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

Should you visit Bagan or Yangshuo?

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

Where Should I go: Bagan or Yangshuo?

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.

Yangshuo

A county of the city, Guilin, Yangshuo is located in a region famous for its karst topography. Surrounded by jagged mountain peaks and bordered on one side by the Li River, Yangshuo has become a popular home base for tourists looking to explore the region's natural wonders. Backpackers and tourists, both foreign and domestic, come to Yangshuo every year making it a city of many cultures. Most locals are even able to speak English, which is fairly uncommon for Chinese cities.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to China, and The Best Tours for Seniors to China.


Which place is cheaper, Yangshuo 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 Yangshuo is $86. 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 Yangshuo in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Bagan $7.36
    Yangshuo $26
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Bagan $15
    Yangshuo $52
Compare Hotels in Bagan and Yangshuo

Looking for a hotel in Bagan or Yangshuo? 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 Yangshuo


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.


Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Bagan $3.57
    Yangshuo $43

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Yangshuo

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

  • From Yangshuo Via Ferrata with Transfer 3 hours Private Tour: $89
  • From Rock Climbing with Transfer Private (3 hours): $69
  • Guilin Private Transfer in English-speaking Services: Between Airport & Yangshuo: $106
  • Guilin: Li River Cruise with Transfer to Yangshuo: $80
  • Impression Liu Sanjie - Ticket Booking (including Round-trip Transfer): $62
  • Private Airport Transfer: Yangshuo Hotel to Guilin Liangjiang Airport: $45
  • Private Departure Transfer: Yangshuo to Guilin Train Stations: $49
  • Private Impression Sanjie Liu Evening Show with Hotel Transfer: $88
  • Private One Way Transfer Service to Guilin City Hotel or Airport from Yangshuo: $48
  • Private Transfer from Xingping hotel to Longsheng hotel: $107
  • Private Transfer from Yangshuo hotel to Guilin hotel: $37
  • Private Transfer from Yangshuo(Xingping) Train Station to Yangshuo Hotel: $21

Is it cheaper to fly into Bagan or Yangshuo?

Prices for flights to both Yangshuo 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
    Yangshuo $33

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 Yangshuo

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

  • Yangshuo Cooking Class with Market Trip: $45
  • Full-day Cultural Experience: Taichi, Cooking & Painting Lessons: $100
  • The impression Liu sanjie show and local dinner in town : $145
  • Combo Impression Sanjie Liu Show and Authentic Cooking Experience: $199
  • Yangshuo Full Day Tour: Cooking class, River boat, Light Show: $259

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Bagan $57
    Yangshuo $24

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 Yangshuo

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Yangshuo.

  • Impression Sanjie Liu Show Ticket: $45
  • Impression Sanjie Liu Show Ticket: $45
  • Impression Sanjie Liu Show Ticket Booking : $45
  • Yangshuo Impression Liusanjie Show Ticket: $45
  • Impression Liusanjie Show Ticket: $48
  • Yangshuo Via Ferrata Ticket: $49
  • Yulong River Bamboo Rafting Experience: $52
  • Yangshuo Ruyi peak & round way cable car ticket: $55
  • Yangshuo Walking Day Tour: $56
  • Half/Full-Day Yangshuo Countryside Moderate Cycling and Sightseeing Private Tour: $60
  • Ticket of Impression Sanjie Liu Show: $62
  • Amphibious Off-Road Biking Experience: $67

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Bagan -
    Yangshuo $34


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


Which is Bigger, Bagan or Yangshuo?

Yangshuo has a larger population, and is about 1000 times larger than the population of Bagan. When comparing the sizes of Bagan and Yangshuo, 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.