A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Taipei vs. Byron Bay for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Taipei or Byron Bay?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Taipei and Byron Bay. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Taipei or Byron Bay?

Taipei

Few cities in the world are full of more diverse opportunities than the cultural crosshairs city of Taipei. As the capital of Taiwan, this 300-year-old city is the financial, cultural and governmental center of Taiwan. Located in the northern part of the island between the Yangming Mountains and Central Mountains, this city of 2.6 million people is always ready to welcome more visitors.

Byron Bay

South of Brisbane, off the Pacific Highway, is the coastal town of Byron Bay. It is close to Cape Byron, which is the easternmost point in mainland Australia. Byron Bay makes its way onto most traveler's itineraries because of its wonderful beach activities. The area is world famous for its waves, making it popular with surfers, but it also has incredible scuba diving, whale watching, and a generally relaxed atmosphere. The area continues to rise in popularity with travelers and as such, amenities and facilities are popping up everywhere.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in Taiwan, The Best Tours for Seniors to Taiwan, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Australia, and The Best Contiki Tours to Australia.


Which place is cheaper, Byron Bay or Taipei?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Taipei is $182, while the average daily cost in Byron Bay is $139. 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 Taipei and Byron Bay in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Taipei $145
    Byron Bay $66
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Taipei $290
    Byron Bay $132
Compare Hotels in Taipei and Byron Bay

Looking for a hotel in Taipei or Byron Bay? 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.

Hotels in Taipei


Hotels in Byron Bay


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: Taipei Hotel Prices and Byron Bay Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Taipei $10
    Byron Bay $32
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Taipei

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Taipei:


  • Easycard
    $2.01
  • Easycard
    $9.29

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Taipei

Also for Taipei, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Taoyuan Airport (TPE) Return Bus Transfer: $8.59
  • Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Taipei APT-HTL (TSA): $28
  • Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Taipei HTL-APT (TSA): $28
  • Private Transfer from Taipei city to Keelung (Taipei) Cruise Port: $38
  • Taiwan Taoyuan Airport (TPE) to Taoyuan/Taipei hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $38
  • Bicycle transfer (Taipei - Hualien) 4 persons: $40
  • Private Transfer:Taoyuan International Airport to Hotel: $40
  • Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in Taipei APT- HTL (TPE): $41
  • Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in Taipei HTL- APT (TPE): $41
  • Private Transfer from Taoyuan airport Taiwan to Taipei: $52
  • [Chinese driver charter sedan] 1 to 4 people ☆ Taoyuan Airport ⇔ Taipei City Hotel Airport Transfer [one way]: $53
  • Taipei Arrival Private Transfer: Taoyuan International Airport to Hotel: $55

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Byron Bay

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Byron Bay:

  • Byron Bay Tandem Skydive with Transfer Options: $240

Is it cheaper to fly into Taipei or Byron Bay?

Prices for flights to both Byron Bay and Taipei 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Taipei $16
    Byron Bay $47
Typical Food Prices in Taipei

For Taipei, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • EasyCard
    $15
  • Lunch at The Can
    $6.81
  • EasyCard
    $31
  • Lunch
    $2.94
  • Lunch
    $1.86
  • Dinner
    $6.19
  • Lunch
    $3.56
  • Lunch
    $4.64
  • Louisa coffee
    $2.94

