Which place is cheaper, Airlie Beach or Taiyuan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Taiyuan or Airlie Beach?
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 Taiyuan and Airlie Beach. 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: Taiyuan or Airlie Beach?
Taiyuan
With sleek architectural designs and blossoming businesses, this metropolis is simply brimming with invigorating excitement and once-in-a-lifetime entertainment. Despite its glimmering skyscrapers and gorgeous fountains, Taiyuan, China has an extensive history of nearly 2,500 years. During ancient China, Taiyuan, or the "Dragon City," was a major military town. Presently, this city is now one of China's most important industrial cities, producing more than half of the national coal mining output. Taiyuan is both the capital and largest city of the Shanxi province of North China. It is bounded by mountains on three of its sides, allowing this great city to be surrounded by fantastic views of its landscape. Besides its economic significance, Taiyuan also achieves tourist significance due to its plethora of landmarks and sights. Some of these attractions include Jinci Temple, Forest Park, Mengshan Giant Buddha, and Shanxi Museum. Taiyuan is also celebrated internationally for holding their annual Shanxi Taiyuan International Folk Arts Festival, a celebration held in September that hosts exhibition of fine arts, painting, paper-cutting, sculpture, drama, acrobatic and the culture of costume. With such a great deal to do in such a limited window of time, it is best to make the most Taiyuan while you visit!
Airlie Beach
Airlie Beach, in Queensland, offers the closest port to the Whitsunday Islands on the Great Barrier Reef. It's a small town of only 25,000 and has grown out of the area's popularity as a tourist destination. It's main industry remains tourism and, as such, there are many venues set up to accommodate travelers hoping to make trips to the Whitsunday Islands and the Outer Great Barrier Reef. The town has the feel of a vacation destination. While in the past Airlie Beach appealed specifically to the backpacker crowd, it's popularity has spread and now there are facilities catering to all travel types. The area has become more commercialized and there are plenty of large resorts to choose from. Even so, you'll still find no shortage of affordable accommodation around town.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to China, The Best Tours for Seniors to China, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Australia, and The Best Honeymoon Tours in Australia.
-
Taiyuan Prices
China PricesAirlie Beach Prices
Australia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTaiyuan $106Airlie Beach $165
The average daily cost (per person) in Taiyuan is $106, while the average daily cost in Airlie Beach is $165. 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 Taiyuan and Airlie Beach in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTaiyuan $43Airlie Beach $59
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTaiyuan $86Airlie Beach $118
Compare Hotels in Taiyuan and Airlie Beach
Looking for a hotel in Taiyuan or Airlie Beach? 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: Airlie Beach Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Taiyuan $48Airlie Beach $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Airlie Beach
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Airlie Beach:
- Private Transfer to/from Whitsunday Coast Airport: $148
- Private Transfer to/from Shute Harbour: $134
- Airport Transfer to Shute Harbour / Renta Yacht / Freedom Shores: $32
- Established Return Airport Transfer Proserpine to Airlie Beach: $28
- Transfer from Whitsunday Coast Airport: $17
- One Way Airport Transfer: Proserpine-Airlie Beach (or vice versa): $17
- Whitsundays: Airport Transfer to/from Airlie Beach: $16
Is it cheaper to fly into Taiyuan or Airlie Beach?
Prices for flights to both Airlie Beach and Taiyuan 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 dayTaiyuan $36Airlie Beach $55
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Airlie Beach
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Airlie Beach.
- 3-Hour Sunset Segway Tour with Dinner: $82
- Whitsundays Segway Sunset and Boardwalk Tour with Dinner: $83
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Taiyuan $15Airlie Beach $161
Tours and Activities in Airlie Beach
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Airlie Beach are as follows:
- Airlie Beach Glass Bottom Boat Guided Night Tour: $66
- Airlie Beach Glass Bottom Boat Tour: $59
- Airlie Beach Jet Ski Tours: $164
- Airlie Beach Sunset Cruise : $46
- Airlie Beach Trike Tours: $50
- #1 Sightseeing Explorer 3hr tour.: $62
- 2-Hour Sunset Cruise with Sparkling Wine: $45
- Adults-Only Whitehaven Beach Sailing Tour: $187
- Airlie Adventure Jet Ski Tour: $170
- BYOB Sunset Sail in Style Catamaran Cruise: $72
- Glass-Bottom Boat Tour: $59
- Great Barrier Reef & Whitehaven Beach Tour: $209
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayTaiyuan $6.41Airlie Beach $9.06
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Taiyuan and Airlie Beach, we can see that Airlie Beach is more expensive. And not only is Taiyuan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Taiyuan is in Asia and Airlie Beach 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 Taiyuan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Taiyuan 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 Airlie Beach would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Airlie Beach than you might in Taiyuan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Taiyuan Expensive? and Is Airlie Beach Expensive?.
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.