Which place is cheaper, Te Anau or Bagan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Bagan or Te Anau?
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 Te Anau can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Bagan or Te Anau?
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.
Te Anau
Te Anau is a town on the South Island of New Zealand, best-known as a gateway to Fiordland National Park and Milford Sound. The region is a major destination for ecotourism as it is home to rare species like the endangered flightless takahe bird and natural features like caves, waterfalls, forests, lakes, glacial valleys, and mountains.
For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand, and The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBagan $19Te Anau $105
The average daily cost (per person) in Bagan is $19, while the average daily cost in Te Anau is $105. 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 Te Anau in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBagan $4.76Te Anau $47
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBagan $9.52Te Anau $94
Compare Hotels in Bagan and Te Anau
Looking for a hotel in Bagan or Te Anau? 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: Te Anau Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Bagan $2.31Te Anau $29
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bagan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bagan:
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Bagan Nyaung-U Airport (NYU): $14
- From Bagan City To Mandalay Private Transfer: $150
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Te Anau
Also for Te Anau, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Kepler Water Taxi Transfer across Lake Te Anau: $18
Is it cheaper to fly into Bagan or Te Anau?
Prices for flights to both Te Anau 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 $3.85Te Anau $29
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
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Bagan $37Te Anau $51
Tours and Activities in Bagan
Here are a few actual costs in Bagan for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Amazing Bagan, full day tour by car and guide: $90
- 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 and Mount Popa Private Tour (2 Days): $90
- Full Day Bagan Tour: $160
- Day Cruise Bagan to Mandalay: $31
- Full Day tour In Bagan UNESCO World Heritage: $50
- Full day Adventure Trip in Bagan with Tuk Tuk : $72
- Full day Adventure Trip to Mt. Popa & Salay: $65
- Half Day Sightseeing With Royal Horse: $76
Tours and Activities in Te Anau
For Te Anau, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Glowworm Caves Guided Tour: $79
- Te Anau Glow Worm Caves Tour: $80
- Lake 3-Hour Boat Cruise with Guided Walk: $89
- Evening Scenic Cruise: $89
- Scenic Cruise & Guided walk on Historic Motor Yacht Lake Te Anau: $90
- Champagne Sightseeing Cruise on Lake Te Anau: $90
- Scenic Cruise & Guided Walk on Historic Motor Yacht Lake Te Anau: $92
- Full-Day National Park Tour with Cruise and Lunch: $107
- Fiordland: Jet Boat & Nature Walk Experience from Te Anau: $116
- Milford Sound Full-Day Tour from Te Anau: $120
- From Milford Sound Cruise and Coach Day Trip: $135
- From Milford Sound Coach Tour and Cruise: $139
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayBagan -Te Anau $15
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bagan and Te Anau, we can see that Te Anau is more expensive. And not only is Bagan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Bagan is in Asia and Te Anau is in Pacific, 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 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 Te Anau would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Te Anau 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 Te Anau Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Bagan or Te Anau?
Te Anau has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Bagan. When comparing the sizes of Bagan and Te Anau, 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.