Which place is cheaper, Xi'an or Athens?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Athens or Xi'an?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Athens and Xi'an. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Athens or Xi'an?
Athens
Athens is the capital city of Greece and is home to a population of over 3.7 million people. It's most famous as the birthplace of Classical Greece and the history in the city is incomparable to that found anywhere. It became the national capital of the modern Greek State in the 1830s, before which it was just a small village with a very impressive history. The city was redesigned by architects and city planners and incorporated large public squares, lots of green space, and wide avenues. The city has had its ups and downs both economically and politically, but it remains a beautiful and impressive place to explore.
Xi'an
Xi'an is an ancient city in the Shaanxi Province in China. Today it is most notable as the location of the Terracotta Warriors, but for visitors who choose to linger, there is so much more to see and do in the area. The city itself is more than 3,000 years old and for about one thousand years, through 13 dynasties and 73 emperors, it was the capital. Because of its rich history there are many historical ruins and a strong culture in the city. Today the city is a pleasant place to visit, although much of it's influence and power has dwindled. The city has both cosmopolitan and modern areas as well as historic and culturally rich areas. The neighborhoods are diverse and by exploring the city in depth you can learn a little more about what China really has to offer.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Greece, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Greece, The Best 10-Day Tours in China, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in China.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAthens €127Xi'an €88
The average daily cost (per person) in Athens is €127, while the average daily cost in Xi'an is €88. 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 Athens and Xi'an in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAthens €63Xi'an €57
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAthens €126Xi'an €114
Compare Hotels in Athens and Xi'an
Looking for a hotel in Athens or Xi'an? 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: Athens Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Athens €27Xi'an €11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Athens
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Athens:
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Airport Bus for Two€6.40
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Metro€1.50
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Metro€2.00
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Metro from Airport to City Center€8.00
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Taxi from Airport€35
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Athens
Also for Athens, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Athens Airport To Piraeus Port / Hotel Private Luxury Transfer : $44
- Private Transfer from /to Athens International Airport: $32
- Transfer from Athens-Pireaus-Athens Airport to Corinth-Loutraki-Agioi Theodoroi: $218
- "Luxurious Transfer": $48
- A mini Embark / Disembark Tour In Athens With Transfers from airport / port.: $259
- AIRPORT TRANSFER in Athens : $28
- Accessible Private Transfer WAV from Athens Airport to Port Rafina: $43
- Airport Private Transfers: $79
- Airport Transfer/ Athens Greece: $28
- Airport Transfer: Athens Airport ATH to Athens by Luxury Car: $127
- Airport Transfer: Athens Airport ATH to Athens by Luxury Van: $113
- Airport Transfer: Athens to Athens Airport ATH by Business Car: $80
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Xi'an
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Xi'an:
- Xi'an Airport to Hotel: Private Transfer for up to 40 pax: $300
- Private Round-trip Airport Transfer to Terracotta Army & City Wall with A Guide: $259
- Xi'an Airport to Hotel: Private Transfer for up to 15 pax: $200
- Private Guided Transfer to Terracotta Warriors, City Wall, Small Wild Pagoda: $189
- Xian Terracotta Warriors Museum Tour with Airport Transfer: $184
- Xian Terracotta Warriors Tour with Airport Transfer: $176
- Terracotta Warriors Museum Ticket With Private Transfer Service: $172
- Terracotta Warriors Tour with Airport Train Station or Hotel Transfer: $170
- Terracotta Warriors Museum Tour with Airport Pickup or Drop-off Transfer: $162
- Xian Best Day Tour with Airport / Railway Station Transfer: $132
- Xi'an Private Round Trip Transfer to Mount Huashan: $115
- Round Way Xian Airport Transfer with Tour Guide: $92
Is it cheaper to fly into Athens or Xi'an?
Prices for flights to both Xi'an and Athens 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 dayAthens €37Xi'an €12
Typical Food Prices in Athens
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Athens:
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Ice cream€3.00
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Souvlaki€2.20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Athens
For Athens, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hard Rock Cafe Athens with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $24
- Hard Rock Cafe Athens with Set Lunch or Dinner: $26
- Street Food Tour Market & City Centre: $42
- Foodies’ Favorite Food tour: $46
- Greek Street Food Tour: $52
- Athens Street Food Tour: Explore City's Iconic Eateries: $52
- Street Food Tour with Local Guide and 7 Tastings: $57
- Koukaki Food Tour with a Local Friend: $60
- Traditional Greek Cooking Class and Organic Lunch on Poros: $60
- Greek Spirits & Meze, Food Tour in Athens: $62
- Greek Traditional Vegan Cooking Class with Meal: $64
- Alternative, truly authentic food tour in secret Athens: $64
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Xi'an
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Xi'an.
