Which place is cheaper, South Australia or Western Australia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Western Australia or South Australia?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Western Australia and South Australia can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Western Australia or South Australia?
Western Australia
The vast expanses of Australia's largest state are meant for those looking to find a place in the world that's been virtually untouched by man. Western Australia is essentially the entire western third of the continent with most everyone living in the southwest near Perth.
As the capital of this state, Perth is the most isolated large city in the world. With 2 million people living in and around Perth, this city sits in the middle of nowhere. There are less than 500,000 people living outside of the city creating that untouched atmosphere for the traveler looking to truly get away.
South Australia
Millions of travelers are attracted to Australia for a variety of reasons. Sure there are adventures waiting around ever Aussie corner, but sometimes you just want to sit back and relax. That's when it's time to visit South Australia.
Nestled between Western Australia and Queensland, this state is home to 1.6 million people. Even with that many people, however, it's still less than 10 percent of the entire country's population. With less tourists, infamous wine, delectable produce and an untouched environment, Southern Australia is the perfect spot to kickback in the outback.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Australia, The Best 10-Day Tours in Australia, The Best 2-Week Tours in Australia, and The Best 3-Week Tours in Australia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayWestern Australia $0.00South Australia $139
The average daily cost (per person) in Western Australia is $0.00, while the average daily cost in South Australia 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 Western Australia and South Australia in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personWestern Australia -South Australia $63
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomWestern Australia $0.00South Australia $126
Compare Hotels in Western Australia and South Australia
Looking for a hotel in Western Australia or South Australia? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Western Australia -South Australia $18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Western Australia
Also for Western Australia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Exmouth City Hotels to Exmouth Cruise Port: $42
- Private Transfer from Exmouth Cruise Port to Exmouth city hotels: $42
- Private Transfer from Exmouth Port to Learmonth Airport (LEA): $36
- Perth city to Perth Airport (PER) - Departure Private Transfer: $33
- Private Transfer from Perth City Hotels to Fremantle Cruise Port : $33
- Private Transfer from Fremantle Cruise Port to Perth Airport(PER): $33
- Private Transfer from Fremantle Cruise Port to Perth city hotels: $33
Hired Cars and Shuttles in South Australia
Also for South Australia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Adelaide city to Adelaide Cruise Port: $36
- Private Transfer from Adelaide Airport to Adelaide Port: $36
- Private Arrival Transfer: Adelaide Airport to Hotel: $65
- One Day Kangaroo Island Sip & See tour with return ferry transfers from Adelaide: $244
- Departure Private Transfers: Adelaide to Adelaide Airport ADL in Luxury Van: $91
- Departure Private Transfers: Adelaide to Adelaide Airport ADL in Business Car: $62
- Adelaide Airport(ADL)to Adelaide city - Arrival Private Transfer: $38
- Adelaide Airport Transfers : Adelaide City to Airport ADL in Luxury Car: $106
Is it cheaper to fly into Western Australia or South Australia?
Prices for flights to both South Australia and Western Australia 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 dayWestern Australia -South Australia $30
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Western Australia
For Western Australia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Half-Day Low and Slow BBQ Food Tour in Perth: $78
- Margaret River Small-Group Full-Day Wine & Food Tour: $105
- Perth Swan River Dinner Cruise: $111
- Pinnacles Sunset Dinner and Stargazing Experience a Small Group Tour: $114
- Broome-Sunset Dinner Cruise (a-la-carte Menu): $147
- The 10 Tastings of Perth With Locals: Private Food Tour : $159
- Broome-Staircase to the Moon & Sunset Dinner Cruise : $173
- Margaret River Vineyard Wine & Food Tour : $243
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in South Australia
For South Australia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- The F Factor: Adelaide food tour: $78
- Four Hours Cooking Class in Adelaide Hills: $121
- Cooking classes Goolwa: $127
- Small-Group River Murray Dark Sky and Sunset Tour with Dinner: $190
- Pipi Catching and Cooking Experience in Goolwa : $228
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Western Australia -South Australia $13
Tours and Activities in Western Australia
For Western Australia, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Busselton Jetty and Underwater Sculptures Snorkel Boat Tour: $65
- 1 Day Margaret River Sightseeing Tour from Perth: $129
- 1 Hour Broome Sunset Camel Tour : $75
- 1 Hour Deluxe Scenic Dolphin Cruise: $25
- 1/2 day Swan Valley Wine Cheese & Chocolate Tour Inc Afternoon Cruise to Perth: $85
- 2 Hour Broome Town Tour in Western Australia: $56
- 2 Hours Whale Watching Tour in Fremantle: $50
- 2 hour whale watching experience departing Hillarys Boat Harbour: $49
- 3.5 Hour Broome Sunset Cruise: $94
- 4-Hour Whale Watching Sunset Cruise in Broome: $98
- 7 Hours Off Peak Whale Shark and Ningaloo Reef Tour in Exmouth: $262
- Adventure Rottnest Tour with Ferry & Adventure Cruise: $100
Tours and Activities in South Australia
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for South Australia.
