Which place is cheaper, Halong Bay or Abu Dhabi?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Abu Dhabi or Halong Bay?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Abu Dhabi and Halong Bay can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Abu Dhabi or Halong Bay?
Abu Dhabi
It doesn't get more "lifestyles of the rich and famous" than a vacation to Abu Dhabi. The federal capital and center of government for the United Arab Emirates is arguably the most modern city in the world.
Abu Dhabi has a population of 1.5 million and provides a home to several oil companies and embassies, but this place is definitely a playground for the world's fanciest tourists. This city has several large projects underway including Yas Island's Formula 1 track and Ferrari theme park.
Note: homosexuality is still outlawed in the UAE with harsh punishments including deportation, fines, jail time or even a death sentence.
Halong Bay
Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the north of Vietnam, near the Chinese border. Known for its thousands of beautiful limestone karsts and stalactite-filled caves, it is one of the most visited destinations in Vietnam. If you appreciate natural scenery and want an adventure at sea, you'll love cruising among more than 1,900 islands in Ha Long Bay.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to United Arab Emirates, The Best Tours for Seniors to United Arab Emirates, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Ho Chi Minh City, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Hanoi.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAbu Dhabi $164Halong Bay $58
The average daily cost (per person) in Abu Dhabi is $164, while the average daily cost in Halong Bay is $58. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Abu Dhabi and Halong Bay in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAbu Dhabi $98Halong Bay $28
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAbu Dhabi $196Halong Bay $56
Compare Hotels in Abu Dhabi and Halong Bay
Looking for a hotel in Abu Dhabi or Halong Bay? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Abu Dhabi Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Abu Dhabi $20Halong Bay $14
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Abu Dhabi
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Abu Dhabi are as follows:
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Car Rental$31
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Taxi to Airport$14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Abu Dhabi
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Abu Dhabi:
- Abrahamic Family House Tour with Transfer: $89
- Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH) Arrival Transfer (Airport to Abu Dhabi Hotel or Address): $131
- Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH) to Abu Dhabi - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $70
- Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH) to Abu Dhabi Round-Trip Private Transfer: $79
- Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH) to Dubai hotel - Arrival Private Transfer: $59
- Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH) to Dubai hotel or address - Arrival Private Transfer: $53
- Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH): Private Transfer to Abu Dhabi: $99
- Abu Dhabi Airport Departure Transfer (Abu Dhabi Hotels to Abu Dhabi Airport): $131
- Abu Dhabi Airport Private Departure Transfer: $33
- Abu Dhabi Airport Transfer To or From Anywhere within Abu Dhabi: $70
- Abu Dhabi Airport Transfer to Hotel or Vice Versa: $65
- Abu Dhabi Airport Transfers : Airport AUH to Abu Dhabi City by Luxury Van: $95
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Halong Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Halong Bay:
- Bus Transfer from Cat Ba island to Ninh Binh: $13
- Bus/Private Transfer Cat Ba Island to Ninh Binh/ Ninh binh to Cat Ba: $19
- Transfer From Halong to Ninh Binh: $25
- Rosa Eco Bus Luxury Transfer Ha Long to Ha Noi: $27
- Sunworld Halong theme park ticket with roundtrip transfer: $32
- Transfer Ha Long to Ha Noi Super Limousine Morning Bus: $33
- From Hanoi with Expessway Transfer to Halong Bay 1 Day Trip: $42
- Halong Bay Day Tour Roundtrip Transfer by Expressway 2024 - 2025: $43
- Small Group Halong Day Tour: Islands, Cave, Kayak. Lunch. Expressway Transfers: $45
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Cruise Port to Hanoi hotels: $46
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Port to Haiphong city hotels: $46
- 6 Hours Sailing on Dragon King Cruise From Halong with Transfer: $50
Is it cheaper to fly into Abu Dhabi or Halong Bay?
Prices for flights to both Halong Bay and Abu Dhabi change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayAbu Dhabi $45Halong Bay $16
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Abu Dhabi
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Abu Dhabi.
