Which place is cheaper, Te Anau or Sandakan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sandakan or Te Anau?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Sandakan or Te Anau? 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 Te Anau?
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.
Te Anau
Te Anau is a town on the South Island of New Zealand, best-known as a gateway to Fiordland National Park and Milford Sound. The region is a major destination for ecotourism as it is home to rare species like the endangered flightless takahe bird and natural features like caves, waterfalls, forests, lakes, glacial valleys, and mountains.
For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Malaysia, The Best Adventure Tours to Malaysia, The Best G Adventures Tours to New Zealand, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Auckland.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySandakan $58Te Anau $98
The average daily cost (per person) in Sandakan is $58, while the average daily cost in Te Anau is $98. 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 Te Anau in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSandakan $20Te Anau $44
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSandakan $40Te Anau $88
Compare Hotels in Sandakan and Te Anau
Looking for a hotel in Sandakan or Te Anau? 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 Te Anau Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sandakan $33Te Anau $27
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Te Anau
Also for Te Anau, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Kepler Water Taxi Transfer across Lake Te Anau: $15
Is it cheaper to fly into Sandakan or Te Anau?
Prices for flights to both Te Anau 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 $19Te Anau $27
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sandakan $7.19Te Anau $47
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 Te Anau
For Te Anau, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Glowworm Caves Guided Tour: $71
- Te Anau Glow Worm Caves Tour: $72
- Evening Scenic Cruise: $86
- Lake 3-Hour Boat Cruise with Guided Walk: $86
- Afternoon Te Anau Cruise on Historic Motor Yacht: $87
- Champagne Sightseeing Cruise on Lake Te Anau: $87
- Morning Tea Cruise on Historic Motor Yacht from Te Anau: $88
- Fiordland: Jet Boat & Nature Walk Experience from Te Anau: $106
- Full-Day National Park Tour with Cruise and Lunch: $110
- From Milford Sound Coach Tour and Cruise: $110
- Milford Sound Coach & Cruise Tour from Te Anau : $113
- Premium Milford Sound Full Day Tour & Cruise: $118
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySandakan $6.59Te Anau $14
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sandakan and Te Anau, we can see that Te Anau 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 Te Anau 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 Te Anau would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Te Anau 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 Te Anau Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sandakan or Te Anau?
Sandakan has a larger population, and is about 190 times larger than the population of Te Anau. When comparing the sizes of Sandakan and Te Anau, 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.