Which place is cheaper, Cairns or Yogyakarta?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Yogyakarta or Cairns?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Yogyakarta or Cairns? 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 Cairns?
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.
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 Adventure Tours to Indonesia, The Best Eco Tours in Indonesia, The Best Contiki Tours to Australia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Australia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayYogyakarta $58Cairns $94
The average daily cost (per person) in Yogyakarta 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 Yogyakarta and Cairns in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personYogyakarta $37Cairns $43
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomYogyakarta $74Cairns $86
Compare Hotels in Yogyakarta and Cairns
Looking for a hotel in Yogyakarta 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: Yogyakarta Hotel Prices and Cairns Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Yogyakarta $1.33Cairns $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Yogyakarta
Also for Yogyakarta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Ramayana Ballet Dance Show with Transfers: $25
- Layover Tour w/ Entry Tickets & Airport Transfer: $94
- Jomblang Cave Day Trip with Hotel Transfer: $30
- Yogyakarta Private Departure Transfer- Yogyakarta Hotel to Airport: $20
- Yogyakarta International Airport to Hotel - Arrival Transfer: $32
- Yogyakarta Airport : for pick up or transfer service: $28
- Transfer In or Out Airport Yogyakarta: $9.61
- Semarang & Transfer To The Hotel or Airport: $93
- Private Yogyakarta Airport Transfer Service with English Speaking Driver: $48
- Private Transfer from Yogyakarta Airport YIA To City Center: $29
- Private Transfer from Yogyakarta Airport (JOG) to Yogyakarta City: $34
- Private Transfer from Yogyakarta Airport (JOG) to Tridadi: $93
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairns
Also for Cairns, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shuttle Bus Shared Transfer Cairns City to Port Douglas: $49
- Shuttle Bus Shared Transfer Cairns Airport to Port Douglas: $50
- Shared Shuttle Transfer - Cairns Airport to Port Douglas: $40
- Shared Shuttle Return Transfers (ex Cairns) Transfers Only: $63
- Private Transfers - Cairns Airport to Palm Cove: $78
- Private Transfer from Cairns hotels to Port Douglas Cruise Port: $134
- Private Transfer from Cairns Cruise Port to Port Douglas hotels: $143
- Private Transfer from Cairns Cruise Port to Cairns Airport (CNS): $45
- Private Transfer from Cairns City Hotels to Cairns Cruise Port: $21
- Private Transfer from Cairns Airport to Port Douglas: $109
- Private Transfer from Cairns Airport (CNS) to Port Douglas Port: $134
- Private Transfer from Cairns Airport (CNS) to Cairns Cruise Port: $45
Is it cheaper to fly into Yogyakarta or Cairns?
Prices for flights to both Cairns 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 $12Cairns $28
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
- Kotagede Night Food Tour: $27
- Yogyakarta Evening Walking and Food Tour: $30
- Yogyakarta : Guided City Walk and Food Tour: $32
- Prambanan temple afternoon tour and dinner: $34
- Prawirotaman Night Food Tour: $35
- 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
- Yogyakarta Day Food Tour: $48
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.Yogyakarta $16Cairns $37
Tours and Activities in Yogyakarta
For Yogyakarta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Private Tour Borobudur Sunrise – Merapi Volcano – Prambanan (Transport Only): $80
- Sunrise : Punthuk Setumbu, Borobudur And Prambanan Temples Tour (PRIVATE TOUR): $121
- Yogyakarta Jomblang Cave Day Tour (PRIVATE TOUR): $88
- 1 day Yogyakarta Tour Jomblang cave and Pindul Cave tubing: $72
- 1 day tour Borobudur and Prambanan Temples : $69
- 1 day tour borobudur temple,prambanan temple,plaosan temple: $72
- 1-Day Yogyakarta Borobudur and City Tour - PRIVATE Tour with GUIDE: $188
- 1-Day Yogyakarta City Tour Prangtritis Beach - PRIVATE Tour with GUIDE: $139
- 1-Day Yogyakarta Javanese Culture - PRIVATE TOUR with GUIDE: $198
- 1-Day Yogyakarta Merapi Borobudur - PRIVATE Tour with GUIDE: $183
- 1-Day Yogyakarta Merapi Pengger Heha - PRIVATE Tour with GUIDE: $139
- 1-Day Yogyakarta Prambanan Breksi Ijo Temple - PRIVATE Tour with Guide: $183
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): $43
- 3B Daintree Rainforest, Mossman Gorge, Crocodile Wildlife Cruise: $188
- Atherton Tablelands, Waterfalls and Rainforest Tour from Cairns: $98
- Atherton Tablelands: Lakes, Waterfalls, Rainforest Day Tour: $97
- Authentic Indigenous Cultural Tour Including Scenic River Cruise: $92
- Barron Gorge and Kuranda National Park Half Day Rainforest and Waterfall 4WD Tour from Cairns: $120
- Cairns 4WD Rainforest Waterfall Tour Including a GBR Island Tour: $242
- Cairns Aquarium General Admission & Coral Conservation Tour: $52
- Cairns Aquarium General Admission Ticket: $34
- Cairns Aquarium Turtle Hospital and City Sightseeing Tour: $116
- Cairns Aquarium and small group City Sightseeing Tour: $125
- Cairns Botanic Gardens: Mushroom Photography Tour: $44
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayYogyakarta $4.93Cairns $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 Yogyakarta and Cairns, we can see that Cairns 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 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 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 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 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 Cairns Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Yogyakarta or Cairns?
Yogyakarta has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Cairns. When comparing the sizes of Yogyakarta 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.