Should you visit Beijing or Rome?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between Beijing and Rome can help. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Beijing
Beijing is the capital of China and, with 21.5 million people, it is the second most populated city in the world after Shanghai. It is a city that keeps pockets of its history hidden in old neighborhoods or back alleys, despite the constant change and modernization that goes on around it. As the capital city of China, there is plenty of history and culture. You can still get yourself lost in one of the last remaining hutongs, which are old neighborhoods that remain untouched by the city's modernization. The alleys that weave between the old homes are lined with drying clothes, corner markets, and people going about their daily lives the way they have for centuries. Surrounding these hutongs you'll find modern buildings and a booming economy, all threatening to destroying these last bits of Beijing's history. Beijing offers a glimpse into a microcosm that represents the entire country of China. Make sure you give yourself enough time in China to truly experience Beijing. You can pass a lot of time soaking up life in the city, which remains as diverse as the country it resides within.
Rome
Rome is the capital and largest city in Italy. It is also a common entry point for most visitors flying into the country. Rome has been a center of power, culture, and religion for the last millenium, making it one of the most famous and popular destinations in not only Europe, but the world. The influence of the Roman Empire can be seen across continents.
Which city is cheaper, Rome or Beijing?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Beijing is $69, while the average daily cost in Rome is $155. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Beijing and Rome in more detail.
Accommodation
The average price for accommodation for two people in Beijing is $70. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
The average price for accommodation for two people in Rome is $158. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
Food
In Beijing travelers spend around $18 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
In Rome travelers spend around $44 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
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Food
Meals for one day
Beijing $18
Rome $44
Typical Food prices in Beijing
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Beijing:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Beijing
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Beijing.
-
Online Cooking Class:
$25
-
Path Hutong Food Tour:
$30
-
Kung fu Show and Peking Roasted Duck Dinner:
$58
-
Private Temple of Heaven Walking Tour with Peking Duck Dinner or Kung Fu Show:
$62
-
Acrobatic Show w/ Peking Duck Dinner Private:
$68
-
Beijing Historical Center with Peking Opera and Duck Dinner:
$69
-
3 hours Morning or Afternoon Tea Tasting on Maliandao Street and Tea Restaurant Lunch or Dinner Tour:
$69
-
Beijing Hutong Breakfast Food Tour:
$69
-
4-Hour Peking Duck Dinner & Kung Fu Show Night:
$80
-
Old Beijing Dinner Tour:
$80
-
Vegetarian / Peking Duck / Hotpot Dinner with Kungfu Show Private Tour:
$90
-
Authentic Local Food Tour in Center Beijing:
$90
Typical Food prices in Rome
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Rome:
-
Casual Lunch (for Two)
$17
-
4 Ice Cream Sandwiches
$3.55
-
Cafe e doce
$4.75
-
Pizza (Fast Food)
$3.15
-
Sitdown Lunch (for Two)
$38
-
Cheese and bread
$12
-
Espresso
$2.38
-
Dinner
$69
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rome
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Rome.
-
Tours from Home: Pizza Cooking Class with Italian Chefs:
$15
-
Interactive Cooking Experiences with Renowned Chefs All Over the World (in EST):
$22
-
Live from Tagliatelle & Chicken Fricassee Online Cooking Class:
$23
-
Gelato Cooking Class:
$33
-
Virtual Cooking Class: Carbonara, Amatriciana, Pesto & "pasta al dente":
$40
-
5-Course Lunch or Dinner with Roman Jewish Dishes:
$44
-
Street Food Tour with Local Guide:
$44
-
Rome by Night: Bike Tour with Pizza:
$45
-
1.5-Hour Campo de' Fiori to Jewish Quarter Food Tour:
$48
-
2.5-Hour Self-Guided Food Tour in Trastevere:
$48
-
Private Italian dinner in Rome with a selection of local wines:
$51
-
Bitemojo Self Guided Food Tour Artisian Rome:
$55
Local Transportation
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $6.83 per day to get around in Beijing.
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $20 per day to get around in Rome.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Beijing
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Beijing:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Beijing
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Beijing:
-
1-Day Beijing Layover Private Tour: Forbidden City with Round Airport transfers:
$190
-
1-Day Beijing Layover Tour: Mutianyu Great Wall with Round Airport Transfers:
$195
-
1-Day Bejing Layover Tour:Mutianyu Great Wall,Forbidden City & Airport Transfers:
$250
-
1-Hour Private Tai Chi Class in the Temple of Heaven Park with One Way Transfer:
$78
-
1-Way Private Transfer Service between Tianjin cruise Port and Beijing hotels:
$301
-
1-Way Private Transfer between Beijing Airport and City Hotels:
$30
-
2 Days Beijing to Feng Ning Ba Shang Grassland tour with private transfer:
$448
-
2-Day Customizable Beijing Highlight Tour with Airport Transfer Option:
$520
-
2-Day Highlights Group Tour With Beijing Airport Transfer Service:
$247
-
2-Day Private Beijing Tour with PEK Airport Transfer:
$265
-
2-Way Share Transfer Service to Mutianyu Great Wall from Beijing Capital Airport:
$84
-
3 Days Beijing Private Tour with Airport (Train Station) Transfer:
$305
Typical Local Transportation prices in Rome
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Rome:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rome
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rome:
-
1-Way Private Transfer from Rome to Fiumicino Airport:
$72
-
1-Way Transfer from Rome Hotels to Airports FCO and CPO:
$18
-
59/5000 Transfer from Rome to Sorrento with stop in Pompeii:
$622
-
A Secret Way to the Sistine Chapel Private Tour-transfers included:
$475
-
Accessible Transportation in Rome Civitavecchia or Airport transfer:
$162
-
Airport Transfert Roma:
$93
-
Airport transfer:
$100
-
Airport transfer from hotel in Rome:
$20
-
All Rome in One Day Special Private Tour - Skip the Line, Guide, Lunch, Transfer:
$588
-
Ancient Ostia Ruins, private transfer:
$637
-
Ancient Ostia Ruins, private transfer:
$597
-
Assisi & Orvieto, one day, private transfer:
$1,244
Is it cheaper to fly into Beijing or Rome?
