Should you visit Dalian or Beijing?
Should I visit Dalian or Beijing? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Dalian
Dalian, China is a very large peninsula city located in the southernmost part of the Liaoning Province in northeast China. The area has a wealth of history, with roots in Russian and Japanese rule, resulting in unique architecture and many universities that attract foreign students and teachers. Dalian is also known for their beautiful green spaces and relaxing beaches which juxtapose a lot of the more industrial cities found throughout other areas of northern China.
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.
Which city is cheaper, Beijing or Dalian?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Dalian is $94, while the average daily cost in Beijing is $70. 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 Dalian and Beijing in more detail.
Accommodation
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $98 in Dalian For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
The average price for accommodation for two people in Beijing is $72. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
Food
In Dalian travelers spend around $25 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
In Beijing travelers spend around $19 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
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Food
Meals for one day
Dalian $25
Beijing $19
Typical Food prices in Beijing
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Beijing:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Beijing
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Beijing.
-
Online Cooking Class:
$25
-
Private Temple of Heaven Walking Tour with Peking Duck Dinner or Kung Fu Show:
$62
-
3 hours Morning or Afternoon Tea Tasting on Maliandao Street and Tea Restaurant Lunch or Dinner Tour:
$69
-
Beijing Hutong Breakfast Food Tour:
$69
-
Old Beijing Dinner Tour:
$80
-
Authentic Local Food Tour in Center Beijing:
$90
-
Vegetarian / Peking Duck / Hotpot Dinner with Kungfu Show Private Tour:
$90
-
Private Evening Hutong Walking Tour with Mongolia Hotpot Dinner:
$96
-
Private Nightlife Trip to See Wonderful Acrobatic Show Enjoy Delicious Barbecue Buffet Dinner:
$96
-
Peking Duck Dinner with Face Changing show plus Full Body Massage:
$98
-
Private Tour: Beijing by Night including Imperial Performance and Dinner:
$98
-
Half Day Food Tour with Public Transit of Breakfast or Local Street Snacks:
$99
Local Transportation
Dalian'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 $37 per person, per day on transportation in Dalian.
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $6.97 per day to get around in Beijing.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dalian
Also for Dalian, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Dalian Private Arrival Transfer: Airport to Hotel:
$89
-
Dalian Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Airport:
$56
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Dalian Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Railway Station:
$89
-
Dalian Private Departure Transfer:City Hotel to Railway Station:
$30
-
Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport Chauffeur Service , to Dalian Transfer:
$27
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Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport Chauffeur Service , to Dalian Transfer:
$40
-
Private Arrival Transfer to Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport from Dalian Downtown:
$36
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Private Departure Transfer: City Hotel to Any Guiyang Railway Station:
$36
-
Private Departure Transfer:Hotel to Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport(DLC):
$32
-
Private Round-Trip Transfer:Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport(DLC):
$62
Typical Local Transportation prices in Beijing
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Beijing:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Beijing
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Beijing:
-
Private 2-Day Xi'an Tour From Your Beijing's hotel Including Transfer Service:
$1,680
-
Private Day Trip Of Xi'an From Your Beijing's hotel Including Transfer Service:
$1,100
-
Private Day tour of Xi'an From Beijing Including Transfer Service:
$1,000
-
Beijing to Xi'an See Terracotta Warriors with Bullet Train Round Trip Transfer:
$564
-
3-Days Classic Beijing Sightseeing Tour with Layover Airport Transfer Option:
$560
-
All-Inclusive Tianjin Port Transfer with Classical Beijing 2-day Tour:
$540
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2-Day Customizable Beijing Highlight Tour with Airport Transfer Option:
$520
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Private 3-Day Beijing Highlights Tour with Tianjin Port Transfer:
$514
-
Simatai Great Wall & Beijing City 4-Day Private Tour Package + Airport Transfer:
$513
-
Chongli Ski Resorts Private Transfer from Beijing City:
$480
-
4 Days Beijing Sightseeing with Airport (Train Station) Transfer:
$455
-
2 Days Beijing to Feng Ning Ba Shang Grassland tour with private transfer:
$448
Is it cheaper to fly into Dalian or Beijing?
Prices for flights to both Beijing and Dalian 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.
Entertainment
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Dalian can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $4.36 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $22 per person, per day in Beijing. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Tours and Activities in Dalian
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Dalian.
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Dalian City Highlight Private Day tour:
$73
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Dalian City Private Day Tour in Your Way:
$150
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Flexible Dalian City Highlights Private Day Tour with Lunch:
$188
-
Private Dalian Night Tour:
$200
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Private 2 Day Tour of Dalian City:
$250
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All Inclusive Private Lushun(Port Arthur) Full-Day Tour:
$300
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All-Inclusive Private Dalian Port Layover Tour with Lunch:
$300
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All Inclusive 2-Day Private Tour of Beijing City Highlights from Dalian by Air:
$738
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3-Day Private Tibet Tour from Lhasa, Yamdrok Lake and Khampa La Pass:
$925
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4 Days Private History and Culture Tour of Beijing and Xi'an:
$1,088
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All Inclusive 3-Day Private Tour of Xi'an and Beijing from Dalian with Hotel:
$1,278
-
7-Day Private China Tour from Beijing, Xi'an, Guilin and Shanghai:
$2,328
Typical Entertainment prices in Beijing
Here are a few typical costs in Beijing for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Entry to Summer Palace for Two
$9.44
-
Two Opera Tickets
$67
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Temple of Heaven Park Entrance (for 2)
$11
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Forbidden City (for 2)
$19
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Forbidden City Tickets
$19
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Audio Guides at Forbidden City
$13
Tours and Activities in Beijing
Here are a few actual costs in Beijing for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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1 Day Beijing Badaling Great Wall with 30-Minute Helicopter Tour:
$614
-
1 Day Beijing No Shopping Tour with Peking Roast Duck:
$226
-
1 Day Mutianyu Great Wall Bus Tour:
$29
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1 Day Old Beijing City Tour .Forbidden City,Hutong,Temple of Heaven:
$163
-
1 Day Romantic Tour in Oriental Provence Lavender Manor and Mutianyu Great Wall:
$208
-
1 Day Tour : Simatai Great Wall and Gubei Water Town:
$239
-
1 Day Tour Badaling Great Wall and Badaling Ski Resort:
$249
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1 Day Tour Mutianyu Great Wall & Chunhuiyuan Hot Springs:
$224
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1 Day Tour: Badaling Great Wall and Jiuhua Hot Spring:
$167
-
1 day Mutianyu Great Wall Nonshopping bus tour:
$51
-
1-Day Badaling Great Wall Helicopter Tour with Sacred Way & Bird's Nest:
$714
-
1-Day Badaling Great Wall and Ming Tombs Tour with Sacred Way from Beijing:
$212
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Dalian, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $5.76.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Beijing may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $11 per day on alcoholic beverages.
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:
$138
-
5-Hour Private Changyu Chateau Wine Tasting Tour from Beijing:
$178
-
Private Wonderful Beijing Bar Crawl Tour:
$195
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Private Changyu Chateau Wine Tasting Tour and Mutianyu Great Wall Visit:
$228
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dalian and Beijing, we can see that Dalian is more expensive. And not only is Beijing much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Beijing would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Beijing 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 Dalian would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dalian than you might in Beijing.
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