- Skip the Line: Xi'an Tang Dynasty Show Ticket & Dumpling Dinner or Royal Banquet: $32
- Dinner and Show of Tang Dynasty Palace in Xian: $40
- Private Home Cooking Class:Dumpling Cooking Class Tour in Xi'an: $50
- Xi'an Vegetarian Food Tour: $60
- Xi'an Food Tour by Tuk Tuk: $62
- Private Xi'an Food Tour: $65
- Private Xi’an Night & Food Tour by Tuk Tuk and Public Transportation: $67
- Private Old Xi'an Authentic Local Beer Dinner Tour: $68
- Xi'an Evening Food Tour by TukTuk: $69
- 4 Hours Food Tours in Xi'an: $72
- 3-Hour Biang Biang Noodles Cooking Class in Xi'an: $75
- Authentic Old Xi'an Back Street Food Tour : $75
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Athens €36Xi'an €33
Tours and Activities in Athens
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Athens.
- Self-guided First Discovery Walk and Reading Tour: $3.23
- Self Guided Tour In Athens With 100 Captivating Audio Stories: $3.26
- Exclusive Self-Guided Audio Tour into Byzantine Gems: $4.63
- Acropolis Highlights Self-Guided Audio Tour: $4.70
- 360 Virtual tour of Ancient Athens: $6.00
- Herakleidon Museum of Ancient Greek Technology: Entry Ticket: $6.46
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Athens: $6.54
- Ancient Agora of Athens Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Ancient Agora of A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Ancient Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $7.00
- South Slope of the Acropolis audiovisual self-guided tour: $7.52
- Ancient Agora: Audiovisual self-guided tour with 3D models: $7.52
Tours and Activities in Xi'an
Here are a few actual costs in Xi'an for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Group Tour to the Terra-cotta Warriors Museum & Lunch : $65
- #1 Bestselling Private Terracotta Army Tours + Customized Xian Tours: $109
- 1 Day Xian Group Tour: Terracotta Warriors & City Wall: $138
- 1-Day Private Tour: Mount Huashan With the Lunch from Xi'an: $190
- 1-Day Xi'an Terracotta Warriors Museum and Banpo Neolithic Village Museum Tour: $100
- 1-Day Xi'an Terracotta Warriors,Wild Goose Pagoda and Banpo Village Museum Tour: $100
- 1-Day Xi'an Tour with Wild Goose Pagoda, Shaanxi History Museum and City Wall : $100
- 1-Day Xi'an Tour with the Terracotta Warriors, Cave Dwelling and City Wall : $236
- 2 Days Beijing Xian Tour by Bullet Train with Hotel: $287
- 2-Day Classic Xi'an Tour Combo Package: Terracotta Warriors and Downtown Sightseeing: $234
- 2-Day Highlights Xi'an Private Tour Combo Package: Terracotta Warriors and City Sightseeing: $240
- 2-day Most Flexible Private Xian Complete Tour: $296
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAthens €23Xi'an €6.78
Sample the Local Flavors in Athens
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Athens:
- Liquer tasting in Polykala's Distillery Show Room in Athens: $17
- Greek Wine Tasting: $23
- Premium Wine Tastings: $36
- Greek Wine Tasting Experience with a Sommelier: $43
- 1 Hour Private Four Greek Wine Tasting and Food Pairing in Athens: $44
- Old Town Athens Wine Tasting: $53
- Best rated Acropolis Wine Tasting : $54
- Greek food and wine tasting: $54
- 2 Hours Wine Tasting Odyssey in Athens: $54
- Rare Greek Wine Tasting w/Sommelier by the Acropolis: $59
- Acropolis Private Wine Tasting @ Finewine store : $61
- Small-Group Wine Tasting Tour with Appetizers: $79
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Athens and Xi'an, we can see that Athens is more expensive. And not only is Xi'an much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Athens is in Europe and Xi'an 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 Xi'an would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Xi'an 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 Athens would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Athens than you might in Xi'an.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Athens Expensive? and Is Xi'an Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Athens or Xi'an?
Xi'an has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Athens. When comparing the sizes of Athens and Xi'an, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
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.