Which place is cheaper, Queensland or South Australia?
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 South Australia or Queensland?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit South Australia or Queensland? 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: South Australia or Queensland?
South Australia
Millions of travelers are attracted to Australia for a variety of reasons. Sure there are adventures waiting around ever Aussie corner, but sometimes you just want to sit back and relax. That's when it's time to visit South Australia.
Nestled between Western Australia and Queensland, this state is home to 1.6 million people. Even with that many people, however, it's still less than 10 percent of the entire country's population. With less tourists, infamous wine, delectable produce and an untouched environment, Southern Australia is the perfect spot to kickback in the outback.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Scuba Diving Tours in Australia, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Australia, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Australia, and The Best Walking Tours in Australia.
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South Australia Prices
Australia PricesQueensland Prices
Australia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySouth Australia $14,373Queensland $161
The average daily cost (per person) in South Australia is $14,373, while the average daily cost in Queensland is $161. 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 South Australia and Queensland in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSouth Australia $5,896Queensland $73
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSouth Australia $
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10Queensland $146
Compare Hotels in South Australia and Queensland
Looking for a hotel in South Australia or Queensland? 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.South Australia $2,034Queensland $26
Hired Cars and Shuttles in South Australia
Also for South Australia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Adelaide Airport (ADL) to Adelaide - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $130
- Adelaide Airport Transfers : Adelaide City to Airport ADL in Luxury Car: $121
- Adelaide Airport Transfers : Airport ADL to Adelaide City in Luxury Car: $121
- Adelaide Airport Transfers : Airport ADL to Adelaide City in Luxury Van: $107
- Adelaide Airport(ADL)to Adelaide city - Arrival Private Transfer: $65
- Adelaide Chauffeur Airport Transfer: $89
- Adelaide Private Airport and City Transfer: $118
- Arrival Private Transfers: Adelaide Airport ADL to Adelaide in Luxury Van: $106
- One Day Kangaroo Island Sip & See tour with return ferry transfers from Adelaide: $294
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Adelaide Airport: $59
- Private Transfer Adelaide Airport ADL to Adelaide City & Port: $39
- Private Transfer from Adelaide Airport (ADL) to Adelaide Port: $59
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Queensland
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Queensland:
- Brisbane Bathhouse Circuit and 4 Course Lunch with Transfer: $292
- Cairns to Port Douglas Private Transfer After Hours 9 pm to 6 am: $277
- Private Transfer to Gold Coast /OOL Airport from Brisbane /BNE Airport (1-7 Pax): $252
- Private Transfer - Cairns Airport to/from Port Douglas: $219
- Private Transfers One Way Cairns Airport to Port Douglas: $212
- Cairns Airport to Port Douglas Private Transfer 1-7 Pax: $204
- Cairns Airport Private Transfers: $204
- Private Transfer from Noosa to Sunshine Coast Airport 7 seater: $201
- Private Transfer Brisbane Airport to Gold Coast 4-6 Passengers: $190
- Maserati Quattroporte Limousine Transfer Cairns Airport to City: $190
- Private Transfer from Port Douglas hotels to Cairns Cruise Port: $177
- Private Transfer from Cairns Cruise Port to Port Douglas hotels: $177
Is it cheaper to fly into South Australia or Queensland?
Prices for flights to both Queensland and South Australia 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 daySouth Australia $5,246Queensland $59
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in South Australia
For South Australia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- A Taste of Adelaide Central Markets Food Tour: $43
- Tastes of Chinatown Adelaide food tour: $87
- Cooking classes Goolwa: $143
- Small-Group River Murray Dark Sky and Sunset Tour with Dinner: $219
- Pipi Catching and Cooking Experience in Goolwa: $255
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: $36
- Smithy's Outback Dinner & Show in Longreach: $72
- Brisbane/Gold Coast: Sunset, Dinner, Stars/Premium Telescope: $86
- Whitsundays Segway Sunset and Boardwalk Tour with Dinner: $98
- Gold Coast Buffet Dinner Sightseeing Cruise: $102
- Cairns Catamaran Harbour and Dinner Cruise: $106
- Rustic Italian Cooking Class in Brisbane: $121
- Silver-Tails Rail Sunset With Smithy's Dinner & Show in Longreach: $123
- Drover's Sunset Cruise incl. Smithy's Dinner & Show in Longreach: $123
- Cooking Classes on Witta Maleny Sunshine Coast: $132
- Ancient Egypt Sunset Tour and 3 Course Dinner: $146
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.South Australia $4,597Queensland $40
Tours and Activities in South Australia
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for South Australia.
