Which place is cheaper, Luang Prabang or Bagan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Bagan or Luang Prabang?
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 Luang Prabang can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Bagan or Luang Prabang?
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.
Luang Prabang
Southeast Asia is a region full of mystical wonders and cultural charm, but nowhere is as charming as the city of Luang Prabang. As the former capital of Laos, Luang Prabang was reopened to tourism in 1989. With that move the city experienced an upswing in revenue and was able to restore and rebuild the beautiful colonial mansions to serve as guesthouses and hotels for the new swarm of tourists.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Laos, and The Best Contiki Tours to Laos.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBagan $19Luang Prabang $13
The average daily cost (per person) in Bagan is $19, while the average daily cost in Luang Prabang is $13. 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 Luang Prabang in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBagan $4.76Luang Prabang $5.49
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBagan $9.52Luang Prabang $11
Compare Hotels in Bagan and Luang Prabang
Looking for a hotel in Bagan or Luang Prabang? 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: Luang Prabang Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Bagan $2.31Luang Prabang $2.03
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
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Luang Prabang
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Luang Prabang are as follows:
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Tuk Tuk Ride$2.26
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Luang Prabang
Also for Luang Prabang, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- LPQ Airport: Private Transfer to/from Luang Prabang City: $29
- Luang Prabang Private Airport transfers: $9.00
Is it cheaper to fly into Bagan or Luang Prabang?
Prices for flights to both Luang Prabang 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 $3.85Luang Prabang $5.24
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Luang Prabang
For Luang Prabang, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Day-time Bamboo weaving & Cooking Classes join-in: $44
- Bamboo Weaving Workshop & Cooking Class: $44
- Evening Bamboo weaving & Cooking classes join-in: $47
- Mekong Sunset Cruise and Hot Pot Dinner: $50
- Luang Prabang Mekong Sunset Cruise and Hot Pot Dinner: $51
- Evening Cooking Class & Local Baci Ceremony: $51
- Laos Cooking Class in Luang Prabang: $55
- Luang Prabang Evening food tour by Tuktuk: $57
- Cooking Class: $58
- Luang Prabang Evening Food Tour by Tuk-Tuk: $59
- Full Day bamboo experience with cooking class & Kuang si waterfalls: $59
- Morning food tour with local market option Kuangsi waterfall : $60
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Bagan $37Luang Prabang $2.61
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 Luang Prabang
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Luang Prabang.
- Shuttle Bus ticket to Kuang Si Waterfalls: $8.00
- UNESCO World Heritage City Highlights Tour: $32
- Sunset Cruise Luang Prabang: $35
- Luang Prabang Foodie Walking Tour and Monk Blessing: $40
- Full day / Half Day Kayaking and Pak Ou Caves with optional sunset cruise: $41
- Morning local food Market experience option waterfall tour: $41
- From Guided Mountain Bike Tour with Lunch: $42
- Kayak Tour to Pak Ou Caves: $43
- Luang Prabang City Tour & Kuang Si Waterfalls: $44
- Foodie Walking Tour & Monk Blessing: $45
- Sunset Cruise in Luang Prabang with Live Performance: $45
- Luang Prabang Street Food and Biking Tour: $47
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBagan -Luang Prabang -
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bagan and Luang Prabang, we can see that Bagan is more expensive. And not only is Luang Prabang much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Luang Prabang would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Luang Prabang 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 Bagan would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bagan than you might in Luang Prabang.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Bagan Expensive? and Is Luang Prabang Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Bagan or Luang Prabang?
Luang Prabang has a larger population, and is about 160 times larger than the population of Bagan. When comparing the sizes of Bagan and Luang Prabang, 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.