Which place is cheaper, Cairns or Yichang?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Yichang or Cairns?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Yichang or Cairns, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Yichang or Cairns?
Yichang
Yichang, China is an ancient city situated on the northern bank of the Yangtze River in central China. The city is located just below the famed Three Gorges Dam and is a popular ending point for many Yangtze River cruises. Yichang offers beautiful natural scenery and ancient relics from the Three Kingdom Period.
Yichang experiences cool, rainy, winters and hot, humid, summers. Temperatures tend to stay in the 40's Fahrenheit during winter and the 80's in the summer. Spring, Summer, and Autumn are fantastic times to visit, although if you prefer to beat the heat, stay away during late summer!
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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Beijing, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Lhasa, The Best Contiki Tours to Australia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Australia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayYichang $58Cairns $94
The average daily cost (per person) in Yichang is $58, while the average daily cost in Cairns is $94. 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 Yichang and Cairns in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personYichang $24Cairns $43
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomYichang $48Cairns $86
Compare Hotels in Yichang and Cairns
Looking for a hotel in Yichang 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.Yichang $14Cairns $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairns
Also for Cairns, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Cairns airport to cairns city private Transfers: $13
- Shared Airport Transfer to/from City and Beaches: $14
- Cairns Airport/City Transfers: $14
- Airport Transfers between Cairns Airport and Cairns City: $14
- Airport Transfers between Cairns Airport and Palm Cove: $20
- Private Transfer from Cairns City Hotels to Cairns Cruise Port: $21
- Private Transfer From Cairns Cruise Port to Cairns City Hotels: $21
- Shared Shuttle Transfer - Cairns Airport to Port Douglas: $40
- Private Transfer from Cairns Airport (CNS) to Cairns Cruise Port: $45
- Private Transfer from Cairns Cruise Port to Cairns Airport (CNS): $45
- Shuttle Bus Shared Transfer Cairns City to Port Douglas: $49
- Shuttle Bus Shared Transfer Cairns Airport to Port Douglas: $50
Is it cheaper to fly into Yichang or Cairns?
Prices for flights to both Cairns and Yichang 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 dayYichang $21Cairns $28
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cairns
For Cairns, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cairns Luxury Catamaran Harbor and Dinner Cruise: $85
- Night at the Aquarium Guided Tour & 2 Course Dinner: $91
- Guided Twilight Tour with 3-Course Dinner: $117
- City Sights Tour with Evening Dinner Cruise: $149
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Yichang $18Cairns $37
Tours and Activities in Yichang
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Yichang are as follows:
- From Yichang to Chongqing: 5-Day Cruise with Meals: $761
- Private Day Tour in Yichang to Sanyou Cave and Sanxia Waterfall : $239
- Private Tour: Essence of Yichang Day Tour: $165
- Yichang Tourist Center to Yichang Sanxia Airport (YIH): $53
- Yichang hotel/Sanxia Tourist Center/Maoping pier to Zhangjiajie: $290
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:
- Skip the Line: Cairns Museum Single Admission Ticket: $9.91
- Cairns Pub & Club Tour: $26
- Entry Ticket at Historic Village Herberton: $28
- Hartley's Crocodile Adventures General Entry Ticket: $30
- Cairns Aquarium General Admission Ticket: $34
- Sightseeing River Boat Safari with Soft Drinks: $36
- Sunset River Cruise with Snack and Drinks: $42
- Rusty's Market Foodlovers Tour: $43
- Kuranda Rainforestation Nature Park Ticket (BNP): $43
- Cairns Botanic Gardens: Mushroom Photography Tour: $44
- Full Day Tour by Myroo X Deluxe Coach to Mission Beach: $46
- Aquarium Entry Ticket and Turtle Rehabilitation Tour: $47
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayYichang $14Cairns $13
Sample the Local Flavors in Cairns
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Cairns:
- Cairns Brewery Tours: $139
- From Atherton Tablelands Food and Wine Tasting Tour: $160
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Yichang and Cairns, we can see that Cairns is more expensive. And not only is Yichang much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Yichang is in Asia and Cairns 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 Yichang would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Yichang 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 Cairns would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cairns than you might in Yichang.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Yichang Expensive? and Is Cairns Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Yichang or Cairns?
Yichang has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Cairns. When comparing the sizes of Yichang 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.
When is the best time to visit Yichang or Cairns?
Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Cairns is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but Yichang has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Yichang or Cairns in the Summer?
Both Cairns and Yichang during the summer are popular places to visit. Also, most visitors come to Cairns for the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In July, Yichang is generally around the same temperature as Cairnsin January. Daily temperatures in Yichang average around 29°C (85°F), and Cairns fluctuates around 29°C (84°F).
Cairns gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Yichang. Yichang usually gets less rain in July than Cairnsin January. Yichang gets 229 mm (9 in) of rain, while Cairns receives 429 mm (16.9 in) of rain this time of the year. November to March is the rainy season in Cairns.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryYichang 29°C (85°F)Cairns 29°C (84°F)
Should I visit Yichang or Cairns in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Yichang and Cairns. Also, the autumn months attract visitors to Cairns because of the hiking trails and the shopping scene.
Yichang is cooler than Cairns in the autumn. The daily temperature in Yichang averages around 20°C (67°F) in October, and Cairns fluctuates around 27°C (80°F)in April.
Cairns receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Yichang usually receives less rain than Cairnsin April. Yichang gets 87 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while Cairns receives 273 mm (10.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn. April to October in Cairns is the dry season.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilYichang 20°C (67°F)Cairns 27°C (80°F)
Should I visit Yichang or Cairns in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Yichang as well as Cairns. Also, the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Cairns this time of year.
In the winter, Yichang is much colder than Cairns. Typically, the winter temperatures in Yichang in January average around 6°C (43°F), and Cairns averages at about 23°C (73°F)in July.
Yichang usually gets less rain in January than Cairnsin July. Yichang gets 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain, while Cairns receives 35 mm (1.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyYichang 6°C (43°F)Cairns 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit Yichang or Cairns in the Spring?
Both Cairns and Yichang are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Also, many travelers come to Cairns for the beaches.
In April, Yichang is generally cooler than Cairnsin October. Daily temperatures in Yichang average around 18°C (65°F), and Cairns fluctuates around 27°C (80°F).
In April, Yichang usually receives more rain than Cairnsin October. Yichang gets 95 mm (3.7 in) of rain, while Cairns receives 44 mm (1.7 in) of rain each month for the spring. The dry season in Cairns is April to October. The rainy season in Cairns is November to March.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberYichang 18°C (65°F)Cairns 27°C (80°F)
Typical Weather for Cairns and Yichang
| Yichang | Cairns | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 6°C (43°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 429 mm (16.9 in) |
| Feb | 8°C (46°F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 469 mm (18.5 in) |
| Mar | 12°C (54°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 471 mm (18.5 in) |
| Apr | 18°C (65°F) | 95 mm (3.7 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 273 mm (10.8 in) |
| May | 23°C (73°F) | 124 mm (4.9 in) | 25°C (78°F) | 118 mm (4.6 in) |
| Jun | 27°C (80°F) | 151 mm (5.9 in) | 23°C (74°F) | 62 mm (2.5 in) |
| Jul | 29°C (85°F) | 229 mm (9 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) |
| Aug | 29°C (85°F) | 197 mm (7.8 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Sep | 25°C (76°F) | 122 mm (4.8 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Oct | 20°C (67°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) |
| Nov | 14°C (57°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 104 mm (4.1 in) |
| Dec | 8°C (47°F) | 22 mm (0.9 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 211 mm (8.3 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.