How much does it cost to travel to Pingyao?
You should plan to spend around $54 (¥388) per day on your vacation in Pingyao. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.
Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:
- $19 (¥140) on meals
- $13 (¥93) on local transportation
- $46 (¥330) on hotels
A one week trip to Pingyao for two people costs, on average, $751 (¥5,431). This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.
All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.
Independent Travel
Traveling Independently to Pingyao has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.
All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.
Is Pingyao expensive to visit?
Pingyao is a reasonably affordable place to visit. Located in China, which is a reasonably affordable country, visitors will appreciate the relatively low cost of this destination. It is in the top 25% of cities in the country for its affordability. If you're traveling on a budget, then this is a good destination with affordable accommodation, food, and transportation.
Within Asia, Pingyao is a moderately priced destination compared to other places. The overall cost of travel here is fair for the region and comparable to Amritsar or Surat Thani.
For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is Pingyao Expensive?
How much money do I need for a trip to Pingyao?
The average Pingyao trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Pingyao travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.
|
Category
|
Cost
|
|
Accommodation 1
(Double Occupancy)
|
¥330
($46)
|
|
Local Transportation 1
|
¥93
($13)
|
|
Food 2
|
¥140
($19)
|
|
Entertainment 1
|
¥134
($18)
|
|
Alcohol 2
|
¥48 -
145
($7 - 20)
|
Accommodation Budget in Pingyao
Calculated from travelers like you
The average price paid for one person for accommodation in Pingyao is $23 (¥165). For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in Pingyao is $46 (¥330). This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.
Looking for a hotel in Pingyao? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.
Transportation Budget in Pingyao
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The cost of a taxi ride in Pingyao is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $13 (¥93) per person, per day, on local transportation in Pingyao.
-
Transportation1
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
$13
¥93
How much does it cost to go to Pingyao? Naturally, it depends on the dates. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all airlines.
The price of renting a car in Pingyao will depends on dates, the type of car, the location, and your age. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all car rental companies.
Typical prices for Transportation in Pingyao are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Pingyao, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.
-
Taxi to Train Station
¥10
Food Budget in Pingyao
Calculated from travelers like you
-
While meal prices in Pingyao can vary, the average cost of food in Pingyao is $19 (¥140) per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Pingyao should cost around $7.77 (¥56) per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Pingyao is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
-
Food2
Meals for one day
$19
¥140
Typical prices for Food in Pingyao are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Pingyao, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.
-
Casual Lunch (for 2)
¥36
-
Mango Juice
¥5.00
Entertainment Budget in Pingyao
Calculated from travelers like you
-
Entertainment and activities in Pingyao typically cost an average of $18 (¥134) per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
-
Entertainment1
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
$18
¥134
Typical prices for Entertainment in Pingyao are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Pingyao, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.
Alcohol Budget in Pingyao
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The average person spends about $13 (¥96) on alcoholic beverages in Pingyao per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
-
Alcohol2
Drinks for one day
$13
¥96
Water Budget in Pingyao
Calculated from travelers like you
-
On average, people spend $0.40 (¥2.92) on bottled water in Pingyao per day. The public water in Pingyao is considered safe to drink.
-
Water2
Bottled water for one day
$0.40
¥2.92
Pingyao On a Budget
Pingyao, China
Pingyao is a small city in the Shanxi Province of China, dating back over 2700 years. The city is most famous for their old town, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The old town is one of the best preserved ancient walled cities in the world dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
The climate in Pingyao is influenced by monsoons, and therefore gets hot and humid summers and chillier springs. Autumn is a great time to visit as temperatures are fairly mild-in the 50-60's Fahrenheit- and you can avoid the heavy rains of summer. Winter is also a pleasant time to visit, especially since temperatures tend not to dip below 30 and there is not much snow or bad weather.
Sights
The best sight in Pingyao is actually the city itself! The Old Town, which takes up just one mile, is the ancient walled area of the over 2700-year-old town. The cobbled streets and old buildings are mostly original, dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties in the 1360's. There are over 30 buildings and other attractions to explore within the walled city, which is why the city offers a tourist pass for a flat fee so you can see it all.
Outside of the Old Town is the Rishengchang Exchange House, built in 1823, it is one of the oldest bank buildings in the country. The bank itself was shut down in the 1930's, but the building itself is still worth exploring.
Next, head to Yamen, the county government compound built in the 1340's. The compound itself boasts over 300 rooms and you'll find everything from a prison, courtrooms, residential areas, a garden, and a ceremonial gate.
Then, there is Ming-Qing Street, so named for the Ming and Qing Dynasties that built many of the buildings you'll see there. Even some of the shops from those eras are still open as well as some courtyard houses which you can explore.
Neighborhoods
Pingyao is a very small city, divided up mostly between the walled area of Old Town and the area around Old Town. There are a few restaurants and accommodations outside of the gates into the Old Town.
Outside of Pingyao is the capital city of the Shanxi Province, Taiyuan. Taiyuan is a popular option for people doing day trips to Pingyao since there are multiple companies who offer scheduled day trips from Taiyuan to Pingyao.
Another nice place for a day trip from Pingyao is Yuncheng, where you'll find the famous Yongle Palace and Guan Di Temple. The palace is known for their Yuan Dynasty murals which are considered some of the best artistic treasures in China.
Activities
On Ming-Qing Street is the City Tower, the tallest building in the city. Climb up the steps and get gorgeous views of the city, which make the climb well worth it! For more stunning views, take a walk on top of the city walls. The path takes you on a circuit around the city and is included with the Pingyao tourist pass.
Pingyao hosts a beautiful Lantern Festival during the eighth month of the lunar new year, which is usually in September. During the festival, you'll find the city adorned with bright red lanterns and there's a huge parade to celebrate. The Shehuo Festival, or Spring Festival, celebrates the Chinese New Year. The streets come alive with Shehuo performers who perform traditional folk dances and performers who play traditional drums and gongs.
Food and Dining
Pingyao is famous for Pingyao Beef, which is served as cold beef that that is sliced much like ham and has an almost corned beef flavor. It is common for tourists to be charged twice the price for Pingyao Beef, so always be sure to ask the price before placing your order. Restaurants inside the Old Town walls tend to be tourist traps, with high prices and low quality food. Outside of the West Gate, you'll find some of the best restaurants, including Petit Resto-also called De Ju Yuan-, which has options for every palate. There are not many bars or nightclubs in the area. You'll find mostly relaxed, pub-like, bars where you can enjoy a beer usually up until midnight.
Transportation
There is no local airport, although trains and buses are plentiful and you can easily access the city from the stations. You can also taxi from major cities, like Taiyuan, for fairly cheap.
Walking is by far best option, especially since the majority of tourist attractions are within the one-mile radius of the Old Town. If you are traveling outside of Old Town, there are plenty of taxis that are on the cheap side. As always, ask for the meter to be turned on instead of negotiating a price, this will help you avoid any confusion.
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We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.