A Travel Price Comparison for China Dali vs. Beijing for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Dali or Beijing?

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

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Dali and Beijing can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Dali or Beijing?

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.

Beijing

Beijing is the capital of China and, with 21.5 million people, it is the second most populated city in the world after Shanghai. It is a city that keeps pockets of its history hidden in old neighborhoods or back alleys, despite the constant change and modernization that goes on around it. As the capital city of China, there is plenty of history and culture. You can still get yourself lost in one of the last remaining hutongs, which are old neighborhoods that remain untouched by the city's modernization. The alleys that weave between the old homes are lined with drying clothes, corner markets, and people going about their daily lives the way they have for centuries. Surrounding these hutongs you'll find modern buildings and a booming economy, all threatening to destroying these last bits of Beijing's history. Beijing offers a glimpse into a microcosm that represents the entire country of China. Make sure you give yourself enough time in China to truly experience Beijing. You can pass a lot of time soaking up life in the city, which remains as diverse as the country it resides within.

For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in China, The Best Adventure Tours to China, The Best Sightseeing Tours in China, and The Best Cultural Tours in China.


Which place is cheaper, Beijing or Dali?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Dali is $48, while the average daily cost in Beijing is $78. 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 Dali and Beijing in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Dali $17
    Beijing $40
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Dali $34
    Beijing $80
Compare Hotels in Dali and Beijing

Looking for a hotel in Dali or Beijing? 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 Dali


Hotels in Beijing


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.
    Dali $9.26
    Beijing $7.68
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Dali

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Dali:


  • 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,Dali Airport Transfer: $40
  • Private Transfer from Dali to Lijiang/Shuhe hotel: $149
  • Private Transfer from Dali to Lijiang/Shuhe hotel and Stops at Shaxi Old Town: $160

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Beijing

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Beijing:


  • Taxi
    $4.74
  • Train from Airport for Two
    $6.95
  • Taxi to Hotel
    $8.34
  • 2 Metro Passes
    $2.22
  • Metro
    $0.56

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Beijing

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Beijing:

  • [Airport Transfer] Beijing Capital Airport ⇔ Beijing City Transfer (one way) ☆ High reputation for service! <Charter charter>: $30
  • Visit Great Wall With Beijing Capital Airport Round-Way Transfer : $215
  • Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Beijing HTL-APT (PEK): $62
  • Transfers to Jinshanling Great Wall with professional driver: $95
  • Transfer from Daxing International Airport: $49
  • Tianjin International Cruise Port Transfer from Beijing: $130
  • Tianjin Cruise Port Private Transfer to Beijing International Airport: $153
  • Tianjin Binhai Airport to Beijing - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $158
  • Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City Private Tour With Airport Transfer: $205
  • The Great Wall Jinshanling PRIVATE TRANSFER From Beijing : $98
  • Shared Shuttle Bus Transfer Between Tianjin Cruise Port And Downtown Beijing : $59
  • Self Guided transfer service to Juyongguan Great Wall or Badaling Great Wall: $78

Is it cheaper to fly into Dali or Beijing?

Prices for flights to both Beijing and Dali 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
    Dali $18
    Beijing $21
Typical Food Prices in Dali

For Dali, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Lunch
    $4.45
  • Breakfast
    $3.47

Typical Food Prices in Beijing

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Beijing:


  • Popcorn
    $0.83
  • Hot Pot Dinner
    $6.95
  • Dumpling Breakfast for Two
    $2.78
  • Watermelon
    $1.95
  • Peking Duck Dinner for 2
    $17
  • Two Popsicles
    $0.83

