Which place is cheaper, Brisbane or Dali?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Dali or Brisbane?
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 Dali and Brisbane can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Dali or Brisbane?
Dali
Dali is a city in southern China with a long and glorious history dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The Xiaguan neighborhood of the city is the modern industrial center where most public transportation arrives; however, the Old Town of Dali is the place that draws the most visitors. Being one of China's ancient cities, Dali is said to have been a gateway to the Silk Road, and still attracts attention with its traditional architecture, beautiful scenery, ethnic cultures, and nightlife.
Brisbane
Although Brisbane is often overlooked as a travel destination in Australia, it is the capital of the state of Queensland, and is the third largest city in Australia. It's a very young and vibrant city with an active nightlife and a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. It's a modern and economically thriving city and, if you do have time to visit, it actually has a lot to offer travelers. It has some beautiful scenery, a wonderful warm climate all year long, and is actually one of the fastest growing cities in Australia.
For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in China, The Best Adventure Tours to China, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Australia, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Australia.
-
Dali Prices
China PricesBrisbane Prices
Australia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDali $62Brisbane $154
The average daily cost (per person) in Dali is $62, while the average daily cost in Brisbane is $154. 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 Dali and Brisbane in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDali $17Brisbane $81
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDali $34Brisbane $162
Compare Hotels in Dali and Brisbane
Looking for a hotel in Dali or Brisbane? 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: Brisbane Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dali $9.34Brisbane $18
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Dali
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Dali:
-
Local Bus$0.42
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dali
Also for Dali, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Dali to Lijiang/Shuhe hotel and Stops at Shaxi Old Town: $160
- Private Transfer from Dali to Lijiang hotel/airport(LJG): $149
- Dali Airport Chauffeur Service, Private Dali Airport Transfer: $40
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Brisbane
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Brisbane:
-
Airtrain to the City$9.81
-
Go Card$16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Brisbane
Also for Brisbane, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- UVF Luxury Transfer To Secrets St. Lucia Roundtrip: $100
- St Lucia Airport Transfer to Secrets St. Lucia Resort & Spa: $43
- Sirromet Winery 3 Course Lunch, Tour, Tastings and Transfers: $134
- Secrets St Lucia Resort Airport Transfer and Taxi Service: $59
- Secrets St Lucia Airport Transfer: $58
- Private Transfers From Brisbane to Gold Coast: $133
- Private Transfer: Cruise Port to Brisbane Airport BNE or Brisbane City: $129
- Private Transfer: Brisbane to Airport BNE by Business Car: $106
- Private Transfer: Brisbane Airport BNE to Brisbane in Business Car: $106
- Private Transfer from Brisbane Hotels to Brisbane Cruise Port: $102
- Private Transfer from Brisbane Airports to Surfers Paradise: $107
- Private Transfer from Brisbane Airport to Noosa for 1 to 3 people: $276
Is it cheaper to fly into Dali or Brisbane?
Prices for flights to both Brisbane and Dali 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
-
Food Meals for one dayDali $32Brisbane $54
Typical Food Prices in Dali
For Dali, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
-
Lunch$4.49
-
Breakfast$3.50
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dali
For Dali, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cangshan Mountain hike and organic homemade dinner: $80
Typical Food Prices in Brisbane
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Brisbane:
-
Hamburger Lunch$5.23
-
Cup of Coffee$1.96
-
Chinese Food Lunch$8.18
-
Ice cream$3.60
-
Japanese Meal$14
-
Smoothie$4.25
-
Japanese Soup$7.52
-
Coffee & Muffin$4.58
-
Morning Mint Tea$2.29
-
Veggie Burger & Chips$9.16
-
Bread$1.70
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Brisbane
For Brisbane, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Gold Coast: Glow Worms, Sunset & Stargazing with BBQ dinner: $117
- Vertigo Dinner – Dining on the Edge: $165
- Dinner on the Edge with Vertigo Brisbane: $168
- Local Icons Food Tour: $353
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dali $18Brisbane $24
Tours and Activities in Dali
For Dali, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 1-Day Dali Erhai Sightseeing Tour: $250
- 1-Day Dali Tie Dye Experience Private Tour: $230
- 1-Day Dali tour with the Daili old town, Xizhou Village and Three Pagodas: $195
- 2-Days Self-Guided tour from Dali to Lijiang and overnight in Shaxi old town: $205
- All Inclusive Private Day Tour to Shaxi Ancient Town from Dali: $213
- Dali City Tour with Private Guide: $71
- Dali Private Tour to Xizhou Ancient Town and Erhai Lake : $186
- Dali XIzhou Ancient Town Private Tour: $87
- Dali Yunnan Local Market Pottery Making Eco Tour: $197
- Jizu Mountain Private Tour: $87
- Private Customized Tour: Dali City Highlights in One Day: $213
- Private Day Tour of Dali Explore the Ancient City: $274
Typical Entertainment Prices in Brisbane
For Brisbane, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
-
Concert Tickets$13
Tours and Activities in Brisbane
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Brisbane.
- 2 Hour Sunset Jetski Tour on the Brisbane River: $110
- 2 hour Brisbane Segway Afternoon & Sunset Thrill Tour: $85
- 2.30pm Mid Afternoon Sightseeing Cruise: $35
- 2.5 Hour Sightseeing Tours - Morning & Night: $105
- 4 Hour Jetski Adventure from Brisbane to Moreton Bay Islands: $177
- 6 Hour Welcome to Brisbane Private Sightseeing Private Tour: $664
- 6 Hours Brisbane Private Tour - Popular Sights in One Day: $664
- Adventure Moreton Island Wrecks Adventure Package: $120
- Adventure Theme Scavenger Hunt Experience in Brisbane: $27
- Afternoon Moreton Bay Sailing Tour: $80
- Alice In Puzzleland an Escape Hunt Brisbane Experience: $32
- Alpaca Feeding with Wildlife & Nature Park VIP Private Tour: $956
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayDali $11Brisbane $50
Typical Alcohol Prices in Brisbane
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Brisbane:
-
Evening at the Bar$9.81
-
Sixpack of Beer$9.16
-
Guiness Beer$5.56
-
Sixpack of Beer$8.50
Sample the Local Flavors in Brisbane
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Brisbane:
- XXXX Brewery Tour: $25
- Hop on Hop off Brewery Adventure : $66
- Island Pub Crawl with Lunch and High Speed Boat Tour in Brisbane : $101
- Afternoon Brisbane Half-Day Brewery Tour: $107
- Hop on Hop off Wine tasting tour to Tamborine Mountain: $110
- Island Pub Crawl with Lunch and High-Speed Boat: $115
- Hinterland Heritage Wine Tour : $134
- Brisbane Brewery Full Day Tour with Lunch: $140
- Gold Coast Full Day Brewery Tour: $140
- Deluxe Wine Tour to Tamborine Mountain, includes two course lunch: $148
- Tamborine Wine & Distillery Tour + 2 Course Lunch: $165
- Mount Tamborine Wine Tasting Tour from Brisbane or the Gold Coast: $168
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dali and Brisbane, we can see that Brisbane is more expensive. And not only is Dali much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Dali is in Asia and Brisbane 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 Dali would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Dali 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 Brisbane would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Brisbane than you might in Dali.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Dali Expensive? and Is Brisbane Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Dali or Brisbane?
Brisbane has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Dali. When comparing the sizes of Dali and Brisbane, 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.