Should you visit Dali or Benxi?
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 Benxi can help you decide which place is right for you.
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.
Benxi
Benxi, China is a city in the south east of the Liaoning Province in northeast China. The city itself is a major industrial hub, but is best known for the Benxi Shuidong National Park where you'll find the famous five million year old water cave. Benxi experiences cold winters, with weather being less enjoyable for touring from November through March. May through August see much warmer weather, getting up to the high 80's Fahrenheit in late summer. September and October are also good times to visit as temperatures cool to 60-70 degrees.
Which city is cheaper, Benxi or Dali?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Dali is $20, while the average daily cost in Benxi is $86. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Dali and Benxi in more detail.
Accommodation
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $13 in Dali For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
The average price for accommodation for two people in Benxi is $84. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
Food
The average traveler spends about $7.50 per day in Dali for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
The price of a meal in Benxi can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $28 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $11 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
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Food
Meals for one day
Dali $7.50
Benxi $28
Typical Food prices in Dali
For Dali, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch
$5.02
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Breakfast
$3.93
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dali
For Dali, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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1-Day Dali Baba Cooking and Cruise Tour:
$150
Local Transportation
Dali's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend $0.66 per person, per day on transportation in Dali.
The average price of local transportation around Benxi is $29 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Dali
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Dali:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dali
Also for Dali, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Dali Airport Chauffeur Service,Dali Airport Transfer:
$40
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Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Shaxi Ancient Town from Dali:
$88
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Private One Way Transfer to Lijiang from Dali:
$96
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Private Transfer from Dali to Lijiang/Shuhe hotel:
$140
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Private Transfer from Dali to Lijiang/Shuhe hotel and Stops at Shaxi Old Town:
$150
Entertainment
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Dali can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $4.71 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Benxi's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $6.64 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Tours and Activities in Dali
For Dali, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Half-Day Shangri-La Thangka Tour:
$88
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1-Day Erhai Sightseeing in Dali:
$129
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One day tour to Rehai Hot Sea and Heshun Old Town in Tengchong:
$149
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1-Day Dali Mountain and Cuisine Tour:
$150
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1-Day Electric Bike Tour in Dali:
$160
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1-Day Tie Dye Experience Tour in Dali:
$160
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Private Tour: Explore the Ancient City of Dali:
$171
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Private Day Tour of Dali Explore the Ancient City:
$171
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Private hiking and trekking tour to Cangshan Mountain from Dali:
$175
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Private tour to Xizhou old town local market Erhai lake three Pagodas from Dali:
$184
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Dali Private Tour to Xizhou Ancient Town and Erhai Lake:
$186
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1-Day Dali tour with the Daili old town, Xizhou Village and Three Pagodas:
$195
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Dali spend on average $2.53 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
The average person spends about $7.00 on alcoholic beverages in Benxi per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dali and Benxi, we can see that Benxi 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 Benxi would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Benxi than you might in Dali.
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