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Beijing

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

  • Online Cooking Class Beijing Dumplings and Cuisine by Sunflowerli Renowned Chef : $20
  • Online Cooking Class Handmade Noodles by Sunflower Li: $20
  • Online Cooking Class Orange Chicken by Sunflower Li: $20
  • Beijing Hutong Breakfast Food Tour: $55
  • Beijing Hutong Breakfast Food Tour: $55
  • 3 hours Morning or Afternoon Tea Tasting on Maliandao Street and Tea Restaurant Lunch or Dinner Tour: $69
  • Beijing Hutong Neighborhood: Food and Dinner Tour: $80
  • Private Nightlife Trip to See Wonderful Acrobatic Show Enjoy Delicious Barbecue Buffet Dinner: $96
  • Beijing Evening Guided Tour: Roast Duck Dinner and Acrobatic Show: $102
  • 4-hour Evening Tour: Jingshan Hill, Beihai Park & Hutongs Street Food Tour: $105
  • Beijing Evening Tour: Chaoyang Acrobatic Show with Dimsun Dinner: $115
  • Private Trip to Mutianyu Great Wall with Dumpling Cooking Class Experience : $116

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Dali $18
    Beijing $24

Tours and Activities in Dali

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

  • 1-Day Erhai Sightseeing in Dali: $129
  • 1 day Dali Highlights Mini Group Tour: $140
  • 1-Day Tie Dye Experience Tour in Dali: $160
  • Private Day Tour of Dali Explore the Ancient City: $175
  • Private hiking and trekking tour to Cangshan Mountain from Dali: $175
  • Private tour to Xizhou old town local market Erhai lake three Pagodas from Dali: $184
  • Dali Private Tour to Xizhou Ancient Town and Erhai Lake : $186
  • 1-Day Dali tour with the Daili old town, Xizhou Village and Three Pagodas: $195
  • 2-Days Self-Guided tour from Dali to Lijiang and overnight in Shaxi old town: $205
  • Private Customized Tour: Dali City Highlights in One Day: $213
  • All Inclusive Private Day Tour to Shaxi Ancient Town from Dali: $213
  • Dali Yunnan Local Market + Pottery Making Eco Tour: $220

Typical Entertainment Prices in Beijing

Here are a few typical costs in Beijing for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Entry to Summer Palace for Two
    $8.34
  • Two Opera Tickets
    $59
  • Temple of Heaven Park Entrance (for 2)
    $9.73
  • Forbidden City (for 2)
    $17
  • Forbidden City Tickets
    $17
  • Audio Guides at Forbidden City
    $11

Tours and Activities in Beijing

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

  • 4-Hour Beijing Layover Tour to Hutong from Daxing Airport: $145
  • All Inclusive Private Summer Palace, Mutianyu Great Wall Day Tour: $204
  • Beijing Art Tour: Seeing Fantastic Ming Murals at Fa Hai Temple : $220
  • Beijing Private Tour of Ming Tombs, Summer Palace, Bird's Nest and Water Cube: $297
  • Classic One Day Beijing Tour: $290
  • Jinshanling&Gubeikou Great Wall Private One Day Tour With Guide: $130
  • Mutianyu Great Wall And Ming Tomb Private One Day Tour: $205
  • Mutianyu Great Wall and Ming Tomb Private Tour: $190
  • Private Temple of Heaven Walking Tour w/ Options Nearby: $90
  • The Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) Entrance Ticket: $8.00
  • 1 day Summer Palace+Yonghe Temple+Confucius Temple Private Tour: $280
  • 1 day Tian'an Men+Forbidden City+Temple of Heaven Private Tour : $280

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Dali $11
    Beijing $12

Sample the Local Flavors in Beijing

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Beijing:

  • Evening Food Private Tour with Brewery Taproom Hopping at Slow Boat in Beijing: $110
  • Full Day Private Chateau Changyu Wine Tour from Beijing: $163


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dali and Beijing, we can see that Beijing 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 Beijing would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Beijing 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 Dali Expensive? and Is Beijing Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Dali or Beijing?

Beijing has a larger population, and is about 60 times larger than the population of Dali. When comparing the sizes of Dali and Beijing, 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.