Which place is cheaper, Hualien or Da Nang?
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 Da Nang or Hualien?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Da Nang or Hualien? 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: Da Nang or Hualien?
Da Nang
Halfway between Ho Chi Minh City in the south and Hanoi in the North is the easy-going beach city of Da Nang (or Danang, for some). The third most populated city in Vietnam, Da Nang draws in crowds with its beautiful and calm beaches as well as its history as a French colonial port.
With beaches, mountains, and cityscape, there's bound to be a point of interest for all travelers. Da Nang is also a transit hub to get to the four Vietnamese UNESCO World heritage sites: Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park, Hue, Hoi An, and My Son.
Da Nang experiences wet season from September through March and dry season from April through August with average temperatures of around 80℉.
Da Nang is also known to have some of the friendliest locals, probably due to the peace and quiet and lack of heavy traffic, even in the city.
Hualien
If you're looking for hustle and bustle, head to Taipei. If you're looking for fresh air and the prettiest town by the sea, Hualien is the place to be. With many national parks to explore, cliffs and mountains to climb and beaches to get some rest and relaxation, there's plenty to do, especially for nature lovers and those who crave peace and quiet, away from the bigger cities in Taiwan.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Hanoi, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Ho Chi Minh City, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Taipei, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Taiwan.
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Da Nang Prices
Vietnam PricesHualien Prices
Taiwan Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDa Nang $55Hualien $136
The average daily cost (per person) in Da Nang is $55, while the average daily cost in Hualien is $136. 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 Da Nang and Hualien in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDa Nang $18Hualien $60
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDa Nang $36Hualien $120
Compare Hotels in Da Nang and Hualien
Looking for a hotel in Da Nang or Hualien? 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: Da Nang Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Da Nang $11Hualien $29
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Da Nang
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Da Nang:
- Transfer from Da Nang Hotel to Airport by Private Car: $5.00
- Da Nang Airport Transfer to Da Nang Hotel by Private Car: $5.00
- Airport Transfer to/From Hoi An: $5.20
- From Hoi An/Shuttle Bus Transfer to My Son: $6.00
- Transfer from Da Nang Hotel to Da Nang Airport: $6.69
- Da Nang Airport: Private Transfer to/or from Hoi An: $7.09
- Hue Transfer Service to/from Hotel, Airport, Train Station: $7.09
- From One-Way Shared Bus Transfer to Hoi An: $7.20
- Private Transfer: Da Nang Airport to Da Nang or Hoi An: $7.40
- PRIVATE TRANSFER Da Nang Airport to/from Da Nang & Hoi An hotels: $8.00
- Da Nang Airport Arrival Or Departure by private Car Transfer: $9.05
- Danang Private Airport Transfer: $9.50
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hualien
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hualien:
- Private Transfer from Hualien Cruise Port to Taipei city hotels: $280
- Private Transfer from Hualien Port to Taipei Taoyuan Airport TPE: $280
Is it cheaper to fly into Da Nang or Hualien?
Prices for flights to both Hualien and Da Nang 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 dayDa Nang $27Hualien $56
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Da Nang
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Da Nang.
- Market Tour, Basket Boat Ride & Cooking Class by Hangcoconut: $10
- COOKING CLASS -BASKET BOAT: $15
- Hoi An: Lantern Making, Basket Boat, and Cooking Class: $15
- Poseidon Cruise with Dinner and Dragon Bridge Show: $16
- Experience a Magical Sunset Dinner Cruise in DN Bay: $16
- Da Nang Vegetarian Cooking and coffee Class: $17
- Tasty Dinner Da Nang on Han River Cruise by Yatch & Champa Show: $17
- Poseidon Cruise with Dinner and Dragon Bridge Show: $17
- Da Nang Family Cooking Class - with Local Family in Da Nang: $22
- Da Nang Cooking: Market tour, farming, and cooking class: $25
- HộiAnTrà Quế farming &Cooking Class-BasketBoat Ride,Crab fishing: $26
- Vegan & Vegetarian Street Food Tour by Scooter: $27
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Da Nang $13Hualien $21
Tours and Activities in Da Nang
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Da Nang are as follows:
- Dalat Half-Day City Tour With Local Students: $1.30
- Han River by night on boat cruise in Da Nang: $5.50
- Day Tour to Bana Hills with Golden Bridge: $7.76
- Ba Na Hills & Golden Bridge Tour from Da Nang: $8.54
- Experience Da Nang Han River Local Cruise by Night: $9.00
- Han River Night Cruise with Sunrise Cocktail: $9.84
- Han River Local Cruise by Night: $10
- Explore Hue: 3 Highlights Tour then Depart to Hoi An: $11
- Da Nang Homemade Food Walking Tour with Cafe Culture: $12
- Man Thai Beach Stand-Up Paddleboarding Tour: $12
- Coral Snorkelling and Jetski Experience: $16
- Hoi An: Private Car to Hue with Multi Sightseeing Stops: $17
Tours and Activities in Hualien
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Hualien are as follows:
- Wild ATV Self-driving Experience: $43
- Taroko, Qingshui Cliff, Xincheng Old Street & Qixingtan Day Tour: $80
- Hualien Changhong Bridge SUP Day tour: $85
- Shuimutin Exclusive SUP Day tour(Hualien to Taitung): $89
- Exclusive Private Taroko Gorge Day Tour with Local English Guide: $121
- 2025 Taroko Gorge Tour Excellent Cultural Stories , 8 Hours: $130
- Full-Day Private Taroko National Park Tour from Hualien City: $139
- Taroko Gorge, Qingshui Cliffs & Qixingtan Beach Tour from Hualien: $159
- Liyu Lake, Sugar Factory, and Ruisui Ranch Tour: $320
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDa Nang $8.91Hualien $15
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Da Nang and Hualien, we can see that Hualien is more expensive. And not only is Da Nang much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Da Nang would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Da Nang 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 Hualien would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Hualien than you might in Da Nang.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Da Nang Expensive? and Is Hualien Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Da Nang or Hualien?
Da Nang has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Hualien. When comparing the sizes of Da Nang and Hualien, 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.