Which city is cheaper, Cairns or Surfers Paradise?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Surfers Paradise or Cairns, 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.
A tourist mecca, Surfers Paradise is one of the most popular travel destinations along Australia's famed Gold Coast. The beach stretches for miles and there is an endless supply of almost constant parties. You'll find high rise apartments lined up along the shore and plenty of shopping areas, restaurants, nightclubs, and bars. Travelers from around the world visit the area, and it's a right of passage for Australia's teens to vacation in or near Surfers Paradise. For many travelers, Surfers Paradise comes across as little more than a mass marketed, over commercialized, party destination, but for others it is a vacation dream. Prices are highly inflated so you have to keep your whits about you to avoid being ripped off. Surfers Paradise is a destination of extremes and it conjures up extreme emotions in many travelers, be it positive or negative.
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.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Surfers Paradise is $90, while the average daily cost in Cairns is $82. 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 city. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Surfers Paradise and Cairns in more detail.
Also for Surfers Paradise, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Also for Cairns, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Cairns and Surfers Paradise 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.
For Surfers Paradise, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
For Cairns, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Surfers Paradise's activities, tours, and tickets:
For Surfers Paradise, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Cairns's activities, tours, and tickets:
For Cairns, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Surfers Paradise:
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Cairns:
When comparing the travel costs between Surfers Paradise and Cairns, we can see that Surfers Paradise is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Pacific, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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