Prices for flights to both Rome and Beijing 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.
Entertainment
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $21 per person, per day in Beijing. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $34 per person, per day in Rome. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Typical Entertainment prices in Beijing
Here are a few typical costs in Beijing for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
-
Entry to Summer Palace for Two
$9.26
-
Two Opera Tickets
$66
-
Temple of Heaven Park Entrance (for 2)
$11
-
Forbidden City (for 2)
$19
-
Forbidden City Tickets
$19
-
Audio Guides at Forbidden City
$12
Tours and Activities in Beijing
Here are a few actual costs in Beijing for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
-
Temple of Heaven Tickets Booking:
$4.00
-
MTY test product for tours:
$5.00
-
Beijing Summer Palace Admission Ticket:
$5.13
-
Train Tickets in China:
$5.34
-
Private Tailor made tour for your family only in China around:
$5.34
-
Beijing National Center for the Performing Arts Admission Ticket:
$6.45
-
Beijing Temple of Heaven Admission Ticket:
$7.06
-
Skip-the-Line Yonghe Lama Temple Ticket:
$7.30
-
Summer Palace Tickets Booking:
$8.00
-
Mutianyu: Great Wall Admission Tickets:
$8.18
-
Beijing Forbidden City Entrance Ticket (with Optional Guided Service):
$8.21
-
Beijing Automobile Museum Admission Ticket:
$8.71
Typical Entertainment prices in Rome
Here are a few typical costs in Rome for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
-
Rome Museum Vaticano (for 2)
$82
-
Coliseum Tickets (for Two)
$39
-
Roma Pass
$36
-
Hop on Hop Off Bus (All Day)
$24
-
Segway Tour
$89
Tours and Activities in Rome
Here are a few actual costs in Rome for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
-
Highlights of Rome Free Walking Tour:
$3.58
-
35-Minute Rome Pantheon Audio Guide Tour:
$5.71
-
A day as a citizen of ancient Rome - live virtual experience:
$6.22
-
Ticket for Pantheon with Audioguide + City APP:
$6.22
-
Tours from Home: Essential Rome, The Iconic Piazzas:
$10
-
Tours from Home: Colosseum & Gladiators:
$10
-
Leonardo da Vinci Exhibition Entrance Ticket:
$10
-
Ticket to Piazza Navona Undergrounds Stadium of Domitian:
$11
-
Rome Pantheon: 35-Minute Audio Guide Tour:
$11
-
Ancient Rome Virtual Guided Tour (Times in EST):
$11
-
Self-guided Virtual Tour of Colosseum: The Highlights:
$11
-
Piazza Navona 1-Hour Underground Audio Guide Tour:
$11
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Beijing may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $10 per day on alcoholic beverages.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Rome may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $17 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Sample the Local Flavors in Beijing
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Beijing:
-
Evening Food Private Tour with Brewery Taproom Hopping at Slow Boat in Beijing:
$138
-
5-Hour Private Changyu Chateau Wine Tasting Tour from Beijing:
$178
-
Private Wonderful Beijing Bar Crawl Tour:
$195
-
Private Changyu Chateau Wine Tasting Tour and Mutianyu Great Wall Visit:
$228
Typical Alcohol prices in Rome
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Rome:
-
Bottle of Wine
$7.72
-
Pint of Beer
$7.53
-
Beer
$12
Sample the Local Flavors in Rome
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Rome:
-
3.5-Hour Castelli Romani Wine Tasting Tour:
$50
-
Roman Countryside Vineyards and Wine Tasting:
$67
-
4-Hour Food and Wine Tasting Tour:
$69
-
Campo De' Fiori Market and Trevi Food & Wine Tour:
$90
-
4-Hour Food and Wine Tasting Tour:
$91
-
Private Rome Food & Wine Tour with Aperitif on Private Roof Top Terrance:
$100
-
Colosseum Fast Track and Wine Tasting Day Tour:
$119
-
Wine Tour Experience from Rome factory Giglio:
$123
-
Small-Group Food and Wine Tour with Pickup:
$131
-
Lunch, Diner and wine tasting in a shaby chic italian restaurant in Rome:
$135
-
From Frascati 3-Hour Private Wine Tasting Tour:
$147
-
Wine Tasting in Frascati from Rome:
$160
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Beijing and Rome, we can see that Rome is more expensive. And not only is Beijing much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Beijing is in Asia and Rome is in Europe, 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 Beijing would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Beijing 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 Rome would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Rome than you might in Beijing.
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