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Taipei

For Taipei, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Historic Night Market Food Tour with Tastings: $45
  • Ximending Vegan Food Tour Snack, Dessert & Main!: $46
  • Taipei Food Tour: Yongkang Street for Foodies: $58
  • Yansan Night Market Food Tour: $62
  • Turnip cake, Pork thick soup, Tofu pudding. Taiwan Traditional Light Meals Experience-C (Taipei Cooking Class): $65
  • Taipei Food Tour and Colorful Bubble Tea Making: $65
  • Taipei Food Tour and Colorful Bubble Tea Making: $70
  • Private Food Tour – 10 Tastings with Locals: $74
  • Backstreet Food Tour: Food, Culture, and Fun: $75
  • Xiao Long Bao, Chicken vermicelli with mushroom and sesame oil, Tofu strips salad, Bubble milk tea. Taiwan Traditional Delicacies Experience-A (Taipei Cooking Class): $77
  • Xiao Long Bao, Chicken vermicelli with mushroom and sesame oil, Tofu strips salad, Bubble milk tea. Taiwan Traditional Delicacies Experience-A (Taipei Cooking Class): $77
  • Xiao Long Bao, Chicken vermicelli with mushroom and sesame oil, Tofu strips salad, Bubble milk tea. Taiwan Traditional Delicacies Experience-A (Taipei Cooking Class): $77

Typical Food Prices in Byron Bay

Some typical examples of dining costs in Byron Bay are as follows:


  • Dinner at Olivo (for 2)
    $58

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Taipei $17
    Byron Bay $35

Tours and Activities in Taipei

For Taipei, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Old Town Walking Tour: $1.00
  • Taipei's Origin & Longshan Temple - Taiwan Cultural Walking Tour: $1.00
  • Taipei Old Town - Taiwan Introduction Walking Tour: $1.00
  • Taipei's Origin & Longshan Temple - Taiwan Cultural Tour: $1.00
  • Chiang Kai-Shek Shilin Residence Ticket: $3.07
  • Miramar Ferris Wheel Ticket: $6.14
  • Scavenger Hunt and City Exploration Self-Guided Tour: $8.75
  • Taipei Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $8.95
  • Taipei Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
  • Taipei Makong Cable Car: Ticket & Combos: $10
  • National Palace Museum E-Ticket: $11
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11

Typical Entertainment Prices in Byron Bay

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Byron Bay are as follows:


  • Buddha Gardens Spa (for 2)
    $123
  • Surf Lesson
    $42

Tours and Activities in Byron Bay

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Byron Bay are as follows:

  • 3-Hour Small-Group Byron Bay Tour: $66
  • Beyond Byron Hinterland Tour: $132
  • Broken Head Aboriginal Tour: $46
  • Broken Head Aboriginal Tour: $45
  • Brunswick River: Byron Sunset Eco Rainforest River Cruise: $62
  • Byron Bay Half-Day Tour: $65
  • Byron Bay Hinterland Tour Including Rainforest Walk to Minyon Falls: $112
  • Byron Bay Hinterland: National Park and Waterfalls Tour: $110
  • Byron Bay Lighthouse and Hinterland Tour: $66
  • Byron Bay and Beyond Tour Including Cape Bryon Lighthouse Crystal Castle and Bangalow: $125
  • Brunswick Heads Sunset Rainforest Eco-Cruise: $63
  • Brunswick River Scenic Kayak Tour: $39

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Taipei $18
    Byron Bay $14

Sample the Local Flavors in Taipei

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Taipei:

  • Taipei Nightlife: Taipei Pub Crawls (2 Different Routes): $28
  • Taipei Nightlife: Taipei Pub Crawls (2 Different Routes): $30
  • Private Tour Yilan Kavalan Whisky Distillery from Taipei : $207

Sample the Local Flavors in Byron Bay

Also in Byron Bay, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Arvo Session Brewery and Distillery Tour: $97
  • Afternoon Brewery and Distillery session : $99
  • Full-Day Brewery and Distillery Tour with Lunch: $127
  • Full Barrel Brewery and Distillery tour: $129


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Taipei and Byron Bay, we can see that Taipei is more expensive. And not only is Byron Bay much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Taipei is in Asia and Byron Bay 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 Byron Bay would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Byron Bay 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 Taipei would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Taipei than you might in Byron Bay.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Taipei Expensive? and Is Byron Bay Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Taipei or Byron Bay?

Taipei has a larger population, and is about 1160 times larger than the population of Byron Bay. When comparing the sizes of Taipei and Byron Bay, 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.