Which place is cheaper, Guilin or Cebu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cebu or Guilin?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Cebu or Guilin? 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 Guilin?
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.
Guilin
Guilin is a city in Southern China situated on the west bank of the Li River with Hunan to the north. Its name means, "Forest of Sweet Osmanthus," owing to the large number of fragrant Sweet Osmanthus trees located in the city. Products like tea, sugar, and wine, can be made from the tree and are found in many shops throughout Guilin. A popular tourist destination, the city is renowned for its scenery of karst topography with unique mountains jutting out of the urban landscape.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Philippines, The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in China, and The Best Historical Tours in China.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCebu $65Guilin $67
The average daily cost (per person) in Cebu is $65, while the average daily cost in Guilin is $67. 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 Guilin in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCebu $25Guilin $34
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCebu $50Guilin $68
Compare Hotels in Cebu and Guilin
Looking for a hotel in Cebu or Guilin? 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 $26Guilin $5.76
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cebu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cebu:
- Bohol Day Tour with Round-Trip Transfers from Cebu: $190
- Cebu Airport Transfer within Mactan Island, Cebu or Mandaue City: $64
- Cebu Departure Transfer from Lapu-Lapu city to Mactan Cebu Airport (CEB): $40
- Cebu Departure Transfer from Mandaue city to Mactan Cebu Airport (CEB): $40
- Cebu Private Transfer from Mactan Cebu Airport (CEB) to Lapu-Lapu city: $40
- Cebu Private Transfer from Mactan Cebu Airport (CEB) to Mandaue city: $40
- Cebu Private Transfer from Mactan Cebu International Airport (CEB) to Cebu city: $40
- Cebu Seaport - Mactan Hotel (Any Hotel) - One Way Transfer: $22
- Cebu Whale Shark Snorkeling & Tumalog Falls w/ Meals and Transfer: $95
- Private One-Way Airport Transfer: $25
- Danasan Eco Adventure Park Including Round-Trip Hotel Transfer: $161
- Hotel Private Transfer Airport to Cebu, Mandaue, LapuLapu: $25
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Guilin
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Guilin are as follows:
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Taxi$2.76
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guilin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Guilin:
- Private Arrival Transfer: Guilin Train Stations to Downtown Hotel: $17
- Private Arrival Transfer: Guilin International Airport (KWL) to Downtown Hotel: $25
- Private Departure Transfer: Downtown Guilin Hotel to Airport (KWL): $25
- Private Airport Transfer:Guilin Hotel to Guilin Liangjiang International Airport: $35
- Guilin Railway stations Transfer Service: $37
- Transfer from Guilin Hotels to Yangshuo Town: $37
- Private Guilin Airport Transfer to Yangshuo: $42
- Private Airport Transfer: Guilin Liangjiang Airport to Yangshuo Hotel: $45
- Private Arrival Transfer: Guilin International Airport (KWL) to Yangshuo: $49
- Private Arrival Transfer: Guilin Train Stations to Yangshuo: $49
- Guilin liangjiang Airport Chauffeur Service,Guilin Airport Transfer: $57
- Four Lakes Night Cruise with Round-trip Transfer: $57
Is it cheaper to fly into Cebu or Guilin?
Prices for flights to both Guilin 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 $21Guilin $22
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cebu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cebu.
- Cebu City: Historical Street and Food Tour: $67
- Cebu City Historical Street and Food Tour: $69
- Panoramic View of Cebu and Dinner with Night View: $89
- Traditional Filipino Bamboo Cooking Class: $108
- Private Panoramic Tour with Dinner: $131
Typical Food Prices in Guilin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Guilin:
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Fresh Coconut Drink$1.38
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guilin
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Guilin.
