Which place is cheaper, Napier or Sandakan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sandakan or Napier?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Sandakan or Napier? 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 Napier?
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.
Napier
Napier is city on the eastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of the Hawke's Bay Region, a famous area for wine vineyards. Napier has a population of 61,000 people and is known for its Art Deco architecture and of course, wine.
For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Malaysia, The Best Adventure Tours to Malaysia, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in New Zealand, and The Best Luxury Tours to New Zealand.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySandakan $58Napier $167
The average daily cost (per person) in Sandakan is $58, while the average daily cost in Napier is $167. 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 Napier in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSandakan $20Napier $101
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSandakan $40Napier $202
Compare Hotels in Sandakan and Napier
Looking for a hotel in Sandakan or Napier? 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 Napier Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sandakan $33Napier $30
Is it cheaper to fly into Sandakan or Napier?
Prices for flights to both Napier 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 $19Napier $36
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
Typical Food Prices in Napier
For Napier, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Casural Lunch$8.32
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sandakan $7.19Napier $27
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
Tours and Activities in Napier
For Napier, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Self-Guided Earthquake Audio Tour: $14
- Art Deco Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour: $14
- Napier Art Deco Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
- Napier Earthquake Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
- Hastings Earthquake Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
- Hawkes Bay Wineries Self-Guided Bike Tour: $35
- National Aquarium of New Zealand in Napier Native Icons Tour: $36
- Hawke's Bay: Self Guided Coastal Winery Cycle Tour: $48
- Cape Coast Wineries Self-Guided Scenic Bike Tour from Napier: $48
- Cape Kidnappers Gannet, Nature & Sightseeing Tour: $57
- Small Group 2.5-Hour Napier History and Art Deco Tour : $57
- 2.5-Hour Napier Art Deco Tour: $58
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySandakan $6.59Napier $16
Typical Alcohol Prices in Napier
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Napier are as follows:
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Wine$12
Sample the Local Flavors in Napier
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Napier:
- Half Day Small-Group Hawkes Bay Wine Tour: $94
- Wine Tour and Tastings in Hawkes Bay: $167
- Private Sightseeing Tour + Wine Tasting: $627
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sandakan and Napier, we can see that Napier 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 Napier 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 Napier would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Napier 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 Napier Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sandakan or Napier?
Sandakan has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Napier. When comparing the sizes of Sandakan and Napier, 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.