandakan.
- Mangrove Cruise with Fireflies Tour Including Dinner from Sandakan: $64
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cairns
For Cairns, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cairns Luxury Catamaran Harbor and Dinner Cruise: $85
- Night at the Aquarium Guided Tour & 2 Course Dinner: $91
- Guided Twilight Tour with 3-Course Dinner: $117
- City Sights Tour with Evening Dinner Cruise: $149
- Small-Group Afternoon Cairns City Tour with Harbour Dinner Cruise: $156
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sandakan $7.19Cairns $37
Tours and Activities in Sandakan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Sandakan are as follows:
- 2D1N Sandakan Private Tour with Kinabatangan River Cruise: $290
- Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre & Sepilok Orang Utan Rehab Centre Tour: $105
- Borneo Kinabatangan River Cruise Day Trip: $78
- Borneo Wildlife Tour 2 Days 1 Night At Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp Kinabatangan: $197
- Borneo Wildlife Tour 3 Days 2 Nights At Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp Kinabatangan: $241
- Kinabatangan River Cruise from Sandakan: $90
- Labuk Proboscis, Sepilok, Sun Bear, Sandakan City Tour & Lunch: $138
- Private Full Day Sepilok Orang Utan, Bornean Sun Bear and Rainforest Discovery Center Tour: $125
- Private Tour: Half Day Sandakan City Tour Including Local Lunch: $51
- Sepilok Orang Utan & Bornean Sun Bear Centre with Sandakan City Tour with Lunch: $191
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cairns
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Cairns's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Scuba Diving$36
Tours and Activities in Cairns
For Cairns, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Skip the Line: Cairns Museum Single Admission Ticket: $9.91
- Kuranda Koala Gardens General Entry Ticket: $14
- Cairns Pub & Club Tour: $26
- Entry Ticket at Historic Village Herberton: $28
- Cairns History Walking Tour: $28
- Hartley's Crocodile Adventures General Entry Ticket: $30
- Cairns Aquarium General Admission Ticket: $34
- Sightseeing River Boat Safari with Soft Drinks: $36
- Sunset River Cruise with Snack and Drinks: $42
- Rusty's Market Foodlovers Tour: $43
- Cairns Botanic Gardens: Mushroom Photography Tour: $44
- Full Day Tour by Myroo X Deluxe Coach to Mission Beach: $46
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySandakan $6.59Cairns $13
Sample the Local Flavors in Cairns
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Cairns:
- Cairns Brewery Tours: $139
- From Atherton Tablelands Food and Wine Tasting Tour: $160
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sandakan and Cairns, we can see that Cairns is more expensive. And not only is Sandakan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Sandakan is in Asia and Cairns 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 Sandakan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sandakan 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 Cairns would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cairns than you might in Sandakan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Sandakan Expensive? and Is Cairns Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sandakan or Cairns?
Sandakan has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Cairns. When comparing the sizes of Sandakan and Cairns, 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.
When is the best time to visit Sandakan or Cairns?
Cairns has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Sandakan experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Sandakan or Cairns in the Summer?
Both Cairns and Sandakan during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Sandakan because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Also, the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Cairns this time of year.
In the summer, Sandakan is around the same temperature as Cairns. Typically, the summer temperatures in Sandakan in July average around 27°C (81°F), and Cairns averages at about 29°C (84°F)in January.
Cairns gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Sandakan. Sandakan usually gets less rain in July than Cairnsin January. Sandakan gets 195 mm (7.7 in) of rain, while Cairns receives 429 mm (16.9 in) of rain this time of the year. November to March is the rainy season in Cairns.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuarySandakan 27°C (81°F)Cairns 29°C (84°F)
Should I visit Sandakan or Cairns in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Sandakan and Cairns. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Sandakan year-round. Also, many travelers come to Cairns for the hiking trails and the shopping scene.
In October, Sandakan is generally around the same temperature as Cairnsin April. Daily temperatures in Sandakan average around 28°C (82°F), and Cairns fluctuates around 27°C (80°F).
Cairns receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Sandakan gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Sandakan usually receives less rain than Cairnsin April. Sandakan gets 253 mm (10 in) of rain, while Cairns receives 273 mm (10.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn. April to October in Cairns is the dry season.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilSandakan 28°C (82°F)Cairns 27°C (80°F)
Should I visit Sandakan or Cairns in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Sandakan as well as Cairns. Sandakan attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Also, many visitors come to Cairns in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Sandakan is a little warmer than Cairns in the winter. The daily temperature in Sandakan averages around 26°C (80°F) in January, and Cairns fluctuates around 23°C (73°F)in July.
Sandakan receives a lot of rain in the winter. Sandakan usually gets more rain in January than Cairnsin July. Sandakan gets 437 mm (17.2 in) of rain, while Cairns receives 35 mm (1.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulySandakan 26°C (80°F)Cairns 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit Sandakan or Cairns in the Spring?
Both Cairns and Sandakan are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Sandakan throughout the year. Also, most visitors come to Cairns for the beaches during these months.
In the spring, Sandakan is around the same temperature as Cairns. Typically, the spring temperatures in Sandakan in April average around 28°C (82°F), and Cairns averages at about 27°C (80°F)in October.
It's quite rainy in Sandakan. In April, Sandakan usually receives more rain than Cairnsin October. Sandakan gets 107 mm (4.2 in) of rain, while Cairns receives 44 mm (1.7 in) of rain each month for the spring. The dry season in Cairns is April to October. The rainy season in Cairns is November to March.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberSandakan 28°C (82°F)Cairns 27°C (80°F)
Typical Weather for Cairns and Sandakan
| Sandakan | Cairns | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (80°F) | 437 mm (17.2 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 429 mm (16.9 in) |
| Feb | 27°C (80°F) | 268 mm (10.6 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 469 mm (18.5 in) |
| Mar | 27°C (81°F) | 158 mm (6.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 471 mm (18.5 in) |
| Apr | 28°C (82°F) | 107 mm (4.2 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 273 mm (10.8 in) |
| May | 28°C (83°F) | 138 mm (5.4 in) | 25°C (78°F) | 118 mm (4.6 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 200 mm (7.9 in) | 23°C (74°F) | 62 mm (2.5 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (81°F) | 195 mm (7.7 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) |
| Aug | 28°C (82°F) | 213 mm (8.4 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 237 mm (9.3 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Oct | 28°C (82°F) | 253 mm (10 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 344 mm (13.5 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 104 mm (4.1 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (80°F) | 462 mm (18.2 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 211 mm (8.3 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.