- Dubai: Dhow Cruise Marina Multi Cusine Dinner & Tanura Show: $35
- Dubai Marina luxury Dhow Cruise Dinner (catamaran): $42
- Abu Dhabi Desert Safari BBQ Dinner Live Shows Pick & Drop More: $45
- Abu Dhabi Desert Safari With BBQ Dinner & Live Shows: $49
- Desert Safari, Quad Bike, Camel Ride & BBQ Dinner: $50
- Desert Tour with BBQ Dinner and Hotel Transfer: $51
- Abu Dhabi Desert Safari With Live Shows And BBQ Buffet Dinner: $60
- Abu Dhabi Evening Desert Safari with BBQ Dinner and all Camp Activities : $72
- Desert Safari Abu Dhabi w/ Sand Boarding, Camel Ride & BBQ Dinner: $75
- Abu Dhabi Evening Desert Safari & Dinner Under the Stars: $77
- Abu Dhabi Desert Safari (Dune Bashing, BBQ Dinner, Camel Ride & Sand Skii): $80
- Abu Dhabi Desert Safari 4x4, BBQ Dinner, Camel Ride: $81
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Halong Bay
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Halong Bay.
- Ambassador Luxury Dinner Cruise in Halong Bay: $46
- 1-day private Hanoi city tour with fun and night street walking food tour: $101
- Luxury Aspira Cruise from Halong with kayaking,cave,cooking class: $175
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Abu Dhabi $39Halong Bay $16
Tours and Activities in Abu Dhabi
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Abu Dhabi are as follows:
- Qasr Al Hosn: Entry Tickets with 1 GB Data eSIM: $8.12
- Sea Breeze Boat Tour: $8.17
- Fast-Track Admission Ticket to Qasr Al Hosn: $8.37
- Abu Dhabi 4G & 5G Data Roaming for Tourist: $11
- Louvre Join an Express Tour: $14
- Qasr Al Watan Museum Abu Dhabi Ticket: $17
- Louvre Abu Dhabi with Tourist Shuttle Bus & eSIM: $17
- Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum General Admission Ticket: $17
- Qasr Al Watan Admission Ticket: $18
- Qasr Al Watan Palace & Garden Entrance Ticket: $18
- Ticket to Louvre Museum, Abu Dhabi: $19
- Shop & Eat in Abu Dhabi’s Markets Like a Local Walking Tour: $19
Tours and Activities in Halong Bay
Here are a few actual costs in Halong Bay for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- City Sightseeing Ha Long Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour : $19
- Full Day Boat Tour in Halong Bay, Cat Ba Archipelago & Lan Ha Bay: $24
- Best love - Full Day Boat Tour to Lan Ha Bay and Ha Long Bay: $26
- Most favorite full day boat tour with kayaking in Lan Ha bay, Ha Long bay: $26
- Ha Long Bay Day Tour with Lunch, Cave Explore & Titop Island: $29
- From Cat Ba island: full day boat tour to Lan Ha bay - Ha Long bay: $32
- Cruise and kayak on Lan Ha bay Ha Long bay with local experts: $32
- Full Day Trip to Lan Ha Bay with Kayaking in less tourist Areas: $34
- Lan Ha Bay Full Day Boat tour from Cat Ba island: $35
- Lan Ha Bay day tour from Cat Ba Town - Serenity Premium Cruise: $35
- Lan Ha Bay Full-Day Cruise From Cat Ba Town - Serenity Cruises: $36
- One Day Lan Ha Bay with Cat Ba Expedition Tour: $37
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAbu Dhabi $13Halong Bay $12
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Abu Dhabi and Halong Bay, we can see that Abu Dhabi is more expensive. And not only is Halong Bay much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Abu Dhabi is in Middle East and Halong Bay is in Asia, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Halong Bay would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Halong Bay and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Abu Dhabi would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Abu Dhabi than you might in Halong Bay.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Abu Dhabi Expensive? and Is Halong Bay Expensive?.
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.