In the year to June 2015, almost 12 million Australians aged 14+ 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 with some striking differences depending on which city they visited.
“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. This is confirmed by our latest Holiday Tracking Survey data, which reveals that the average cost per person/per night is above the national average in each of the Australian capitals.” Angela Smith, Group Account Director, Roy Morgan Research commented.

Ms Smith explained that Sydney and Melbourne, are more expensive on a per-person/per-night basis than any other capital. Aussies who took their last holiday in either of these two cities shelled out $197 per person per night on average. While Brisbane and Canberra prove to be far more cost effective holiday destinations costing $158 and $151 per night respectively.
“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” Ms Smith commented.
Ms went on to point out that these prices make many popular regional destinations seem 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 while Victoria’s Great Ocean Road $121 and Queensland’s Hervey Bay/Fraser Island region $136 also come in below the national average.