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

Should you visit Bagan or Wellington?

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 Wellington can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Bagan or Wellington?

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.

Wellington

Wellington is the capital and second largest city in New Zealand. It sits on the southwestern edge of the North Island between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range. It's a beautiful setting that is encircled by mountains giving it a beautiful backdrop. There are also many cultural sights and attractions around town. Wellington really is the perfect mix of New Zealand's natural beauty and a vibrant urban core. The film industry is also prevelant in the city. The city's production centers have helped create Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit trilogies, Avatar, Tin Tin, and District 9.

For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand, and The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Wellington 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 Wellington is $124. 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 Wellington in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Bagan $7.36
    Wellington $60
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Bagan $15
    Wellington $120
Compare Hotels in Bagan and Wellington

Looking for a hotel in Bagan or Wellington? 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 Wellington


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: Wellington Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Bagan $3.57
    Wellington $12

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Wellington

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

  • Wētā Workshop Guided Transfers & Tour: $59
  • Private Airport Transfer Service Vice Versa in Wellington by SUV: $75
  • Private Large SUV Airport Transfers Wellington - Executive Travel: $58
  • Private Transfer from Wellington Airport (WLG) to Wellington Port: $26
  • Private Transfer from Wellington Port to Wellington Airport (WLG): $26
  • Private Transfer from Wellington hotels to Wellington Cruise Port: $106
  • Wellington Airport(WLG) to Wellington-Round-Trip Private Transfer: $156
  • WLG Airport to City Private RoundTrip Transfer: $93
  • Wētā Workshop Guided Tour Ticket + Transfer: $57

Is it cheaper to fly into Bagan or Wellington?

Prices for flights to both Wellington 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
    Wellington $51

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

Typical Food Prices in Wellington

For Wellington, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Dinner
    $8.87

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Wellington

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

  • 3 Hour Walking Food Tour: $125

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Bagan $57
    Wellington $16

Tours and Activities in Bagan

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

  • Old Bagan Sightseeing Tour: $43
  • Visiting Mount Popa from Bagan - Private Tour: $48

Tours and Activities in Wellington

For Wellington, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Return Cable Car Ticket: $6.95
  • Wellington Zoo General Entry Tickets: $15
  • Private Group Puzzle-Solving Adventure Game: Atlantis: $27
  • Private Group Puzzle-Solving Adventure Game: Temple: $27
  • Private Group Puzzle-Solving Adventure Game: Spaceship: $27
  • Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Entry Ticket: $28
  • Wētā Workshop Guided Tour Ticket: $32
  • Wētā Workshop Creative Classes Experience Ticket: $32
  • Wētā Workshop Experiences Tour - Wellington: $33
  • Axe Throwing Lesson and Tournament: $33
  • Zealandia by Day Tour: $37
  • Auckland: Wētā Workshop Unleashed Creative Classes Ticket: $38

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

Sample the Local Flavors in Wellington

Also in Wellington, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Wellington Craft Brewery Half-Day Guided Tour with Tastings: $99
  • From Martinborough Wine Tasting Tour: $168
  • Exclusive Martinborough Wine Tour: $210
  • Chefs Private Martinborough wine tour with Gourmet Lunch: $391


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bagan and Wellington, we can see that Wellington 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 Wellington 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 Wellington would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Wellington 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 Wellington Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Bagan or Wellington?

Wellington has a larger population, and is about 1270 times larger than the population of Bagan. When comparing the sizes of Bagan and Wellington, 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.