Which place is cheaper, Yangshuo or Bagan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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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.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBagan $19Yangshuo $74
The average daily cost (per person) in Bagan is $19, while the average daily cost in Yangshuo is $74. 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
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBagan $4.76Yangshuo $26
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBagan $9.52Yangshuo $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.
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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Bagan $2.31Yangshuo $43
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 Yangshuo
Also for Yangshuo, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Impression Liu Sanjie - Ticket Booking (including Round-trip Transfer): $75
- Private Airport Transfer: Yangshuo Hotel to Guilin Liangjiang Airport: $45
- Private Impression Sanjie Liu Evening Show with Hotel Transfer: $88
- Private Transfer from Yangshuo hotel to Guilin hotel: $37
- Private Yangshuo Transfer from Hotel to Longji terraces Hotel: $96
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
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Food Meals for one dayBagan $3.85Yangshuo $19
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:
- Full-day Cultural Experience: Taichi, Cooking & Painting Lessons: $100
- The impression Liu sanjie show and local dinner in town : $145
- Yangshuo Full Day Tour: Cooking class, River boat, Light Show: $259
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Bagan $37Yangshuo $24
Tours and Activities in Bagan
Here are a few actual costs in Bagan for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Acient Capitals of Myanmar Tour: $149
- 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 Horse Cart Ride Tour with Puppet Show: $160
- Bagan and Mount Popa Private Tour (2 Days): $90
- Best Bagan One Day Tour With Tour Guide: $48
- Day Cruise Bagan to Mandalay: $31
- Faces of Bagan Private Photography Tour: $199
- Full Day tour In Bagan UNESCO World Heritage: $50
- Full day Adventure Trip to Mt. Popa & Salay: $65
Tours and Activities in Yangshuo
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Yangshuo.
- Impression Sanjie Liu Show Ticket: $45
- Yangshuo Impression Liusanjie Show Ticket: $45
- Impression Liusanjie Show Ticket: $48
- Yangshuo Ruyi peak & round way cable car ticket: $55
- Half/Full-Day Yangshuo Countryside Moderate Cycling and Sightseeing Private Tour: $60
- 4-Hour Small Group Rock Climbing Tour in Yangshuo: $61
- Entry Ticket to Liu San Jie Impression Show: $71
- Qixianfeng Tea Plantation Tour in Yangshuo: $79
- 1 Day - Yangshuo Bike Tour: $80
- Private Half-Day Bike and Bamboo Raft Tour in Yangshuo: $80
- Gullin: Li River Cruise with Pickup and Yangshuo: $81
- All Inclusive Private Hiking Tour in Yangshuo: $84
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBagan -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.
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.