Which place is cheaper, Cairns or Cebu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Cebu or Cairns?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Cebu 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: Cebu or Cairns?
Cebu
Cebu Island is an important island in the Visayas region of the Philippines, characterized by its main port at Cebu City as well as many natural features. The most-visited areas include islands of Mactan, Bantayan, Badian, Malapascua and Camotes, all which have resorts and hotels. Scuba diving and snorkeling are common activities along the shoreline, while hiking the mountainous spine of the island is popular inland.
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 Romantic Tours for Couples in Philippines, The Best Honeymoon Tours in Philippines, The Best 4-Week (1-Month) Tours in Australia, and The Best Budget Tours to Australia.
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Cebu Prices
Philippines PricesCairns Prices
Australia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCebu $80Cairns $116
The average daily cost (per person) in Cebu is $80, while the average daily cost in Cairns is $116. 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 Cebu and Cairns in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCebu $25Cairns $43
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCebu $50Cairns $86
Compare Hotels in Cebu and Cairns
Looking for a hotel in Cebu 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: Cebu Hotel Prices and Cairns Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cebu $26Cairns $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cebu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cebu:
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Cebu HTL-APT (CEB): $31
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Cebu APT-HTL (CEB): $18
- Private Airport to Hotel Transfer in Cebu City: $35
- Oslob Private Van Transfer between Cebu, Mactan or Mandaue City: $175
- Mactan-Cebu Island Hopping Cruise with Lunch & Roundtrip Transfer: $196
- Kawasan Falls Canyoneering w/ Lunch & Transfers from Cebu City: $122
- Danasan Eco Adventure Park Including Round-Trip Hotel Transfer: $161
- Cordova Private Transfer from Cordova city to Mactan Cebu Airport (CEB): $28
- Private One-Way Airport Transfer: $26
- Private Car Transfer with Driver (Flexible Routes): $28
- Oslob Whale Shark Encounter & SUMILON with Transfers: $196
- One-way Airport Transfer to Cebu City Hotels: $89
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairns
Also for Cairns, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared Airport Transfer to/from City and Beaches: $15
- Cairns Airport: Shared Transfer: $15
- Airport Transfers between Cairns Airport and Cairns City: $15
- Cairns Airport Shared Transfer to Cairns: $15
- Shuttle Bus Transfer - Kuranda to Cairns City: $20
- Private transfer between Cairns City Hotel and Airport: $20
- Airport Transfers between Cairns Airport and Palm Cove: $25
- Cairns airport to cairns city private Transfers ( one way ): $40
- CNS Airport to Cairns City Centre Private Transfer: $47
- Cairns Airport (CNS) to Cairns hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $51
- Cairns hotels to Cairns Airport(CNS) - Departure Private Transfer: $51
- Australian Armour & Artillery Museum with Transfers: $69
Is it cheaper to fly into Cebu or Cairns?
Prices for flights to both Cairns and Cebu 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 dayCebu $36Cairns $49
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cebu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cebu.
- Carbon Market Food Tour & Bars with Jeepney Ride: $16
- Highlands Guided Tour with STREET FOOD TOUR OPTION: $45
- The Ultimate Cebu Food Tour: Local Tastes & Cultural Journey: $70
- Cebu City: Historical Street and Food Tour: $89
- Cebu Traditional Cuisine Cooking Class: $98
- Private Panoramic Tour with Dinner: $100
- Cebu Traditional Bamboo Cooking Class: $107
- Cebu Traditional Bamboo Cooking: $110
- Cebu Vegetarian Cooking Class: $110
- Cebu Traditional Cuisine Cooking Class: $110
- 5-Hour Evening Tour from Cebu with Dinner: $110
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cairns
For Cairns, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Ancient Egypt Night Tour with optional 2 Course Dinner: $67
- Ancient Egypt Sunset Tour with optional 3 Course Dinner : $67
- Dinner Cruise Experience: $92
- Cairns Catamaran Harbour and Dinner Cruise: $93
- Night at the Aquarium Guided Tour & 2 Course Dinner: $96
- Aquarium Guided Twilight Tour with 3-Course Dinner: $118
- Ancient Egypt Sunset Tour with 3 Course Dinner in Cairns: $124
- Ancient Egypt Night Tour with 2 Course Dinner in Cairns: $124
- City Sights Tour with Evening Dinner Cruise: $171
- Small-Group Afternoon Cairns City Tour with Harbour Dinner Cruise: $174
- Paronella Park Rainforest Full-Day Tour with Dinner: $66,130
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cebu $17Cairns $37
Tours and Activities in Cebu
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cebu are as follows:
- BEST OF Cebu City Heritage with Uphill Tour | Joiners: $64
- Cebu Steet food, historical and mountain tour: $110
- 3-Hour Small Group Cebu City Tour: $38
- Aqua Sports Adventure Package with 3 Water Activities: $129
- BEST OF Cebu City Heritage with Uphill Tour: $61
- BEST OF Guided Heritage City Joiners Tour: $44
- Badian Canyoneering Adventure and Kawasan Waterfalls Private Tour: $149
- Badian Cebu Canyoneering Experience: $146
- Badian Cebu Canyoneering Experience: $103
- Balamban Uphill Adventure Tour in Cebu: $100
- Best Seller Cebu City Group Tour: $53
- Bohol Countryside Day Tour From Cebu City | Lunch at Loboc River Cruise: $145
