Which place is cheaper, Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) or Sandakan?
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 Sandakan or Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock)?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Sandakan or Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock)? 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: Sandakan or Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock)?
Sandakan
Located on the Northeast side of the state of Sabah in Borneo is the city of Sandakan, which is the 2nd largest city in the country. Sandakan was a prosperous port town in the 1800s because of its exports of tobacco, timber, pearls, and ivory. However, this booming town that was formerly the administrative capital in North Borneo was bombed practically out of existence at the end of World War II.
Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock)
The Australian countryside is a large and vast area just waiting to be explored. Located in the north of Australia, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is a part of the Red Centre of the country. It is an UNESCO World Heritage Site, and, according to the Aborigines, it is a very sacred space. Amazing geological wonders and fascinating wildlife are just waiting for your visit.
For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Malaysia, The Best Adventure Tours to Malaysia, The Best Water Sports Tour Packages in Australia, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Australia.
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Sandakan Prices
Malaysia PricesUluru National Park (Ayers Rock) Prices
Australia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySandakan $81Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) $186
The average daily cost (per person) in Sandakan is $81, while the average daily cost in Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) is $186. 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 Sandakan and Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSandakan $23Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) $58
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSandakan $46Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) $116
Compare Hotels in Sandakan and Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock)
Looking for a hotel in Sandakan or Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock)? 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: Sandakan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sandakan $37Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) $75
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sandakan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sandakan:
- Private 1Way Transfer to/from Sandakan Airport, City or Sepilok: $38
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock)
Also for Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock), here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Uluru (Ayers Rock) to Alice Springs Coach Transfer: $171
Is it cheaper to fly into Sandakan or Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock)?
Prices for flights to both Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) and Sandakan 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 daySandakan $36Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) $81
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sandakan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Sandakan.
- Mangrove Cruise with Fireflies Tour Including Dinner from Sandakan: $64
- Sandakan : Fireflies and Mangrove Cruise with Dinner: $193
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock)
For Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock), here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Uluru (Ayers Rock) Base and Sunset Half-Day Trip with Opt Outback BBQ Dinner: $134
- Uluru (Ayers Rock) Sunset + Outback Barbecue Dinner & Star Talk : $197
- Uluru Experience with BBQ Dinner: $219
- Mt Conner 4WD Small Group Tour from Ayers Rock Resort inc Dinner: $258
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sandakan $8.15Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) $37
Tours and Activities in Sandakan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Sandakan are as follows:
- 2D1N Sandakan Private Tour with Kinabatangan River Cruise: $290
- Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre & Sepilok Orang Utan Rehab Centre Tour: $112
- Borneo : Orangutan, Proboscis Monkey, and Sun Bear Tour: $338
- Borneo Kinabatangan River Cruise Day Trip: $88
- Borneo Wildlife Tour 2 Days 1 Night At Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp Kinabatangan: $230
- Borneo Wildlife Tour 3 Days 2 Nights At Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp Kinabatangan: $260
- Day Trip Sepilok Orang-utan And City Tour (Flight Excluded): $119
- From Sandakan to Kinabatangan River Safari Boat Cruise Day Tour: $163
- From 7 Unmissable Local Stops Private Tour: $75
- Full Day At Sepilok Orangutan, Sun Bear & Sandakan City Tour: $164
- Kinabatangan River Cruise from Sandakan: $90
- Labuk Proboscis, Sepilok, Sun Bear, Sandakan City Tour & Lunch: $147
Tours and Activities in Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock)
For Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock), here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Uluru Audio Tour App: $13
- Uluru (Ayers Rock) Sunset Tour: $70
- Small Group Uluru Sunset Viewing Tour: $73
- Uluru (Ayers Rock) Field of Light Sunrise Tour: $73
- Afternoon Kata Tjuta Small Group Tour: $117
- Alice Springs Highlights Tour : $120
- Kata Tjuta Small-Group Tour Including Sunrise and Breakfast: $160
- Uluru Small Group Tour including Sunset: $160
- Palm Valley 4WD Tour from Alice Springs: $174
- Best of Alice Springs Full Day Tour: $178
- Aboriginal Homelands Experience: $261
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySandakan $7.47Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) $11
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sandakan and Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock), we can see that Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) is more expensive. And not only is Sandakan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Sandakan is in Asia and Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) 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 Sandakan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sandakan 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 Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) than you might in Sandakan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Sandakan Expensive? and Is Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) 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.