A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Shenyang vs. Airlie Beach for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Shenyang or Airlie Beach?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Shenyang 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: Shenyang or Airlie Beach?

Shenyang

Shenyang, China is the capital, and largest, city in the Liaoning Province in northwest China which borders North Korea. Shenyang has a long, imperial, history and is the birthplace of the Qing Dynasty. The city has a blend of beautifully preserved architecture and modern buildings, creating a pleasant atmosphere for exploring!

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 10-Day Tours in China, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in China, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Australia, and The Best Honeymoon Tours in Australia.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Shenyang and Airlie Beach, we can see that Airlie Beach is more expensive. And not only is Shenyang much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Shenyang 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 Shenyang would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Shenyang 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 Shenyang.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Shenyang Expensive? and Is Airlie Beach Expensive?.

When is the best time to visit Shenyang or Airlie Beach?

Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Airlie Beach is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but Shenyang has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].

Should I visit Shenyang or Airlie Beach in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Shenyang as well as Airlie Beach. Additionally, the summer months attract visitors to Airlie Beach because of the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences.

In July, Shenyang is generally around the same temperature as Airlie Beachin January. Daily temperatures in Shenyang average around 25°C (77°F), and Airlie Beach fluctuates around 26°C (79°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Airlie Beach. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Shenyang this time of the year. In the summer, Shenyang often gets less sunshine than Airlie Beachin January. Shenyang gets 214 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Airlie Beach receives 285 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Airlie Beach. Shenyang receives a lot of rain in the summer. Shenyang usually gets less rain in July than Airlie Beachin January. Shenyang gets 174 mm (6.9 in) of rain, while Airlie Beach receives 331 mm (13 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Shenyang or Airlie Beach in the Autumn?

Both Airlie Beach and Shenyang are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Also, the hiking trails, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Airlie Beach this time of year.

Shenyang is much colder than Airlie Beach in the autumn. The daily temperature in Shenyang averages around 10°C (51°F) in October, and Airlie Beach fluctuates around 23°C (73°F)in April.

It's quite sunny in Airlie Beach. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Shenyang. Shenyang usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Airlie Beach during autumn. Shenyang gets 216 hours of sunny skies, while Airlie Beach receives 207 hours of full sun in the autumn.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Airlie Beach. In October, Shenyang usually receives less rain than Airlie Beachin April. Shenyang gets 36 mm (1.4 in) of rain, while Airlie Beach receives 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Shenyang or Airlie Beach in the Winter?

Both Airlie Beach and Shenyang during the winter are popular places to visit. Also, many travelers come to Airlie Beach for the shopping scene and the cuisine.

It's quite cold in Shenyang in the winter. In the winter, Shenyang is much colder than Airlie Beach. Typically, the winter temperatures in Shenyang in January average around -11°C (13°F), and Airlie Beach averages at about 16°C (62°F)in July.

In Airlie Beach, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, Shenyang often gets less sunshine than Airlie Beachin July. Shenyang gets 167 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Airlie Beach receives 226 hours of full sun.

Shenyang usually gets less rain in January than Airlie Beachin July. Shenyang gets 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain, while Airlie Beach receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Shenyang or Airlie Beach in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Shenyang and Airlie Beach. Also, many visitors come to Airlie Beach in the spring for the beaches and the natural beauty.

In April, Shenyang is generally much colder than Airlie Beachin October. Daily temperatures in Shenyang average around 10°C (50°F), and Airlie Beach fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Airlie Beach this time of the year. In Shenyang, it's very sunny this time of the year. Shenyang usually receives less sunshine than Airlie Beach during spring. Shenyang gets 241 hours of sunny skies, while Airlie Beach receives 298 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Shenyang usually receives less rain than Airlie Beachin October. Shenyang gets 42 mm (1.7 in) of rain, while Airlie Beach receives 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Airlie Beach and Shenyang