- Adelaide Historic Downtown Self Guided App Guided Walking Tour: $9.75
- Glenelg's Dark History: A Self-Guided Walking Tour: $9.99
- Hosted Tour of the Australian Wine Story: $19
- Adelaide Oval Stadium Tour: $21
- Adelaide River Torrens Sightseeing Cruise: $22
- Discover Victor Harbor Walking Tour: $26
- Jurlique Farm Tour: $29
- Guided Koala Walk and Bushfire ecology tour: $29
- Yalumba Cooperage Tour: $38
- Rock Climb and Ropes Shared Experience: $42
- McLaren Vale I Guided Gin Tasting Experience: $43
- Paint and Palate Street Art Tour with Food: $43
Tours and Activities in Queensland
Here are a few actual costs in Queensland for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1 Hour Jetski Tour Cairns: $146
- 1 Hour Tour Mooloolaba Sunset Cruise: $29
- 1 Hour Waterbike Experience on the Gold Coast: $44
- 1-Hour Cairns Botanic Gardens Evening Family Experience: $44
- 1-Hour Daintree River wildlife cruise: $29
- 1.5 Hour Cairns JetSki Coastline Tour to Palm Cove: $194
- 1.5 hr Jet Ski Safari tour to South Stradbroke Island!: $219
- 1770 Coastline Tour by LARC Amphibious Vehicle Including Picnic Lunch: $63
- 2 Hour Ultimate Learn to Surf Adventure: $48
- 3-Day Unlimited Dreamworld, WhiteWater World & SkyPoint Ticket: $109
- 30 min Jetski Tour Cairns: $80
- A UNIQUE Whalesongsnoosa Whale watching experience in noosa qld: $84
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySouth Australia $2,550Queensland $13
Sample the Local Flavors in South Australia
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in South Australia:
- Exquisite Unique Wine Tasting Experience: $22
- McLaren Vale Wine Tour - Self-Guided GPS Audio Guide: $25
- Barossa Valley Wine Tour Self Guided GPS Audio Driving Guide: $25
- Pirate Life Brewery Tour: $33
- Hosted Tour and Iconic Wine Tasting in Adelaide: $57
- Gourmet Grazing Platter & Wine Tasting Experience for 2: $58
- McLaren Vale Wine Tasting, Sights & Glenelg (half-day Afternoon): $65
- McLaren Vale North Hop-On Hop-Off Wine Tour: $73
- Barossa Valley Hop-On Hop-Off Wine Tour: $73
- Luke's McLaren Vale Wine Tour: $91
- Adelaide Highlights, Hahndorf & McLaren Vale Wine Tasting and Sightseeing Tour: $99
- Barossa Wine tour with Lunch, Wine Tastings, Brewery & Chocolate: $109
Sample the Local Flavors in Queensland
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Queensland:
- An Epic Bar Crawl Sunshine Coast: Sippin on Sunshine: $15
- Rum Distillery Tour: $16
- Tamborine Mountain Distillery Tour & Tasting: $22
- Cairns Party Bus Pub Crawl Night Out Experience: $48
- Tamborine Mountain Distillery Cocktail Masterclass: $62
- Craft Distillery and Brewery Tour on Gold Coast: $84
- Afternoon Brisbane Half-Day Brewery Tour: $116
- Gold Coast: Hop on Hop off Wine Tasting Tour - Tamborine Mountain: $131
- Full-Day Guided Wine Tour in Mt Tamborine From Gold Coast: $146
- Full Day Guided Wine Tour in Mt Tamborine From Brisbane: $146
- Hinterland Heritage Wine Tour: $146
- All Inclusive Wine Tour including Distillery & 2 Course Lunch: $165
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between South Australia and Queensland, we can see that South Australia 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 South Australia would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in South Australia 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 South Australia Expensive? and Is Queensland Expensive?.
Which has a larger population, South Australia or Queensland?
Queensland has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of South Australia. When comparing the sizes of South Australia and Queensland, 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.