Which place is cheaper, Darwin or Taipei?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Taipei or Darwin?
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 Darwin. 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 Darwin?
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.
Darwin
Darwin is a tropical city set against the Timor Sea in north central Australia. It is also the capital city of the Northern Territory. Despite being a relatively small city, Darwin is very diverse with residents from all over the world. The city itself has a very relaxed vibe with plenty to do. Visitors can enjoy everything from traditionally Asian style markets to culturally diverse events such as concerts, festivals or art shows.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in Taiwan, The Best Tours for Seniors to Taiwan, The Best Walking Tours in Australia, and The Best Eco Tours in Australia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTaipei $182Darwin $111
The average daily cost (per person) in Taipei is $182, while the average daily cost in Darwin is $111. 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 Darwin in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTaipei $145Darwin $62
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTaipei $290Darwin $124
Compare Hotels in Taipei and Darwin
Looking for a hotel in Taipei or Darwin? 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: Taipei Hotel Prices and Darwin Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Taipei $10Darwin $12
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Taipei
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Taipei:
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Easycard$2.01
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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
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Darwin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Darwin:
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Shuttle to Train Station$9.73
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Darwin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Darwin:
- Private Transfer from Darwin Cruise Port to Darwin Airport (DRW): $59
- Private Transfer from Darwin City Hotels to Darwin Cruise Port: $59
- Private Transfer from Darwin Airport (DRW) to Darwin Cruise Port: $59
- Darwin to Darwin Int Airport (DRW) - Departure Private Transfer: $71
- Darwin Int Airport (DRW) to Darwin - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $142
- Crocodile Jumping Boat Cruise with Transfer from Darwin: $92
Is it cheaper to fly into Taipei or Darwin?
Prices for flights to both Darwin 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
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Food Meals for one dayTaipei $16Darwin $37
Typical Food Prices in Taipei
For Taipei, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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EasyCard$15
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Lunch at The Can$6.81
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EasyCard$31
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Lunch$2.94
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Lunch$1.86
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Dinner$6.19
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Lunch$3.56
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Lunch$4.64
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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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Darwin
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Darwin.
- Sunset Harbour Cruise with Fish and Chips Dinner: $71
- Darwin Harbor Sunset Cruise with Buffet Dinner: $85
- Charles Darwin Dinner Cruise: $90
- Darwin Sunset Dinner Cruise on Cape Adieu: $96
- Sunset 3-Hour Cruise from Darwin with Dinner and Sparkling Wine: $112
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Taipei $17Darwin $15
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
Tours and Activities in Darwin
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Darwin are as follows:
- 1 Day Corroboree Billabong Wetland Experience including 2.5 hour cruise + lunch: $139
- 1 Hour Adelaide River Queen Jumping Crocodile Cruise: $26
- 1 Hour Jumping Crocodile Cruise on the Adelaide River: $30
- 4 Hour Self Guided Gourmet Lunch and Aboriginal Art Tours: $138
- 4-Hour Outback Gourmet Food & Aboriginal Art Tour: $164
- 4x4 Litchfield Park Adventures : $238
- Bombing of Darwin WWII Heritage Tours: $89
- Bombing of Darwin World War II Tour with Harbour Cruise: $98
- Corroboree Billabong Wetland Cruises - 1.5 hour Morning cruise: $50
- Crocosaurus Cove General Admission Ticket: $26
- Darwin City Explorer Tour: $102
- Darwin City Sightseeing Tour: $65
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTaipei $18Darwin $13
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
Typical Alcohol Prices in Darwin
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Darwin from other travelers:
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Evening at a Bar$16
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Glass of Wine$4.54
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Taipei and Darwin, we can see that Taipei is more expensive. And not only is Darwin much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Taipei is in Asia and Darwin 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 Darwin would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Darwin 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 Darwin.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Taipei Expensive? and Is Darwin Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Taipei or Darwin?
Taipei has a larger population, and is about 80 times larger than the population of Darwin. When comparing the sizes of Taipei and Darwin, 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.