A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Zhangye vs. Darwin for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Zhangye or Darwin?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Zhangye and Darwin. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Zhangye or Darwin?

Zhangye

Zhangye, China is a city in the Gansu Province in the central north part of the country, close to Mongolia. This ancient city has often been used as a military strong hold, having been the headquarters of General Huo among many others. Zhangye is a fabulous day trip city to visit when staying in larger nearby cities.

Zhangye is privy to beautiful summer weather, with lots of sunshine and temperatures in the high 70's Fahrenheit. The best times to visit are between July and September, when temperatures and sunshine are at their highest. Autumn, Winter, and Spring tend to be a little chillier and rainier.

Darwin

Darwin is a tropical city set against the Timor Sea in north central Australia. It is also the capital city of the Northern Territory. Despite being a relatively small city, Darwin is very diverse with residents from all over the world. The city itself has a very relaxed vibe with plenty to do. Visitors can enjoy everything from traditionally Asian style markets to culturally diverse events such as concerts, festivals or art shows.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in China, The Best 10-Day Tours in China, The Best Luxury Tours to Australia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Australia.


Which place is cheaper, Darwin or Zhangye?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Zhangye is $105, while the average daily cost in Darwin is $139. 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 Zhangye and Darwin in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Zhangye $39
    Darwin $62
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Zhangye $78
    Darwin $124
Compare Hotels in Zhangye and Darwin

Looking for a hotel in Zhangye or Darwin? 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.

Hotels in Zhangye


Hotels in Darwin


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: Darwin Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Zhangye $39
    Darwin $12

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zhangye

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zhangye:

  • Private Airport Transfer: Zhangye Hotel to Zhangye Airport (YZY): $59
  • Private Airport Transfer: Zhangye Airport (YZY) to Zhangye Hotel: $59

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Darwin

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Darwin:


  • Shuttle to Train Station
    $9.81

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Darwin

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Darwin:

  • DRW Airport to Darwin City Centre Private Transfer: $47
  • Private Transfer from Darwin Cruise Port to Darwin Airport (DRW): $87
  • Private Transfer from Darwin Airport (DRW) to Darwin Cruise Port: $87
  • Private Transfer from Darwin Cruise Port to Darwin city hotels: $87
  • Darwin to Darwin Int Airport (DRW) - Departure Private Transfer: $101
  • Darwin Int Airport (DRW) to Darwin - Arrival Private Transfer: $101
  • Darwin Int Airport (DRW) to Darwin - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $202

Is it cheaper to fly into Zhangye or Darwin?

Prices for flights to both Darwin and Zhangye 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 day
    Zhangye $45
    Darwin $65

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Darwin

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Darwin.

  • Sunset Harbour Cruise with Fish and Chips Dinner: $72
  • Darwin Harbor Sunset Cruise with Buffet Dinner: $96
  • Charles Darwin Dinner Cruise: $104
  • Cape Adieu Sunset Cruise with 4-Course Dinner: $112
  • Signature four course Sunset Dinner Cruise: $112
  • Sunset 3-Hour Cruise from Darwin with Dinner and Sparkling Wine: $113
  • Cape Adieu Darwin Sunset Dinner Cruise: $113
  • Waterfront Seafood Dinner with Wine for Two: $132

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Zhangye $11
    Darwin $15

Tours and Activities in Zhangye

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Zhangye are as follows:

  • Zhangye One Day City Tour: $77
  • Private day tour to Zhangye Danxia Landform the Rainbow Mountain: $150
  • Private day tour to Zhangye Mati temple & Giant Buddha Temple start from Zhangye: $155
  • Zhangye Danxia Half Day tour: $195
  • Zhangye Rainbow Danxia Private Day Tour: $214
  • Private Hiking Tour: Pingshanhu Grand Canyon and the Horse Hoof Temple Grottoes: $235
  • Danxia Geopark & Giant Buddha Private Day Tour: $246
  • Mati Temple Grottoes & Giant Buddha Temple Tour: $257
  • Private Day Tour: Horse Hoof Temple Grottoes and Zhangye Danxia Landform: $299
  • Private Hiking Tour: Binggou Danxia and Zhangye Danxia Geopark from Zhangye: $299
  • From 6-Day Private Photography Tour to Dunhuang: $1,099

Tours and Activities in Darwin

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Darwin are as follows:

  • Aquascene Fish Feeding Experience: $11
  • Explore Delightful Self-Guided Audio Tour: $16
  • Crocosaurus Cove General Admission Ticket: $26
  • Adelaide River Queen Original Jumping Crocodile Cruise: $27
  • Big Bus Open-Top Hop-on Hop-off Tour: $32
  • Darwin Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour: $33
  • 1 Hour Jumping Crocodile Cruise on the Adelaide River: $37
  • Darwin History and Wartime Experience Tour: $40
  • Adelaide River Cruises - Jumping Crocodile Experience: $40
  • Discover Darwin Harbour: Darwin Harbour Afternoon Cruise: $43
  • 1-Hour Bombing of Darwin Cruise: $43
  • Darwin Harbour Bombing of Darwin Cruise: $44

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Zhangye $7.01
    Darwin $13

Typical Alcohol Prices in Darwin

Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Darwin from other travelers:


  • Evening at a Bar
    $16
  • Glass of Wine
    $4.58


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Zhangye and Darwin, we can see that Darwin is more expensive. And not only is Zhangye much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Zhangye is in Asia and Darwin 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 Zhangye would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Zhangye 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 Darwin would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Darwin than you might in Zhangye.

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


Which is Bigger, Zhangye or Darwin?

Zhangye has a larger population, and is about 3% larger than the population of Darwin. When comparing the sizes of Zhangye and Darwin, 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.