The long-haul fare is only the start: Australia’s prices are high, getting to the Great Barrier Reef means a domestic flight and a pricey boat trip, and even Sydney’s airport train has an extra fee.
Starts with a sample trip. Change any number to match yours. Set up your travel profile to fill these in for you.
Compare hotels near Circular Quay in Sydney →Tick what you plan to do and we’ll price it for your group. Your picks set “Great Barrier Reef day trip” and “Shows, tours and extras you picked” in your budget.
The sample is 2 travelers for 12 nights. Your plan ($6,800) covers the main costs most people budget for, the ones you enter on the left. Costs people forget ($1,927, about 28% more for this trip) are the fees, taxes, tips and extras listed in the calculator. Prices were last checked on October 17, 2026.
Share of the $8,727 real cost. Nights and travelers multiply most of these costs, so changing either one moves the total the most.
10 of this trip's numbers link to a published price or rate. The rest are our estimates, and each one says what it is based on. You can also read how we calculate every trip.
| Cost | Default | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Airfare per person | $1,350 per traveler | KAYAK’s average round trip from the US to Sydney is about $1,300 (March cheapest, December about $1,640). Source |
| Hotel per night | $190 a night | Mid-range Sydney hotels run about AUD 120–250 a night and more near the harbour; we blend Sydney and Cairns rates at about AUD 290. Source |
| Food per person, per day | $70 per traveler, per day | Mid-range travelers spend about AUD 50–70 a day on food in Sydney; we add a few sit-down dinners and drinks. Source |
| Cost | Default | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Checked bag fees Off by default | $40 per traveler | Our estimate from Jetstar and Virgin Australia lite-fare bag prices on Sydney–Cairns flights; international fares include a bag. Our estimate |
| Passports Off by default | $165 per traveler | The State Department lists a $130 application fee plus $35 acceptance fee for a new adult passport book. Source |
| Australian ETA | $13 per traveler | The Australian Embassy says the ETA has no visa charge, only an AUD 20 service fee in the official app. Source |
| Domestic flights to Cairns | $250 per traveler | KAYAK shows Sydney–Cairns one-way flights averaging about $124 and round trips about $247. Source |
| Sydney airport train | $30 per traveler | Transport for NSW lists an AUD 18.61 adult station access fee at the airport stations, on top of the regular Opal fare. Source |
| Opal transit in Sydney | $32 per traveler | Adult Opal travel caps at AUD 19.30 a day Monday–Thursday, AUD 9.65 Friday–Sunday and AUD 50 a week. Source |
| Cairns airport transfers | $20 per traveler | Our estimate from typical Cairns airport shuttle and taxi fares to the city and Esplanade hotels. Our estimate |
| Great Barrier Reef day trip | $195 per traveler | Quicksilver’s outer reef trip costs AUD 338 plus a AUD 10 fuel surcharge with the AUD 8.50 reef charge included; Cairns trips run about AUD 250–350. Source |
| Weekend and holiday surcharges | 3% of the food | Card surcharges are banned from October 1, 2026, but Sunday (often 10%) and public holiday (often 15%) surcharges are still allowed; about 3% of food spending over a trip. Source |
| Phone data | $20 per traveler | Our estimate from typical Australia eSIM prices for 10–20 GB over one to two weeks. Our estimate |
| Card fees | 3% of your plan | Typical 3% foreign transaction fee on cards without a no-fee policy. Our estimate |
| Souvenirs and treats | $40 per traveler | Our allowance for small gifts and treats. Our estimate |
| Shows, tours and extras you picked Off by default | $0 for the trip | Starts at $0. Filled in from what you pick in the things-to-do planner; each one links to its own price source. Our estimate |
| Travel insurance | 6% of your plan | Squaremouth says a comprehensive plan averages about 6% of the trip cost, usually 4% to 10%. Source |
| Pre-trip shopping | $60 for the trip | Our estimate for travel-size toiletries, sunscreen and small things bought before a trip. Our estimate |
| Pet boarding or sitter | $50 a day, if you check Pets | Dogster puts regular kennel boarding at about $35 to $85 a night. Overnight sitters at home cost more. Source |
For 12 nights with flights, a hotel and food, plan on about $6,800 for two people. Once you add the costs most visitors forget, like the ETA, domestic flights to Cairns, the Sydney airport train and a Great Barrier Reef trip, it's closer to $8,750. Use the calculator above to change any number to match your trip.
Yes. US citizens need an Electronic Travel Authority, applied for in the official Australian ETA app; there is no visa charge, just an AUD 20 (about $13) service fee. Source
No, not since October 1, 2026, when card payment surcharges were banned nationwide. Sunday and public holiday surcharges, often 10–15%, are still allowed. Source
Trips to or from the airport stations add an AUD 18.61 station access fee to the regular Opal fare, and the daily and weekly caps don’t cover it. Source
Yes. The AUD 70 Passenger Movement Charge is built into your airfare, and it rises to AUD 80 for departures from January 1, 2027. Source