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

Should you visit Bagan or Yichang?

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

Where Should I go: Bagan or Yichang?

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.

Yichang

Yichang, China is an ancient city situated on the northern bank of the Yangtze River in central China. The city is located just below the famed Three Gorges Dam and is a popular ending point for many Yangtze River cruises. Yichang offers beautiful natural scenery and ancient relics from the Three Kingdom Period.

Yichang experiences cool, rainy, winters and hot, humid, summers. Temperatures tend to stay in the 40's Fahrenheit during winter and the 80's in the summer. Spring, Summer, and Autumn are fantastic times to visit, although if you prefer to beat the heat, stay away during late summer!

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Beijing, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Lhasa.


Which place is cheaper, Yichang or Bagan?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Bagan is $30, while the average daily cost in Yichang is $58. 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 Yichang in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Bagan $7.36
    Yichang $24
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Bagan $15
    Yichang $48
Compare Hotels in Bagan and Yichang

Looking for a hotel in Bagan or Yichang? 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 Yichang


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
    Yichang $14

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bagan

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bagan:

  • From Bagan City To Mandalay Private Transfer: $150

Is it cheaper to fly into Bagan or Yichang?

Prices for flights to both Yichang 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 $5.95
    Yichang $21

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 $57
    Yichang $18

Tours and Activities in Bagan

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

  • Day Cruise Bagan to Mandalay: $31
  • Mount Popa Tour: $42
  • Old Bagan Sightseeing Tour: $43
  • Old Bagan Biking Tour - Half Day (Guide included): $45
  • Private Bagan Cultural Tour : $46
  • Best Bagan One Day Tour With Tour Guide: $48
  • Visiting Mount Popa from Bagan - Private Tour: $48
  • Full Day tour In Bagan UNESCO World Heritage: $50
  • BAGAN TEMPLES FULL DAY GUIDED BY ELECTRIC BIKE ( Private Tour ): $64
  • Full day Adventure Trip to Mt. Popa & Salay: $65
  • Tuk Tuk tour to Mt. Popa : $67
  • Private Bagan day tour by car with horse cart: $70

Tours and Activities in Yichang

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Yichang are as follows:

  • Yichang Tourist Center to Yichang Sanxia Airport (YIH): $53
  • Private Tour: Essence of Yichang Day Tour: $165
  • Private Day Tour in Yichang to Sanyou Cave and Sanxia Waterfall : $239
  • Yichang hotel/Sanxia Tourist Center/Maoping pier to Zhangjiajie: $290
  • From Yichang to Chongqing: 5-Day Cruise with Meals: $761

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Bagan -
    Yichang $14


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


Which is Bigger, Bagan or Yichang?

Yichang has a larger population, and is about 1590 times larger than the population of Bagan. When comparing the sizes of Bagan and Yichang, 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.