What a night costs
| 🛏️ Hostel dorm bed | $20–$36/night |
| 🚪 Private room (hostel/guesthouse) | $55–$90/night |
| 🏨 Budget hotel / Airbnb room | $75–$125/night |
Full backpacker daily budget for Australia (bed + food + local transport + fun): about $75/day shoestring or $110/day flashpacker.
Where to stay
City centre near the Esplanade lagoon.
Local tip
💡 Book reef trips through your hostel — the discounts are genuine here.
The clean-bed formula
Filter to rating ≥ 8.3 with 150+ reviews, then read the recent negative reviews — that's where the cleanliness truth lives. Prefer free-cancellation rates; plans change, especially yours.