Which place is cheaper, Kyoto or Bagan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Bagan or Kyoto?
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 Kyoto can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Bagan or Kyoto?
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.
Kyoto
Kyoto is a larger city of Japan, though it is very much set in the old ways. With quiet temples, sublime gardens, colorful shrines, and geisha walking amidst a city surrounded by stunning mountains, Kyoto feels like a world of another time and place. True to ancient Japanese tradition, most aspects of daily life are tied closely with the changing of the seasons.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Japan, and The Best Cultural Tours in Japan.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBagan $19Kyoto $104
The average daily cost (per person) in Bagan is $19, while the average daily cost in Kyoto is $104. 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 Kyoto in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBagan $4.76Kyoto $68
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBagan $9.52Kyoto $136
Compare Hotels in Bagan and Kyoto
Looking for a hotel in Bagan or Kyoto? 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: Kyoto Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Bagan $2.31Kyoto $8.13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bagan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bagan:
- From Bagan City To Mandalay Private Transfer: $150
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kyoto
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kyoto:
- Chubu Centrair Airport to/from Kyoto Private Transfer: $621
- From Private 1-Way Transfer to Kansai Airport: $355
- Kansai Airport (KIX): Private One-Way Transfer to/from Kyoto: $208
- Kansai Int Airport to/from Kyoto City Private Transfer: $297
- Kansai Intl. Airport KIX Private Transfer to/from Kyoto: $206
- Kyoto to Osaka Kansai Airport (KIX) - Departure Private Transfer: $75
- Customizable Private Tour with Hotel Transfers: $506
- One-Way Private Transfer to/from Itami Airport: $355
- One-Way Private Transfer to/from Itami Airport (ITM): $249
- Osaka (Itami) Airport ITM Private Transfer to/from Kyoto: $261
- Osaka (Itami) Airport to/from Kyoto City Private Transfer: $203
- Osaka City to/from Kyoto City Private transfer: $249
Is it cheaper to fly into Bagan or Kyoto?
Prices for flights to both Kyoto 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 dayBagan $3.85Kyoto $26
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 Kyoto
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Kyoto.
- Private Onigiri Rice Ball Cooking Class in Kyoto: $21
- Japanese Home Cooking Lesson with Local Hosts in Peaceful Kyoto Suburb Otsu: $49
- Japanese Washoku Bento Cooking Class with Lunch: $57
- Kyoto Nishiki Market & Depachika: 2-hours Food Tour with a Local: $59
- Nishiki Market Brunch Walking Food Tour: $60
- Private Guided Traditional Buddhist Cooking in Japan: $64
- Japanese Cooking Class: $66
- Morning Japanese Bento Cooking Class: $67
- Afternoon Japanese Izakaya Cooking Class: $67
- Bento Box Cooking Class: $74
- Izakaya Style Cooking Class: $74
- Wagashi(Japanese sweets) Cooking :Kyoto near Fushimiinari: $82
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Bagan $37Kyoto $14
Tours and Activities in Bagan
Here are a few actual costs in Bagan for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Day Cruise Bagan to Mandalay: $31
- Mount Popa Tour: $42
- Old Bagan Sightseeing Tour: $43
- Old Bagan Biking Tour - Half Day (Guide included): $45
- Private Bagan Cultural Tour : $46
- Best Bagan One Day Tour With Tour Guide: $48
- Private Day Tour to Mt Popa: $48
- Visiting Mount Popa from Bagan - Private Tour: $48
- Full Day tour In Bagan UNESCO World Heritage: $50
- Half Day Local Color Tour In Bagan: $57
- BAGAN TEMPLES FULL DAY GUIDED BY ELECTRIC BIKE ( Private Tour ): $64
- Tuk Tuk tour to Mt. Popa : $67
Tours and Activities in Kyoto
Here are a few actual costs in Kyoto for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Arashiyama self guided tour app multilingual audio guide: $2.22
- Kyoto Imaginary Experience: $2.66
- Fushimi Inara-Taisha Imaginary Experience: $3.32
- Kyoto Essential Spots Tour(Limited Time Discount!): $3.55
- KYOMAF Venue Guided Tour [English/Chinese/Korean]: $3.55
- Kyoto Tower Admission Ticket: $6.28
- Ninnaji Temple Entry Ticket: $7.10
- Family Mitsui House Museum with green tea admission ticket: $7.87
- Fushimi Inari Shrine: Explore the 1,000 Torii Gates on an audio walking tour: $7.99
- West Kyoto in One Day: A Self-Guided Audio Tour in English: $8.15
- Kyoto self-guided tour app with multi-language audioguide: $8.86
- Traditional Tea Ceremony Experience in Kyoto: $8.98
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayBagan -Kyoto $13
Sample the Local Flavors in Kyoto
Also in Kyoto, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Sake Brewery and Tasting Tour in Fushimi: $89
- Insider Sake Brewery Tour with Sake and Food Pairing: $97
- Rural Brewery Town Walk: Half-Day Private Tour Near Kyoto: $109
- Kyoto Sake Brewery Tour: $173
- Rural Villages & Brewery Town: Private 1-Day Cycling Near Kyoto: $204
- Kyoto Sake Bar and Pub Crawl (Food & Sake Tour): $213
- Nightlife Bar Crawl Tour with Local Guide: $451
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bagan and Kyoto, we can see that Kyoto 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 Kyoto would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kyoto 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 Kyoto Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Bagan or Kyoto?
Kyoto has a larger population, and is about 4870 times larger than the population of Bagan. When comparing the sizes of Bagan and Kyoto, 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.