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: $10
- Skip the Line: Cairns Museum Admission Ticket: $10
- Koalas and Creatures Entry Ticket: $13
- Kuranda Koala Gardens General Entry Ticket: $15
- Kuranda: Riverboat Tour: $20
- Cairns Shore Excursion: Cairns City Sights & Surrounds Tour: $24
- Kuranda Koala Gardens and Birdworld Admission Tickets: $26
- Hipster and Street Art Walking Tour: $29
- Tomb of the Pharaohs Entry Ticket: $32
- Cairns Tomb Of The Pharaohs General Admission Ticket: $32
- Cairns Pub & Club Tour: $34
- Cairns Koalas and Creatures Entry Ticket with Koala Photo: $37
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCebu $14Cairns $13
Sample the Local Flavors in Cebu
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cebu:
- Makati Pub Crawl with Optional City Tour: $18
- Cebu City Light's Pub Crawl: $110
Sample the Local Flavors in Cairns
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Cairns:
- Cairns Party Bus Pub Crawl Night Out Experience: $44
- Cairns Brewery Tours: $148
- From Atherton Tablelands Food and Wine Tasting Tour: $169
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cebu and Cairns, we can see that Cairns is more expensive. And not only is Cebu much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cebu 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 Cebu would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cebu 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 Cebu.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cebu Expensive? and Is Cairns Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cebu or Cairns?
Cebu has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Cairns. When comparing the sizes of Cebu 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 Cebu or Cairns?
Cairns has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Cebu experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Cebu or Cairns in the Summer?
Both Cairns and Cebu during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Cebu because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Furthermore, the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Cairns this time of year.
In July, Cebu is generally around the same temperature as Cairnsin January. Daily temperatures in Cebu average around 28°C (82°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 Cebu. Cebu usually gets less rain in July than Cairnsin January. Cebu gets 160 mm (6.3 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 JanuaryCebu 28°C (82°F)Cairns 29°C (84°F)
Should I visit Cebu or Cairns in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Cebu and Cairns. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Cebu year-round. Furthermore, many travelers come to Cairns for the hiking trails and the shopping scene.
Cebu is around the same temperature as Cairns in the autumn. The daily temperature in Cebu averages around 28°C (82°F) in October, and Cairns fluctuates around 27°C (80°F)in April.
Cairns receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Cebu gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Cebu usually receives less rain than Cairnsin April. Cebu gets 150 mm (5.9 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 AprilCebu 28°C (82°F)Cairns 27°C (80°F)
Should I visit Cebu or Cairns in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Cebu as well as Cairns. Cebu attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Additionally, many visitors come to Cairns in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
In the winter, Cebu is a little warmer than Cairns. Typically, the winter temperatures in Cebu in January average around 27°C (81°F), and Cairns averages at about 23°C (73°F)in July.
Cebu usually gets more rain in January than Cairnsin July. Cebu gets 90 mm (3.5 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 JulyCebu 27°C (81°F)Cairns 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit Cebu or Cairns in the Spring?
Both Cairns and Cebu are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Cebu throughout the year. Also, most visitors come to Cairns for the beaches during these months.
In April, Cebu is generally around the same temperature as Cairnsin October. Daily temperatures in Cebu average around 29°C (84°F), and Cairns fluctuates around 27°C (80°F).
In April, Cebu usually receives more rain than Cairnsin October. Cebu gets 50 mm (2 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 OctoberCebu 29°C (84°F)Cairns 27°C (80°F)
Typical Weather for Cairns and Cebu
| Cebu | Cairns | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 27°C (81°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 429 mm (16.9 in) |
| Feb | 27°C (81°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 469 mm (18.5 in) |
| Mar | 28°C (82°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 471 mm (18.5 in) |
| Apr | 29°C (84°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 273 mm (10.8 in) |
| May | 30°C (86°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) | 25°C (78°F) | 118 mm (4.6 in) |
| Jun | 29°C (84°F) | 170 mm (6.7 in) | 23°C (74°F) | 62 mm (2.5 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 160 mm (6.3 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) |
| Aug | 28°C (82°F) | 140 mm (5.5 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Sep | 29°C (84°F) | 170 mm (6.7 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Oct | 28°C (82°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) |
| Nov | 28°C (82°F) | 140 mm (5.5 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 104 mm (4.1 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 130 mm (5.1 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.