- Half day Yangshuo Cooking lesson Small Group Tour: $62
- Full-Day Li-River with the 4 Star Luxury Boat VIP Room and Yangshuo Cooking Tour: $286
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cebu $17Guilin $28
Tours and Activities in Cebu
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cebu are as follows:
- Moalboal Sardines Run Private Tour: $20
- Cebu City Tour: Temple of Leah and many more: $36
- 3-Hour Small Group Cebu City Tour: $38
- Cebu City: Cebu Heritage & Uphill Tour on Two Wheels: $40
- Cebu City Tour (Joiners Tour): $41
- Guided Heritage City Tour: $44
- Highlands Guided Tour w/ Hotel Pickup: $45
- Cebu Highlands Tour(Cebu Taoist, Temple of Leah and Sirao Garden): $46
- Land Tour | Bantayan Island - Sightseeing - Guided Tour: $46
- Cebu Half Day City Tour (Private Tour): $52
- Canyoneering Experience in Kawasan Falls with Lunch: $55
- Cebu City with Sirao Garden Half Day Tour: $57
Typical Entertainment Prices in Guilin
Here are a few typical costs in Guilin for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Entrance to the Caves$17
Tours and Activities in Guilin
Here are a few actual costs in Guilin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Guilin Yangshuo & Longji Rice Terrace 4 days tour: $21
- 1-DAY Private Longji Rice Terraces and Minority Villages Tour: $45
- Guilin Four lakes night cruise with the English speaking driver from Guilin hotel: $47
- Guilin City Center Walking Group Tour at Night for Three Hours: $50
- Half-Day Self-Guided Yangshuo Xianggong Hill Sunrise Tour: $52
- Private Full-Day City Tour with Fubo Hill: $59
- Full-Day Guilin Essence and Lifestyle Walking Tour: $69
- Private Bike Tour: Yangshuo Countryside: $72
- Kayaking Adventure with Local Guide: $72
- Yangshuo Old Town and Li River Cruise from Guilin: $72
- One Day Private Longshen Rice Terraces Tour Including Lunch: $73
- Full/Half-Day Yangshuo Xianggong Mountain Sunrise Private Tour: $77
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCebu $14Guilin $5.72
Sample the Local Flavors in Cebu
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cebu:
- Cebu City Light's Pub Crawl: $99
When comparing the travel costs between Cebu and Guilin, we can see that Guilin is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cebu Expensive? and Is Guilin Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cebu or Guilin?
Cebu has a larger population, and is about 23% larger than the population of Guilin. When comparing the sizes of Cebu and Guilin, 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.
When is the best time to visit Cebu or Guilin?
Guilin has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Cebu experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Cebu or Guilin in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Cebu and Guilin. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Cebu year-round.
Cebu is around the same temperature as Guilin in the summer. The daily temperature in Cebu averages around 28°C (82°F) in July, and Guilin fluctuates around 30°C (86°F).
Guilin receives a lot of rain in the summer. Cebu gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Cebu usually receives less rain than Guilin. Cebu gets 160 mm (6.3 in) of rain, while Guilin receives 206 mm (8.1 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyCebu 28°C (82°F)Guilin 30°C (86°F)
Should I visit Cebu or Guilin in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Cebu as well as Guilin. Cebu attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the autumn, Cebu is a little warmer than Guilin. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Cebu in October average around 28°C (82°F), and Guilin averages at about 23°C (73°F).
Cebu receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Cebu usually gets more rain in October than Guilin. Cebu gets 150 mm (5.9 in) of rain, while Guilin receives 93 mm (3.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberCebu 28°C (82°F)Guilin 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit Cebu or Guilin in the Winter?
Both Guilin and Cebu are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Cebu throughout the year.
In January, Cebu is generally much warmer than Guilin. Daily temperatures in Cebu average around 27°C (81°F), and Guilin fluctuates around 10°C (49°F).
In January, Cebu usually receives more rain than Guilin. Cebu gets 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain, while Guilin receives 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryCebu 27°C (81°F)Guilin 10°C (49°F)
Should I visit Cebu or Guilin in the Spring?
Both Guilin and Cebu during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Cebu because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Cebu is a little warmer than Guilin in the spring. The daily temperature in Cebu averages around 29°C (84°F) in April, and Guilin fluctuates around 20°C (68°F).
Guilin gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Cebu usually gets less rain in April than Guilin. Cebu gets 50 mm (2 in) of rain, while Guilin receives 263 mm (10.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilCebu 29°C (84°F)Guilin 20°C (68°F)
Typical Weather for Guilin and Cebu
| Cebu | Guilin | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 27°C (81°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 10°C (49°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) |
| Feb | 27°C (81°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) |
| Mar | 28°C (82°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 129 mm (5.1 in) |
| Apr | 29°C (84°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 263 mm (10.3 in) |
| May | 30°C (86°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 334 mm (13.2 in) |
| Jun | 29°C (84°F) | 170 mm (6.7 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 320 mm (12.6 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 160 mm (6.3 in) | 30°C (86°F) | 206 mm (8.1 in) |
| Aug | 28°C (82°F) | 140 mm (5.5 in) | 30°C (86°F) | 168 mm (6.6 in) |
| Sep | 29°C (84°F) | 170 mm (6.7 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) |
| Oct | 28°C (82°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
| Nov | 28°C (82°F) | 140 mm (5.5 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) | 12°C (53°F) | 47 mm (1.9 in) |
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.