Which place is cheaper, Airlie Beach or Yogyakarta?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Yogyakarta or Airlie Beach?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Yogyakarta or Airlie Beach? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Yogyakarta or Airlie Beach?
Yogyakarta
Yogyakarta, also called Yogya, Jogja, and Jogjakarta, is Java's hub of culture and art, and is the top-visited destination on the island. While Jakarta is the most populated and industrially-developed city in Indonesia, Yogya has managed to progress without losing its cultural charm, as illustrated in its well-kept traditional Indonesian architecture.
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 Adventure Tours to Indonesia, The Best Eco Tours in Indonesia, 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 dayYogyakarta $58Airlie Beach $141
The average daily cost (per person) in Yogyakarta is $58, 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 Yogyakarta and Airlie Beach in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personYogyakarta $37Airlie Beach $58
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomYogyakarta $74Airlie Beach $116
Compare Hotels in Yogyakarta and Airlie Beach
Looking for a hotel in Yogyakarta 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: Yogyakarta Hotel Prices and Airlie Beach Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Yogyakarta $1.33Airlie Beach $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Yogyakarta
Also for Yogyakarta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer In or Out Airport Yogyakarta: $9.61
- Private Transfer Airport Yogyakarta (JOG) to All City Destination: $11
- Yogyakarta Private Departure Transfer- Yogyakarta Hotel to Airport: $20
- Private Transfer From or To Yogyakarta Airport: $24
- Ramayana Ballet Dance Show with Transfers: $25
- Private Transfer From/To Yogyakarta Airport: $26
- Yogyakarta Airport : for pick up or transfer service: $28
- Private Transfer from Yogyakarta Airport YIA To City Center: $29
- Borobudur 5-Hour Guided Tour with Climb-up Access & Transfer: $29
- Yogyakarta International Airport to Hotel - Arrival Transfer: $32
- Private Transfer from Yogyakarta Airport (JOG) to Yogyakarta City: $34
- Private Transfer from Panembahan to Yogyakarta Airport (JOG): $34
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Airlie Beach
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Airlie Beach:
- Whitsunday: Prosperpine Airport to Airlie Beach Transfer: $16
- Whitehaven Beach Club Transfers from Airlie Beach: $92
- South Molle Island Camping Transfer: $59
- South Molle Island Camping Transfer: $47
- Return Transfer PPP Airport Shute Harbour / Renta Yacht / Freedom Shores: $32
- One Way Only - Airport Transfer share shuttle service: $17
- Crayfish Beach Hook Island Camping Transfer: $139
- Airport Transfers - Return (round fare) share shuttle service: $28
- Private Transfer to Whitsunday Coast Airport: $314
Is it cheaper to fly into Yogyakarta or Airlie Beach?
Prices for flights to both Airlie Beach and Yogyakarta 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 dayYogyakarta $12Airlie Beach $32
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Yogyakarta
For Yogyakarta, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Morning Food Tour with Tasting: $22
- Yogyakarta : Guided City Walk and Food Tour: $32
- Prambanan temple afternoon tour and dinner: $34
- Prawirotaman Night Food Tour: $35
- Night Walking and Food Tour: $37
- Ramayana Ballet Performance with Dinner: $38
- Yogyakarta Cooking Class and Market Tour : $40
- Small-Group Walking and Food Tour by Night in Yogyakarta: $40
- Javanese Cooking Class & Market Tour: $56
- Yogyakarta Day Food Tour: $58
- Yogyakarta Cooking Class: $71
- Nusantara Cooking Course and Lokal Market Tour: $80
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.Yogyakarta $16Airlie Beach $160
Tours and Activities in Yogyakarta
For Yogyakarta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Obelix Hills Entry Ticket: $1.52
- Chicken Church at Karangrejo Village Admission Ticket: $1.89
- 6 hours Borobudur temple climb up tour only.: $19
- Jomblang cave Tour only.: $19
- Prambanan Afternoon Tour Discover Magic sunset: $19
- Yogyakarta : Jomblang Cave tour with local Guide: $20
- Walking Tour of Yogyakarta's Oldest Neighbourhood: $21
- Yogyakarta City Tour: $21
- Authentic Yogya Bicycle Tour: $22
- Jomblang Cave Tour: $22
- Guided Tour to Borobudur with Full Access: $23
- Borobudur and Prambanan Temple Tour: $23
Tours and Activities in Airlie Beach
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Airlie Beach are as follows:
- 1 hour Mimosa Morning Turtle Spotting Cruise: $59
- 1-Day Whitsunday Islands Cruise: Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet: $140
- 2 Hour Airlie Beach Sunset Cruise: $59
- Airlie Beach Glass Bottom Boat Tour: $59
- Airlie Beach Jet Ski Tour: $105
- Airlie Beach Sunset Cruise : $46
- Airlie Beach Trike Tours: $50
- Airlie Beach sightseeing Tour: $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
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayYogyakarta $4.93Airlie Beach $8.99
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Yogyakarta and Airlie Beach, we can see that Airlie Beach is more expensive. And not only is Yogyakarta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Yogyakarta 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 Yogyakarta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Yogyakarta 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 Yogyakarta.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Yogyakarta 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.