- 2-Hour Kayaking Experience in Barossa Valley: $36
- 90 Minute Port River Dolphin & Ships Graveyard Cruise: $58
- Abseiling Adventure in Adelaide: $97
- Adelaide Central Market Discovery Tour: $58
- Adelaide City to Sea Bike Tour: $110
- Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary and Ships Graveyard Kayak Tour: $49
- Adelaide Hills Private Day Tour: $258
- Adelaide Hills Regional / Hahndorf German Village Tour: $278
- Adelaide Hills Tour with River Murray Lunch Cruise: $124
- Adelaide Hills and Hahndorf - Half Day Private Tour: $105
- Adelaide Hills and Hahndorf Half Day Tours - Private and Luxury: $144
- Adelaide Hills and Hahndorf Half-Day Tour from Adelaide: $62
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayWestern Australia -South Australia $22
Sample the Local Flavors in Western Australia
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Western Australia:
- Little Creatures Brewery Tours : $17
- Premium Temper Temper Chocolate & Red Wine Tasting: $20
- Private Wine Tasting in Barrel Hall: $27
- Private Barrel Hall Wine Tasting in the Margaret River Region: $34
- Small-Group Wine Tour in Margaret River: $36
- Back Vintage Wine Tasting: $43
- Small-Group Wine Tour in Margaret River with Cheese Board: $60
- Mandoon Winery and Kayak Tour with wine tasting: $62
- Half Day Swan Valley Wine Tour: $62
- Sunset Wine Tasting Experience at Passel Estate: $64
- Swan Valley Half Day Wine Tour from Perth: $65
- Broome Trio Afternoon Adventure: Brewery, Museum & Crocodile Park: $85
Sample the Local Flavors in South Australia
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in South Australia:
- Private Pinot Noir Wine Tasting & Platter in Adelaide Hills: $29
- Gourmet Grazing Platter & Wine Tasting Experience for 2: $48
- McLaren Vale and Glenelg Wine Tasting and Sightseeing (Half-day Afternoon): $52
- Kangaroo Island Hop On Hop Off Wine Tour: $60
- Private Paired Wine Tasting and Lunch Trail in Barossa: $63
- Kangaroo Island Lighthouse Tour with Wine Tasting: $66
- Luke's Wine Tour: $74
- Adelaide Highlights, Hahndorf & McLaren Vale Wine Tasting and Sightseeing Tour: $78
- Barossa Wine Tasting shared tours: $108
- Adelaide Hills: Self-guided E-Bike wine tour with Lunch: $113
- Wine Tasting in McLaren Vale: $117
- Adelaide Scenic E-Bike Tour and Wine Tasting: $119
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Western Australia and South Australia, we can see that South Australia is more expensive. And not only is Western Australia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Western Australia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Western Australia 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 South Australia would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in South Australia than you might in Western Australia.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Western Australia Expensive? and Is South Australia Expensive?.
Which has a larger population, Western Australia or South Australia?
Western Australia has a larger population, and is about 33% larger than the population of South Australia. When comparing the sizes of Western Australia and South Australia, 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.