Which place is cheaper, Halong Bay or Abu Dhabi?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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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 Family-Friendly Tours to United Arab Emirates, The Best 3-Day Tours in 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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Abu Dhabi Prices
UAE PricesHalong Bay Prices
Vietnam Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAbu Dhabi $197Halong Bay $66
The average daily cost (per person) in Abu Dhabi is $197, while the average daily cost in Halong Bay is $66. 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 $27
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAbu Dhabi $196Halong Bay $54
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 $13
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:
- Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH) Private Transfer to Abu Dhabi City/Hotels: $58
- Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH) to Abu Dhabi - Arrival Private Transfer: $75
- Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH) to Abu Dhabi - Arrival Private Transfer: $36
- Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH) to Abu Dhabi - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $72
- Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH) to Dubai - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $280
- Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH) to Dubai hotel or address - Arrival Private Transfer: $42
- Abu Dhabi Airport Private Departure Transfer: $30
- Abu Dhabi Airport Transfer To or From Anywhere within Abu Dhabi: $70
- Abu Dhabi Airport Transfers : Airport AUH to Abu Dhabi City by Luxury Van: $101
- Abu Dhabi City Tour: Modern & Cultural Highlights with Transfers: $108
- Abu Dhabi Combo Ticket: Ferrari World and Yas Waterworld with transfers: $195
- Abu Dhabi Top 15 Must-See Highlights Tour with Private Transfers: $109
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/Ninh binh To Cat Ba: $19
- Transfer from Cat Ba Island to Ninh Binh with D-Class Limousine: $20
- Transfer Ha Long to Ha Noi Super Limousine Morning Bus: $33
- Halong Bay Full Day Cruise from Hanoi by Transfer Expressway: $42
- Halong Day Tour: Islands, Cave, Kayak. Lunch. Transfers: $45
- Best Seller Halong Full Day Tour All Included Expressway Transfer: $48
- Halong Bay Full Day With Cave, Kayaking,Swimming,Highway Transfer: $49
- Alova Premium Cruise to Halong Bay 1 Day Trip by Highway Transfer: $50
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Port to Haiphong Airport (HPH): $55
- Private Transfer from Tuan Chau to Haiphong (HPH) Airport: $55
- Halong Bay 06 Hours Dragon King Cruise From Halong with Transfer: $60
- Arcady Premium Cruise Halong Bay Day Tour with Optional Transfer: $60
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 $78Halong Bay $26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Abu Dhabi
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Abu Dhabi.
- Abu Dhabi Desert Safari with Red Dunes 4x4 Pick Drop Dinner Shows: $43
- Abu Dhabi Desert Safari With Live Shows & BBQ Buffet Dinner: $50
- Abu Dhabi Desert Safari BBQ Dinner Camel Ride and Live Shows: $56
- Desert Safari In Abu Dhabi With BBQ Dinner: $58
- Abu Dhabi Desert Safari With BBQ Dinner & Live Shows: $60
- Lunch Or Dinner at Emirates Palace - Ultimate Luxury Experience: $64
- Evening Desert Safari Abu Dhabi with Hot BBQ Dinner: $65
- Evening Desert Safari Camel Ride Dinner Live Shows in Abu Dhabi: $69
- Desert Safari, Camel Ride, Live Shows, and BBQ Dinner: $69
- Abu Dhabi Evening Desert Safari: BBQ Dinner, Camel Ride & Shows: $71
- Evening Desert Safari Abu Dhabi with BBQ Dinner: $71
- Abu Dhabi Evening Desert Safari with BBQ Dinner and Shows: $73
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Halong Bay
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Halong Bay.
- Sunset and Bioluminescent Kayaking Tour in Lan Ha Bay with Dinner: $37
- Catherine Horizon - Top Luxury - The Best Day & Dinner Cruise: $70
- Halong Bay Luxury Dinner Cruise - Ambassador: $79
- Best 2D1N Lan Ha Bay Cruise: BBQ dinner, Viet Hai Ancient Village: $200
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:
- Admission Ticket to Qasr Al Watan Abu Dhabi Non prime: $15
- Qasr al Hosn Entrance Ticket: $16
- Qasr Al Watan Entry Tickets: $16
- Skip the Line Ticket to Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi: $17
- Louvre Abu Dhabi Ticket: $18
- Qasr Al Watan Entrance Ticket: $18
- Qasr Al Watan Ticket Pass in Abu Dhabi’s Presidential Palace: $19
- Qasr al Hosn Entrance Ticket: $20
- Zayed National Museum Abu Dhabi - Ticket: $22
- Louvre Museum Abu Dhabi Admission Ticket: $22
- Abu Dhabi Louvre Museum Entry Ticket with Optional Transportation: $23
- Louvre Museum Abu Dhabi Ticket: $24
Tours and Activities in Halong Bay
Here are a few actual costs in Halong Bay for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Cat Ba: Lan Ha Bay - Viet Hai Village - Kayaking Tours: $13
- Ha Long Bay Cruise Day Tour - best selling: Kayaking, Swimming, hiking & Lunch: $23
- Hanoi: Ha Long Bay Day Cruise with Lunch, Cave & Kayaking: $25
- Lan Ha Bay Sunset Tour with Scenic Cruise from Cat Ba Island: $26
- Hanoi: Ha Long Bay Day Cruise: Cave Exploration - Swim and Kayak: $27
- Most favorite full day boat tour with kayaking in Lan Ha bay, Ha Long bay: $27
- From Cat Ba Island: Majestic Sunset Boat Tour Explore Lan Ha Bay: $27
- Magical Sunset Tour: Kayaking & Swimming in Lan Ha Bay: $27
- Amazing Lan Ha Bay Sunset Boat Tour from Cat Ba Island: $28
- From Cat Ba Island: Amazing Sunset Tour in Lan Ha Bay, Kayaking: $28
- Breathtaking Sunset Boat Tours to Lan Ha Bay from Cat Ba Island: $28
- Majestic Sunset Boat Tour: Explore Lan Ha Bay’s Stunning Scenery: $28
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.