A Travel Price Comparison for China Chongqing vs. Harbin for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Chongqing or Harbin?

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 Chongqing and Harbin. 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: Chongqing or Harbin?

Chongqing

Chongqing, China is a large city in central China and one of only four cities in the country that are not part of a province. While Chongqing is famous for being an economically important city, brush away its industrial surface and you'll find a naturally beautiful city with plenty of hidden wonders. Although you'll find many expats in the city, English is rarely spoken, meaning knowing some basic Mandarin will come in handy.

Harbin

Harbin, China is the northernmost major city in the country, with a population of over 10 million. Harbin was founded in 1897 by Russia, which has resulted in a lot of Russian influence throughout the city and many Russian citizens. The city is most famous for their annual International Snow and Ice Festival, a two-month-long festival running from January through February of each year.

Which place is cheaper, Harbin or Chongqing?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Chongqing is $86, while the average daily cost in Harbin 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 Chongqing and Harbin in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Chongqing $49
    Harbin $21
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Chongqing $98
    Harbin $42
Compare Hotels in Chongqing and Harbin

Looking for a hotel in Chongqing or Harbin? 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 Chongqing


Hotels in Harbin


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.
    Chongqing $19
    Harbin $1.49

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chongqing

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chongqing:

  • [Airport Transfer] Chongqing Airport ⇔ Chongqing City Transfer ☆ High reputation for service! <Charter charter>: $23
  • Private Transfer: Chongqing Jiangbei Airport (CKG) to Chaotianmen Cruise Pier: $43
  • Private Transfer: Chongqing Chaotianmen Cruise Pier to Airport (CKG) : $43
  • Private Transfer from Chongqing hotel to Chongqing Train Station : $27
  • Private One Way Transfer (English Service) between Airport & Hotel & Cruise Port: $61
  • Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chongqing Chaotianmen Cruise Pier: $39
  • Private Arrival Transfer: Chongqing Jiangbei Airport (CKG) to Hotel: $22
  • Private Arrival Transfer: Chongqing Chaotianmen Cruise Pier to Hotel: $39
  • Departure Private Transfer Chongqing to Chongqing Airport CKG by Standard Sedan: $54
  • Departure Private Transfer Chongqing to Chongqing Airport CKG by Executive Sedan: $124
  • Departure Private Transfer Chongqing City to Chongqing Airport CKG by Minivan: $72
  • Datong Yungang Airport Chauffeur Service , to Datong Transfer: $40

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Harbin

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

  • Private Departure Transfer:City Hotel to Any Harbin Railway Station : $25
  • Harbin Airport (HRB) : Private Arrival Transfer with Meet & Greet Service: $32
  • Harbin Airport Chauffeur Service, Harbin Airport Transfer: $27
  • Harbin Airport Chauffeur Service, Harbin Airport Transfer: $40
  • Harbin City Car Transfer Service with Driver: $128
  • Harbin Private Transfer from Harbin Airport (HRB) to central Harbin: $114
  • Harbin Private Transfer from Harbin central to Harbin Taiping Airport (HRB): $114
  • Harbin Taiping Airport Chauffeur Service , Harbin Airport Transfer,Pick up: $78
  • Harbin Taiping Airport Chauffeur Service, Harbin Airport Transfer, Pick up.: $59
  • Private Arrival Transfer from Harbin Railway Station to Harbin City Hotel: $55
  • Private Arrival Transfer from Harbin West Railway Station to Harbin City Hotel: $65
  • Private Arrival Transfer to China's Snow Town from Harbin HRB Airport: $149

Is it cheaper to fly into Chongqing or Harbin?

Prices for flights to both Harbin and Chongqing 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
    Chongqing $24
    Harbin $14

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chongqing

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Chongqing.

  • Chongqing Liangjiang Night Cruise Including Authentic Hot Pot Dinner: $115
  • Chongqing City Private Night Tour with Hot Pot Dinner: $151
  • Chongqing Port Transfer Service with Half-Day Tour and Hot Pot Dinner: $193
  • From Port Transfer with Half Day Tour and Hot Pot Dinner: $197
  • Chongqing Night View Private Tour with Hot-pot Dinner: $240

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Harbin

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

  • Harbin Dumpling Cooking Class: $154
  • Half-Day Private Harbin Beer Museum and Food Tour Including Harbin Beer1900: $157
  • 4-Hour Private Night Tour to Harbin Ice and Snow World with Dinner Options: $261
  • Private Full Day Tour to Harbin Beifang Forest Zoo and Optional Seafood Dinner: $261
  • Hot Spring Experience with Hot Pot Dinner in Harbin: $300

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Chongqing $13
    Harbin $52

Tours and Activities in Chongqing

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

  • Dazu Rock Carvings Private Day Tour With the baoding Mountain and Beishan site: $251
  • 1-Day Chongqing City Private Tour with the Hot pot Lunch: $157
  • 1-Day Chongqing Dazu Rock Carvings Private Tour With the Lunch: $230
  • 1-Day Private Tour: Wulong Tiankeng Three Bridges and Fairy Mountain: $382
  • 2-Day Private Lijiang Highlights Tour from Chongqing by Plane: $835
  • 2-Day Private Tour from Chongqing with Hotel:Shaolin Temple and Longmen Grottoes: $835
  • 2-Days Chengdu Panda Base+Dazu Rock Carvings Private Tour: $760
  • 2-Days Chongqing City Highlights Sightseeing Private Tour: $416
  • 2-Days Private Tour of Chengdu City Highlights from Chongqing by Bullet Train: $448
  • 2-Days Wulong Karst National Geology Park Private Tour: $544
  • 220 USD Per Group Private Chongqing City Tour Extention: $220
  • 3-Day Chongqing Private Tour: $539

Tours and Activities in Harbin

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

  • 1-Day Harbin Private Tour: $73
  • Private Half Day City Tour including Russian Town and Harbin Ropeway Ride: $94
  • Private Customized Harbin City Day Tour by Public Transportation: $100
  • Private Harbin Ice Lantern Show at Zhaolin Park Night Tour with Zhongyang Pedestrian Street: $104
  • Half Day Tour for Harbin Guandong Ancient Lane and Wood Sculpture Museum: $104
  • Harbin City Private Day Tour in Your Way in Winter Season: $115
  • 4-Hour Private Tour of the Largest Indoor Ice and Snow Paradise: $136
  • Full Day Private Tour to Harbin Ice and Snow Festival: $157
  • Private Half Day Tour Harbin ConfucianTemple and Temple of Bliss (Jile Si): $157
  • Private Harbin City Day Tour of Russian Historical Sites and Culture: $157
  • Harbin City Guided Tour to Zhongyang Street and Sophia Church: $180
  • Revolving Restaurant Dining Experience at Harbin Dragon Tower: $180

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Chongqing $6.90
    Harbin $7.83


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

Which is Bigger, Chongqing or Harbin?

Chongqing is bigger, and its population is about 23% larger than the population of Harbin. When comparing the population of Chongqing vs. Harbin, 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 and the activities that interest you.

Related Articles for Chongqing
Related Articles for Harbin
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.
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Chongqing vs. Harbin Travel Comparison

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