A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Beirut vs. Pingyao for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Beirut or Pingyao?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Beirut and Pingyao. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Beirut or Pingyao?

Beirut

Some travelers are seeking the hustle, bustle and posh atmosphere that only comes from a big city. Those travelers should have Beirut, Lebanon at the top of their list. The capital city is jam packed with 2.1 million people that are constantly on the go. As the commercial and financial hub of Lebanon, this city is fast-paced, fashion conscious and always ready for a night on the town.

Pingyao

Pingyao is a small city in the Shanxi Province of China, dating back over 2700 years. The city is most famous for their old town, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The old town is one of the best preserved ancient walled cities in the world dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

The climate in Pingyao is influenced by monsoons, and therefore gets hot and humid summers and chillier springs. Autumn is a great time to visit as temperatures are fairly mild-in the 50-60's Fahrenheit- and you can avoid the heavy rains of summer. Winter is also a pleasant time to visit, especially since temperatures tend not to dip below 30 and there is not much snow or bad weather.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in China, and The Best 10-Day Tours in China.


Which place is cheaper, Pingyao or Beirut?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Beirut is $2.26, while the average daily cost in Pingyao is $54. 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 Beirut and Pingyao in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Beirut $1.26
    Pingyao $23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Beirut $2.52
    Pingyao $46
Compare Hotels in Beirut and Pingyao

Looking for a hotel in Beirut or Pingyao? 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 Beirut


Hotels in Pingyao


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: Beirut Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Beirut $0.44
    Pingyao $13

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Beirut

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

  • Beirut Arrival Airport Transfer Pickup: $9.89
  • Departure Transfer:From Hotel To Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY): $10
  • BEY Airport to Hotel, Private Arrival Transfer: $10
  • Airport Arrival Transfer to Your Beirut Hotel: $10
  • Private Transfer from Beirut Hotels to the Beirut Airport: $10
  • Beirut Arrival Airport Transfer: $13
  • Beirut Airport one Way Private Transfer to the hotel: $15
  • Private Arrival Transfer: Beirut International Airport to Hotel: $18
  • Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Beirut International Airport: $18
  • Private Transfer from Rafic Hariri (BEY) Airport to Beirut: $46
  • Private Transfer from Beirut to Rafic Hariri (BEY) Airport: $46
  • Hiking Day Trip to Chouwen Lake with Hotel Transfers: $86

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Pingyao

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Pingyao:


  • Taxi to Train Station
    $1.38

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pingyao

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pingyao:

  • Privater Transfer from Datong to Pingyao with driver: $115
  • Private Transfer Servcie to Mianshan (Mian Mountain) from Pingyao: $60
  • Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Wutaishan from Pingyao: $190

Is it cheaper to fly into Beirut or Pingyao?

Prices for flights to both Pingyao and Beirut 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
    Beirut $0.71
    Pingyao $19

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Beirut

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

  • Authentic Lebanese Virtual Cooking Class Live from Lebanon: $30
  • Traveling Spoon Lebanese Mezze Private Online Cooking Class : $40
  • Private, Traditional Lebanese Cooking Class with a Contemporary Twist: $72
  • Private Lebanese Cooking Class in Beirut with Amal and Hotel Transfers: $142

Typical Food Prices in Pingyao

Some typical examples of dining costs in Pingyao are as follows:


  • Casual Lunch (for 2)
    $4.97
  • Mango Juice
    $0.69

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Beirut $0.26
    Pingyao $18

Tours and Activities in Beirut

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

  • Small Group Tour to Jeita Grotto, Harisa & Byblos with Hotel pickup: $15
  • Discovering Lebanon: Jeita Grotto, Harissa, and Byblos Tour: $15
  • City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $25
  • City Sightseeing Beirut Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $25
  • Beirut : Private Custom Walking Tour With A Guide (Private tour): $34
  • Beirut Like a Local: Customized Private Tour: $35
  • Private Walking Tour With A Guide (Private tour): $48
  • New Small-Group Tour Semi-Private to Jeita,Harissa&Byblos: $50
  • From Jeita, Harissa, and Byblos Tour: $50
  • Full-Day Private Tour to Baalbek, Anjar And Ksara From Beirut: $50
  • Beirut 3 museums + mini walking tour: $50
  • Full-Day Private Tour to Jeita Grotto, Harissa And Baatara Waterfall: $50

Typical Entertainment Prices in Pingyao

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Pingyao are as follows:


  • All Day Bike Rental (for 2)
    $2.76
  • Temple Entrance Fee (for 2)
    $6.90
  • Bike Parking Fee (for 2)
    $0.55

Tours and Activities in Pingyao

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

  • 1-Day Pingyao Ancient Town Sightseeing Walking Tour: $113
  • 1-Day Pingyao tour to Wang Family's Compound and Zhangbi Ancient Fortress : $206
  • 2-Hour Guided Private Bike Tour to see the Hidden Pingyao & Tea Break: $60
  • 3-Hour Private Walking Tour of Pingyao Highlights: $125
  • All Inclusive Pingyao Private Tour to Qiao Family Compound and Shuanglin Temple: $142
  • Day tour to Wang Family Compound shuanglin temple &zhangbi castle: $210
  • Half-Day Private Walking Tour of Pingyao Ancient City: $65
  • Mian Mountain Private Day Tour From Pingyao: $188
  • One Day Tour Exploration of Pingyao Old Town and Wang Family Mansion: $183
  • Pingyao Ancient City Full-Day Walking Tour: $129
  • Pingyao Day Tour: Wang Family Mansion and Zhangbi Ancient Castle: $132
  • Pingyao Food Walking Tour : $67

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Beirut $0.23
    Pingyao $13

Sample the Local Flavors in Beirut

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

  • Full-Day Private Wine Tasting Tour at Chateau Musar and Ixsir : $50
  • Private Wine Tasting Day Tour from Beirut: $60
  • Budget Wine Tasting Tour at the Bekaa Valley Wineries: $60
  • Full-Day Private Wine Tour in Bekaa Valley with Tasting : $60
  • Byblos & Chateau Musar: History and Wine Tour: $65
  • From Full Day Wine Tasting in the Bekaa Valley Tour: $90
  • Lebanon Wine Tasting Tour From Beirut: $91
  • Full-Day Private Wine Tasting Tour to Chateau Musar and Ixsir Winery: $100
  • Private tour to Jeita Grotto with Wine Tasting in Faqra Ruins: $110
  • Full-Day Private Wine Tasting Tour: $150
  • Wine Tasting and Culture : $150
  • Wine Tasting Tour: $150


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Beirut and Pingyao, we can see that Pingyao is more expensive. And not only is Beirut much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Beirut is in Middle East and Pingyao is in Asia, 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 Beirut would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Beirut 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 Pingyao would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Pingyao than you might in Beirut.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Beirut Expensive? and Is Pingyao Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Beirut or Pingyao?

Beirut has a larger population, and is about 50 times larger than the population of Pingyao. When comparing the sizes of Beirut and Pingyao, 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.