A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Bagan vs. Kanazawa for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Bagan or Kanazawa?

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 Bagan and Kanazawa can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Bagan or Kanazawa?

Bagan

Located in central Myanmar (formerly Burma), Bagan is an ancient city best known as the home to the largest and densest concentration of Buddhist temples, pagodas, stupas, and ruins in the world with many dating from the 11th and 12th centuries.

Kanazawa

An important city of the Edo-period, Kanazawa is a well preserved city from a time when samurai, merchants, geisha, and lords made up the core of its culture. Though it is often overlooked by foreigners, the city is a gem of Japanese tourism with a number of preserved historic districts, temples, regional handicrafts, art museums, and some of the best food to be had in Japan.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Japan, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Japan.


Which place is cheaper, Kanazawa or Bagan?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Bagan is $34, while the average daily cost in Kanazawa is $122. 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 Bagan and Kanazawa in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Bagan $7.36
    Kanazawa $61
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Bagan $15
    Kanazawa $122
Compare Hotels in Bagan and Kanazawa

Looking for a hotel in Bagan or Kanazawa? 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.

Hotels in Bagan


Hotels in Kanazawa


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: Kanazawa Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Bagan $3.57
    Kanazawa $8.97

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bagan

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bagan:

  • From Bagan City To Mandalay Private Transfer: $180

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kanazawa

Also for Kanazawa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Airport Transfer: Komatsu Airport (KMQ) ↔ Kanazawa City: $184
  • Private Transfer: Kanazawa Port ↔ Kanazawa City: $47

Is it cheaper to fly into Bagan or Kanazawa?

Prices for flights to both Kanazawa and Bagan 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Bagan $10
    Kanazawa $54

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bagan

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bagan.

  • Romantic Sunset Dinner At Bagan Viewing Tower: $91

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kanazawa

For Kanazawa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Kanazawa Omicho Market Food Tour: $70
  • Kanazawa E-Bike Highlights & Omicho Food Tour: $89
  • Sushi & Japanese Cooking at a 56-Year Cooking School: $100
  • Authentic Japanese Cooking and Sushi-Making Lesson: $101
  • Kanazawa Private Night Food Tour: $160
  • Kanazawa Food Tour: Private & Personalized with a Local Guide: $198
  • Fishing Experience with Gyotaku and Cooking: $423
  • Geisha Performance with Dinner and Drinks: $1,217

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Bagan $57
    Kanazawa $9.37

Tours and Activities in Bagan

Here are a few actual costs in Bagan for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Acient Capitals of Myanmar Tour: $149
  • Bagan Antique Day Tour in Bagan: $86
  • Bagan Classics Private Temples Tour: $159
  • Bagan Cycling Tour ( Villages & Temples Cycling Explorer): $129
  • Bagan Fullday Sightseeing by Car and Horse-cart: $184
  • Bagan Horse Cart Ride Tour with Puppet Show: $170
  • Best Bagan One Day Tour With Tour Guide: $48
  • Day Cruise Bagan to Mandalay: $31
  • Faces of Bagan Private Photography Tour: $199
  • Full Day tour In Bagan UNESCO World Heritage: $50
  • Full day Adventure Trip in Bagan with Tuk Tuk: $72
  • Full-Day Bagan Private Sightseeing Tour by E-Bike with Pickup: $110

Tours and Activities in Kanazawa

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Kanazawa.

  • Kanazawa Kimono Self-Photo Experience Japanese Scenery in 1 Hour: $19
  • Ring making experience  Completed in about 1 hour!: $21
  • Private Ring Craft Experience in Kanazawa: $21
  • Kenrokuen Garden & Kanazawa Castle Walking Tour: $23
  • Selfie Photo Experience with Rental Kimono - Moon: $23
  • Kanazawa Night Walk and Izakaya Tour with Local Guide: $26
  • Selfie Photo Experience with Rental Kimono - Color: $27
  • Kanazawa Private Clothing Dress-up Adventure: $29
  • Tea Ceremony Experience at Kenrokuen: $30
  • Family-Friendly Kimono & Yukata Experience at WARGO: $31
  • Kanazawa:Traditional Experience -kimono rent at wargo: $33
  • Quiet Highlights Walking Tour in Kanazawa: $35

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Bagan -
    Kanazawa $12

Sample the Local Flavors in Kanazawa

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Kanazawa:

  • Kanazawa Historic Brewery: Fermentation Tour, Tasting, Lunch: $81


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bagan and Kanazawa, we can see that Kanazawa is more expensive. And not only is Bagan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Bagan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Bagan 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 Kanazawa would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kanazawa than you might in Bagan.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Bagan Expensive? and Is Kanazawa Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Bagan or Kanazawa?

Kanazawa has a larger population, and is about 1530 times larger than the population of Bagan. When comparing the sizes of Bagan and Kanazawa, 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.