22 September, 2015

The cost of a capital city stay

Most holidays require a fair chunk of cash to get you through, unless you plan on couch surfing your way around the country.

And Australia’s capital cities are no different, in fact, they might require a tad more compared to some other global cities.

Roy Morgan Research revealed that in the year to June 2015, almost 12 million Australians aged 14 and over took at least one domestic holiday, with the average cost per head/per night of their last domestic trip being $150.

Without exception, this figure was higher for people whose last holiday was spent in a capital city, but there were some striking disparities between the various capitals.

Nobody will be surprised to learn that the country’s two most populous cities, Sydney and Melbourne, are more expensive on a per-person/per-night basis than any other capital. For Aussies spending their hard earned cash in these capitals shelled out an average of $197 per person per night.

For a small island, Tasmania’s capital city packs a punch – on your wallet that is – and so did Perth for that matter.

The national capital of Canberra and sunny old Brisbane were slightly more affordable, but overall it was the more regional destinations that appeared positively economical in comparison.

With average per-person/per-night costs of $117, $136 and $115 respectively, the North, Far North and South Coasts of NSW (spanning holiday havens such as Port Stephens, Byron Bay and Merimbula) provide thrifty alternatives for travellers willing to forego the bright lights of the big cities.

Victoria’s Great Ocean Road ($121) and Queensland’s Hervey Bay/Fraser Island region ($136) also come in below the national average.

Overall, this is what you’re looking at:

Sydney: $197, per person, per night

Melbourne: $197

Canberra: $151

Hobart: $186

Adelaide: $165

Perth: $178

Brisbane: $158

Australian average: $150

“With their countless cultural, culinary, sporting and retail attractions (not to mention more expensive accommodation options), Australia’s capital cities tend to offer the visitor more opportunities to part with their hard-earned dollars than smaller, regional holiday destinations,” Roy Morgan’s group account director Angela Smith said.

“While the fact that Sydney and Melbourne are the most costly capitals is not especially surprising, Canberra’s distinction as our most affordable capital city is quite unexpected! “With a surfeit of world-class galleries, museums and monuments, as well as a vibrant dining scene, Canberra’s budget-friendly status won’t last forever, so get there while you can!”

“Although many regional destinations provide a more budget-friendly alternative for the domestic holiday-maker, this is not always the case. Destinations such as Darwin and Port Douglas generally give the capital cities a run for their money in terms of average cost per person per night.”

The take away from this, then, is that we all need to put bad memories of school excursions to the land of roundabouts and pay a little visit to Canberra.

Or just earn a bucket load more cash and go wherever we like!

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Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

australia capital city roy morgan research