Which place is cheaper, Kanazawa or Bagan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Tokyo, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Tokyo.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBagan $19Kanazawa $111
The average daily cost (per person) in Bagan is $19, while the average daily cost in Kanazawa is $111. 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
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBagan $4.76Kanazawa $69
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBagan $9.52Kanazawa $138
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.
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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Bagan $2.31Kanazawa $10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bagan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bagan:
- From Bagan City To Mandalay Private Transfer: $150
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Bagan Nyaung-U Airport (NYU): $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kanazawa
Also for Kanazawa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Kanazawa City to/from Wakura City Private transfer: $275
- Noto Airport to/from Kanazawa City Private Transfer: $343
- Private Transfer from Kanazawa Cruise Port to Nagoya city hotels: $149
- Private Transfer from Kanazawa Port to Nagoya Int Airport (NGO): $149
- Private transfer Kanazawa to Takayama Including Shirakawago: $295
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
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Food Meals for one dayBagan $3.85Kanazawa $35
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kanazawa
For Kanazawa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Sneaking into a Cooking Class for Japanese: $63
- Authentic Japanese & sushi cooking classes: $84
- traditional Japanese & sushi cooking classes: $90
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Bagan $37Kanazawa $10
Tours and Activities in Bagan
Here are a few actual costs in Bagan for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- BAGAN TEMPLES FULL DAY GUIDED BY ELECTRIC BIKE ( Private Tour ): $64
- Bagan Antique Day Tour in Bagan: $86
- Bagan Cycling Tour ( Villages & Temples Cycling Explorer) : $129
- Bagan Instagram Photo Tour: $179
- Bagan Sightseeing Tour with Horse Cart: $86
- Bagan and Mount Popa Private Tour (2 Days): $90
- Full Day Bagan Tour: $160
- Best Bagan One Day Tour With Tour Guide: $48
- Day Cruise Bagan to Mandalay: $31
- Excellent Private Guided Tour Around Bagan With Lunch: $88
- Faces of Bagan Private Photography Tour: $199
- Full Day tour In Bagan UNESCO World Heritage: $50
Tours and Activities in Kanazawa
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Kanazawa.
- Selfie Photo Experience with Rental Kimono - Moon: $18
- Selfie Photo Experience with Rental Kimono - Color: $21
- Kanazawa:Japanese Traditional Experience -kimono rent: $32
- Kenrokuen Tea Ceremony Experience: $34
- Kenrokuen Tea Ceremony Experience in Kanazawa: $34
- Kanazawa Like a Local: Customized Private Tour: $55
- Kanazawa Like a Local: Customized Guided Tour: $55
- Kanazawa Art : Long tradition of Potter's Wheel Experience: $61
- Guided Night Tour to Feel the Samurai Culture in Kanazawa: $62
- [Day trip bus tour from Kanazawa Station] Weekend only! World Heritage Shirakawago Day Bus Tour: $74
- Nostalgic Shirakawa-go AM Bus Tour: $74
- Kanazawa Night Tour With Full Course Meal: $83
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBagan -Kanazawa $13
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.
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.