Which place is cheaper, Cairns or Taiyuan?
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 Taiyuan or Cairns?
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 Cairns. 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 Cairns?
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!
Cairns
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to China, The Best Tours for Seniors to China, The Best 4-Week (1-Month) Tours in Australia, and The Best Budget Tours to Australia.
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Taiyuan Prices
China PricesCairns Prices
Australia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTaiyuan $106Cairns $116
The average daily cost (per person) in Taiyuan is $106, while the average daily cost in Cairns is $116. 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 Cairns in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTaiyuan $43Cairns $43
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTaiyuan $86Cairns $86
Compare Hotels in Taiyuan and Cairns
Looking for a hotel in Taiyuan or Cairns? 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: Cairns Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Taiyuan $48Cairns $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairns
Also for Cairns, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Port Douglas Cairns (RETURN TRIP) Private Transfer 1 to 6: $344
- Hot Air Balloon Flight with Transfers: $327
- Cairns to Mission Beach ONE WAY Private Transfer 6 pax: $289
- Cairns Airport to Port Douglas Private Transfer With Return : $269
- Luxury Van, Private Transfer, Cairns Airport - Port Douglas.: $258
- Cairns to Daintree Eco Lodge ONE WAY Private Transfer 6 pax: $255
- Outer Barrier Reef Full Day with transfers from Cairns: $244
- Premium Van, Private Transfer, Cairns Airport - Port Douglas.: $234
- Cairns Airport (CNS) Arrival Transfer (Airport to Port Douglas Hotel or Address): $230
- Private Transfers Cairns Airport to Port Douglas: $206
- Cairns Airport (CNS) to Port Douglas - Arrival Private Transfer: $188
- Cairns Airport Private Transfers: $188
Is it cheaper to fly into Taiyuan or Cairns?
Prices for flights to both Cairns 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
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Food Meals for one dayTaiyuan $36Cairns $49
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cairns
For Cairns, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Ancient Egypt Sunset Tour with optional 3 Course Dinner : $66
- Ancient Egypt Night Tour with optional 2 Course Dinner: $66
- Dinner Cruise Experience: $92
- Cairns Catamaran Harbour and Dinner Cruise: $93
- Night at the Aquarium Guided Tour & 2 Course Dinner: $96
- Aquarium Guided Twilight Tour with 3-Course Dinner: $118
- Ancient Egypt Sunset Tour with 3 Course Dinner in Cairns: $124
- Ancient Egypt Night Tour with 2 Course Dinner in Cairns: $124
- City Sights Tour with Evening Dinner Cruise: $171
- Small-Group Afternoon Cairns City Tour with Harbour Dinner Cruise: $174
- Paronella Park Rainforest Full-Day Tour with Dinner: $66,130
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Taiyuan $15Cairns $37
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cairns
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Cairns's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Scuba Diving$36
Tours and Activities in Cairns
For Cairns, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Kuranda Rainforestation Nature Park Ticket (BNP): $47
- 1 Hour Jetski Tour Cairns: $134
- 2 Days Tour on Atherton Tablelands and Cape Tribbin: $288
- 2-Day Daintree & Outback Tour from Cairns & Port Douglas: $261
- 2-Day Paronella Park & Tablelands Tour+Cape Tribulation Tour: $324
- 2-Day Waterfall and Daintree Tour: $191
- 30 min Jetski Tour Cairns: $74
- All Inclusive Day Tour to Frankland Islands Great Barrier Reef: $168
- All Inclusive Great Barrier Reef Cruise w optional Scuba Diving : $178
- All Inclusive Waterfalls and Rainforest Tour from Cairns : $120
- Ancient Egypt Night Tour in the heart of Cairns: $65
- Ancient Egypt Sunset Tour in the heart of Cairns: $65
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTaiyuan $6.41Cairns $13
Sample the Local Flavors in Cairns
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Cairns:
- Cairns Party Bus Pub Crawl Night Out Experience: $44
- From Atherton Tablelands Food and Wine Tasting Tour: $169
When comparing the travel costs between Taiyuan and Cairns, we can see that Cairns 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. Even though Taiyuan is in Asia and Cairns is in Pacific, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Taiyuan Expensive? and Is Cairns Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Taiyuan or Cairns?
Taiyuan has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Cairns. When comparing the sizes of Taiyuan and Cairns, 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.