Which place is cheaper, Airlie Beach or Yangshuo?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Yangshuo or Airlie Beach?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Yangshuo and Airlie Beach can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Yangshuo or Airlie Beach?
Yangshuo
A county of the city, Guilin, Yangshuo is located in a region famous for its karst topography. Surrounded by jagged mountain peaks and bordered on one side by the Li River, Yangshuo has become a popular home base for tourists looking to explore the region's natural wonders. Backpackers and tourists, both foreign and domestic, come to Yangshuo every year making it a city of many cultures. Most locals are even able to speak English, which is fairly uncommon for Chinese cities.
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 Adventure Tours to Australia, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Australia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayYangshuo $72Airlie Beach $141
The average daily cost (per person) in Yangshuo is $72, while the average daily cost in Airlie Beach is $141. 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 Yangshuo and Airlie Beach in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personYangshuo $25Airlie Beach $58
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomYangshuo $50Airlie Beach $116
Compare Hotels in Yangshuo and Airlie Beach
Looking for a hotel in Yangshuo 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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Yangshuo $42Airlie Beach $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Yangshuo
Also for Yangshuo, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Yangshuo(Xingping) Train Station to Yangshuo Hotel: $21
- Private Transfer from Xingping hotel to Yangshuo hotel: $21
- Private Transfer from Yangshuo hotel to Guilin hotel: $37
- Private Transfer from Yangshuo Train Station to Yangshuo Hotel: $48
- Private Departure Transfer: Yangshuo to Guilin Train Stations: $49
- Private Departure Transfer: Yangshuo to Guilin International Airport (KWL): $49
- Yangshuo Rock Climbing with Hotel Transfer (3 hours): $69
- Impression Liu Sanjie - Ticket Booking (including Round-trip Transfer): $75
- Private Impression Sanjie Liu Evening Show with Hotel Transfer: $88
- Private Transfer from Xingping hotel to Longsheng hotel: $107
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Airlie Beach
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Airlie Beach:
- Private Transfer to Whitsunday Coast Airport: $314
- Whitehaven Beach Club Transfers from Airlie Beach: $92
- South Molle Island Camping Transfer: $47
- Return Transfer PPP Airport Shute Harbour / Renta Yacht / Freedom Shores: $32
- Airport Transfers - Return (round fare) share shuttle service: $28
- One Way Only - Airport Transfer share shuttle service: $17
- Whitsunday: Prosperpine Airport to Airlie Beach Transfer: $16
Is it cheaper to fly into Yangshuo or Airlie Beach?
Prices for flights to both Airlie Beach and Yangshuo 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 dayYangshuo $19Airlie Beach $32
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Yangshuo
For Yangshuo, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- 3-Hour Yangshuo Cooking Class with Yangshuo Town Shopping: $138
- Yangshuo Full Day Tour: Cooking class, River boat, Light Show: $259
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: $72
- Whitsundays Segway Sunset and Boardwalk Tour with Dinner: $83
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Yangshuo $23Airlie Beach $160
Tours and Activities in Yangshuo
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Yangshuo.
- Tour to learn Chinese cuisine in Yangshuo group: $37
- Impression Sanjie Liu Show Ticket: $45
- Yangshuo Impression Liusanjie Show Ticket: $45
- Yangshuo Impression Liusanjie Show Ticket: $47
- Yangshuo Ruyi peak & round way cable car ticket: $55
- Yangshuo Via Ferrata Ticket: $56
- Half/Full-Day Yangshuo Countryside Moderate Cycling and Sightseeing Private Tour: $60
- Gullin: Li River Cruise with Pickup and Yangshuo: $65
- Private Half-Day Bike and Bamboo Raft Tour in Yangshuo: $80
- 1 Day - Yangshuo Bike Tour: $80
- Xingping Parasailing Experience Ticket: $89
- Yangshuo Parasailing Experience Ticket: $89
Tours and Activities in Airlie Beach
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Airlie Beach are as follows:
- 1-Day Whitsunday Islands Cruise: Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet: $140
- Airlie Beach Glass Bottom Boat Tour: $59
- Airlie Beach Jet Ski Tour: $106
- Airlie Beach Sunset Cruise : $46
- Airlie Beach Trike Tours: $50
- 2-Hour Sunset Cruise with Sparkling Wine: $45
- Adults-Only Whitehaven Beach Sailing Tour: $182
- Airlie Adventure Jet Ski Tour: $163
- Glass-Bottom Boat Tour: $58
- Great Barrier Reef & Whitehaven Beach Tour: $203
- Half Day Cruise Direct to Whitehaven Beach: $91
- Platypus, Eungella and Waterfalls Day Tour: $156
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayYangshuo $33Airlie Beach $8.99
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Yangshuo and Airlie Beach, we can see that Airlie Beach is more expensive. And not only is Yangshuo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Yangshuo 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 Yangshuo would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Yangshuo 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 Yangshuo.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Yangshuo Expensive? and Is Airlie Beach Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Yangshuo or Airlie Beach?
Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Airlie Beach is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but Yangshuo has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Yangshuo or Airlie Beach in the Summer?
Both Airlie Beach and Yangshuo during the summer are popular places to visit. Furthermore, most visitors come to Airlie Beach for the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In July, Yangshuo is generally a little warmer than Airlie Beachin January. Daily temperatures in Yangshuo average around 30°C (86°F), and Airlie Beach fluctuates around 26°C (79°F).
Airlie Beach gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Yangshuo. Yangshuo usually gets less rain in July than Airlie Beachin January. Yangshuo gets 206 mm (8.1 in) of rain, while Airlie Beach receives 331 mm (13 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryYangshuo 30°C (86°F)Airlie Beach 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit Yangshuo or Airlie Beach in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Yangshuo and Airlie Beach. Furthermore, the autumn months attract visitors to Airlie Beach because of the hiking trails, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
Yangshuo is around the same temperature as Airlie Beach in the autumn. The daily temperature in Yangshuo averages around 23°C (73°F) in October, and Airlie Beach fluctuates around 23°C (73°F)in April.
Airlie Beach receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Yangshuo usually receives less rain than Airlie Beachin April. Yangshuo gets 93 mm (3.7 in) of rain, while Airlie Beach receives 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilYangshuo 23°C (73°F)Airlie Beach 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit Yangshuo or Airlie Beach in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Yangshuo as well as Airlie Beach. Additionally, the shopping scene and the cuisine are the main draw to Airlie Beach this time of year.
In the winter, Yangshuo is much colder than Airlie Beach. Typically, the winter temperatures in Yangshuo in January average around 10°C (49°F), and Airlie Beach averages at about 16°C (62°F)in July.
Yangshuo usually gets more rain in January than Airlie Beachin July. Yangshuo gets 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Airlie Beach receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyYangshuo 10°C (49°F)Airlie Beach 16°C (62°F)
Should I visit Yangshuo or Airlie Beach in the Spring?
Both Airlie Beach and Yangshuo are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Also, many travelers come to Airlie Beach for the beaches and the natural beauty.
In April, Yangshuo is generally cooler than Airlie Beachin October. Daily temperatures in Yangshuo average around 20°C (68°F), and Airlie Beach fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).
It's quite rainy in Yangshuo. In April, Yangshuo usually receives more rain than Airlie Beachin October. Yangshuo gets 263 mm (10.3 in) of rain, while Airlie Beach receives 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberYangshuo 20°C (68°F)Airlie Beach 23°C (73°F)
Typical Weather for Airlie Beach and Yangshuo
| Yangshuo | Airlie Beach | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 10°C (49°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 331 mm (13 in) |
| Feb | 11°C (51°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 377 mm (14.8 in) |
| Mar | 15°C (59°F) | 129 mm (5.1 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 312 mm (12.3 in) |
| Apr | 20°C (68°F) | 263 mm (10.3 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 143 mm (5.6 in) |
| May | 25°C (77°F) | 334 mm (13.2 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 320 mm (12.6 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) |
| Jul | 30°C (86°F) | 206 mm (8.1 in) | 16°C (62°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Aug | 30°C (86°F) | 168 mm (6.6 in) | 18°C (65°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 15 mm (0.6 in) |
| Oct | 23°C (73°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) |
| Nov | 17°C (63°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 107 mm (4.2 in) |
| Dec | 12°C (53°F) | 47 mm (1.9 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 191 mm (7.5 in) |
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.