Which place is cheaper, Dali or Cebu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Cebu or Dali?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Cebu or Dali? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Cebu or Dali?
Cebu
Cebu Island is an important island in the Visayas region of the Philippines, characterized by its main port at Cebu City as well as many natural features. The most-visited areas include islands of Mactan, Bantayan, Badian, Malapascua and Camotes, all which have resorts and hotels. Scuba diving and snorkeling are common activities along the shoreline, while hiking the mountainous spine of the island is popular inland.
Dali
Dali is a city in southern China with a long and glorious history dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The Xiaguan neighborhood of the city is the modern industrial center where most public transportation arrives; however, the Old Town of Dali is the place that draws the most visitors. Being one of China's ancient cities, Dali is said to have been a gateway to the Silk Road, and still attracts attention with its traditional architecture, beautiful scenery, ethnic cultures, and nightlife.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Philippines, The Best Honeymoon Tours in Philippines, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in China, and The Best Adventure Tours to China.
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Cebu Prices
Philippines PricesDali Prices
China Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCebu $80Dali $62
The average daily cost (per person) in Cebu is $80, while the average daily cost in Dali is $62. 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 Cebu and Dali in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCebu $25Dali $17
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCebu $50Dali $34
Compare Hotels in Cebu and Dali
Looking for a hotel in Cebu or Dali? 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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Cebu Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cebu $26Dali $9.34
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cebu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cebu:
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Cebu HTL-APT (CEB): $31
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Cebu APT-HTL (CEB): $18
- Private Airport to Hotel Transfer in Cebu City: $35
- Oslob Private Van Transfer between Cebu, Mactan or Mandaue City: $175
- Mactan-Cebu Island Hopping Cruise with Lunch & Roundtrip Transfer: $196
- Kawasan Falls Canyoneering w/ Lunch & Transfers from Cebu City: $122
- Danasan Eco Adventure Park Including Round-Trip Hotel Transfer: $161
- Cordova Private Transfer from Cordova city to Mactan Cebu Airport (CEB): $28
- Private One-Way Airport Transfer: $26
- Private Car Transfer with Driver (Flexible Routes): $28
- Oslob Whale Shark Encounter & SUMILON with Transfers: $196
- One-way Airport Transfer to Cebu City Hotels: $89
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Dali
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Dali:
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Local Bus$0.42
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dali
Also for Dali, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Dali Airport Chauffeur Service, Private Dali Airport Transfer: $40
- Private Transfer from Dali to Lijiang hotel/airport(LJG): $149
- Private Transfer from Dali to Lijiang/Shuhe hotel and Stops at Shaxi Old Town: $160
Is it cheaper to fly into Cebu or Dali?
Prices for flights to both Dali and Cebu 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 dayCebu $36Dali $32
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cebu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cebu.
- Carbon Market Food Tour & Bars with Jeepney Ride: $16
- Highlands Guided Tour with STREET FOOD TOUR OPTION: $45
- The Ultimate Cebu Food Tour: Local Tastes & Cultural Journey: $70
- Cebu City: Historical Street and Food Tour: $89
- Cebu Traditional Cuisine Cooking Class: $98
- Private Panoramic Tour with Dinner: $100
- Cebu Traditional Bamboo Cooking Class: $107
- Cebu Traditional Bamboo Cooking: $110
- Cebu Vegetarian Cooking Class: $110
- Cebu Traditional Cuisine Cooking Class: $110
- 5-Hour Evening Tour from Cebu with Dinner: $110
Typical Food Prices in Dali
For Dali, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch$4.49
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Breakfast$3.50
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dali
For Dali, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cangshan Mountain hike and organic homemade dinner: $80
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cebu $17Dali $18
Tours and Activities in Cebu
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cebu are as follows:
- BEST OF Cebu City Heritage with Uphill Tour | Joiners: $64
- Cebu Steet food, historical and mountain tour: $110
- 3-Hour Small Group Cebu City Tour: $38
- Aqua Sports Adventure Package with 3 Water Activities: $129
- BEST OF Cebu City Heritage with Uphill Tour: $61
- BEST OF Guided Heritage City Joiners Tour: $44
- Badian Canyoneering Adventure and Kawasan Waterfalls Private Tour: $149
- Badian Cebu Canyoneering Experience: $146
- Badian Cebu Canyoneering Experience: $103
- Balamban Uphill Adventure Tour in Cebu: $100
- Best Seller Cebu City Group Tour: $53
- Bohol Countryside Day Tour From Cebu City | Lunch at Loboc River Cruise: $145
Tours and Activities in Dali
For Dali, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Donglianhua (East Lotus) & Hui Muslim Culture Tour: $70
- Dali City Tour with Private Guide: $71
- Yunnan Dali Erhai 3 Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple One Day Tour: $74
- Ancient City, Three Pagodas, and Longkan (ErHai) Tour: $85
- Jizu Mountain Private Tour: $85
- Jizu Mountain Private Tour: $87
- Dali XIzhou Ancient Town Private Tour: $87
- Zhoucheng Village Tie Dyeing Private Experience: $87
- Xizhou Ancient Town Private Half-Day Tour: $89
- Zhoucheng Village Tie-Dyeing Experience Private Tour: $89
- Shaxi Ancient Town Private Tour: $99
- Xizhou Ancient Town and Dali Ancient City Tour: $101
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCebu $14Dali $11
Sample the Local Flavors in Cebu
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cebu:
- Makati Pub Crawl with Optional City Tour: $18
- Cebu City Light's Pub Crawl: $110
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cebu and Dali, we can see that Cebu is more expensive. And not only is Dali much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Dali would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Dali 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 Cebu would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cebu than you might in Dali.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cebu Expensive? and Is Dali Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cebu or Dali?
Cebu has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Dali. When comparing the sizes of Cebu and Dali, 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.