A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Dali vs. Dunedin for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Dali or Dunedin?

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 Dunedin can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Dali or Dunedin?

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.

Dunedin

Dunedin is the second largest city on the South Island of New Zealand. It is situated on the southeast coast and is largely Scottish in its heritage. It is part of the Otago region and has mild temperatures during the spring and summer, but extremely cold temperatures during the end of fall and winter. Dunedin is a university town; The University of Otago is the oldest in New Zealand, established in 1869. The students make up over a tenth of the entire city's population.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Lhasa, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Shanghai, The Best Luxury Tours to New Zealand, and The Best Budget Tours to New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Dunedin or Dali?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Dali is $49, while the average daily cost in Dunedin is $109. 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 Dunedin in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Dali $17
    Dunedin $55
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Dali $34
    Dunedin $110
Compare Hotels in Dali and Dunedin

Looking for a hotel in Dali or Dunedin? 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 Dunedin


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: Dunedin Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Dali $9.45
    Dunedin $29
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Dali

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


  • Local Bus
    $0.43

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

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dunedin

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Dunedin:

  • Private Transfer from Chalmers Port to Dunedin Airport (DUD): $45
  • Private Transfer from Chalmers Cruise Port to Dunedin City Hotels: $45
  • ONE WAY MOMONA: Transfer from /to Dunedin Airport: $125
  • Momona Airport: One-Way Private Transfer to Momona: $90
  • Dunedin to Dunedin Int Airport (DUD) - Departure Private Transfer: $37
  • Dunedin Intl Airport (DUN) to Dunedin - Arrival Private Transfer: $37

Is it cheaper to fly into Dali or Dunedin?

Prices for flights to both Dunedin 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
    Dunedin $30
Typical Food Prices in Dali

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


  • Lunch
    $4.54
  • Breakfast
    $3.55

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Dali $18
    Dunedin $18

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 Tie Dye Experience Tour in Dali: $160
  • Private hiking 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
  • All inclusive Dali Erhai cruise three pagoda xizhou market: $210
  • Private Customized Tour: Dali City Highlights in One Day: $213
  • All Inclusive Private Day Tour to Shaxi Ancient Town from Dali: $213
  • Private Day Tour: Erhai Lake, Three Pagodas, Dali Ancient Town: $217
  • Dali Yunnan Local Market + Pottery Making Eco Tour: $220

Tours and Activities in Dunedin

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

  • Shore Excursion: V8 Trike, Peninsula and City Tour: $51
  • A 2 hour Small Group Dunedin City Highlights Tour: $60
  • Albatross, seals, and sea birds-Wildlife Cruise: $108
  • All in Dunedin - Nature & City Tour: $555
  • Brews and Views: Private Tour of Dunedin’s Craft Beer Scene: $1,081
  • Captivating Side of Dunedin Walking Tour for Couples: $281
  • Castle, Coast & City Small Group Tour (8 pax max): $127
  • Clearwater Wildlife - Small Guided Tours (10 max) Otago Peninsula: $124
  • Cruise Dunedin City and Castle Tour: $118
  • Dunedin Adventure: Family Heritage & Nature Walk: $179
  • Dunedin Castle to Cruise Tour: $105
  • Dunedin City Highlight & Otago Peninsula Day Tour(City半岛一日游): $126

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Dali $11
    Dunedin $15

Sample the Local Flavors in Dunedin

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

  • Emerson's Brewery Tour: $25
  • Speight's Brewery Tour & Guided Tasting: $29
  • Speight's Brewery Guided Tour with Tasting: $30


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dali and Dunedin, we can see that Dunedin is more expensive. And not only is Dali much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Dali is in Asia and Dunedin is in Pacific, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. 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 Dunedin would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dunedin 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 Dunedin Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Dali or Dunedin?

Dali has a larger population, and is about 17% larger than the population of Dunedin. When comparing the sizes of Dali and Dunedin, 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.