A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Dalian vs. Macao for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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Should you visit Dalian or Macao?

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

Should I visit Dalian or Macao? 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: Dalian or Macao?

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.

Macao

Located in China, Macau is a Special Administrative Region and one of the world's most densely populated regions. Until 1999 it remained an overseas territory of Portugal. It sits across from Hong Kong, along the Pearl River Estuary. Because it was so recently relinquished as a colony, it still has a significant amount of visible colonial history. The old city still looks very European, which you can see during a walking tour. Despite this architectural influence, the majority of the city's population is native Chinese.

Which city is cheaper, Macao or Dalian?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Dalian is $88, while the average daily cost in Macao is $114. 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. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Dalian and Macao in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Dalian $46
    Macao $90
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Dalian $92
    Macao $180
Compare Hotels in Dalian and Macao

Looking for a hotel in Dalian or Macao? 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 Dalian


Hotels in Macao


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: Dalian Hotel Prices and Macao Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Dalian $35
    Macao $0.46

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
  • 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
  • Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport Chauffeur Service , to Dalian Transfer: $40
  • Private Arrival Transfer to Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport from Dalian Downtown: $36
  • 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 Macao

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Macao:


  • Local Bus (for Two)
    $0.99

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Macao

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Macao:

  • Private transfer: Macau Airport (MFM) to Macau: $622
  • 2 Days Macau Sightseeing Tour with Macau Airport Private Transfer: $362
  • Macau Day Tour with 2-Way Ferry Transfer from Shenzhen: $247
  • Hong Kong Disneyland Tour with Round-Trip Ferry Transfer from Macau: $201
  • Macau Private Arrival Transfer: Airport to Hotel: $120
  • Private Macau Transfer: Port to Hotel: $78
  • Private Airport Transfer: Macau International Airport (MFM) to Macao: $32
  • Private Airport Transfer: from Macao to Macau International Airport (MFM): $32

Is it cheaper to fly into Dalian or Macao?

Prices for flights to both Macao 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.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Dalian $23
    Macao $17

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Macao

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

  • Cooking with a Chef: $95

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Dalian $4.09
    Macao $8.90

Tours and Activities in Dalian

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Dalian.

  • Dalian City Highlight Private Day tour: $73
  • Dalian City Private Day Tour in Your Way: $150
  • Flexible Dalian City Highlights Private Day Tour with Lunch: $188
  • Private Dalian Night Tour: $200
  • Private 2 Day Tour of Dalian City: $250
  • All Inclusive Private Lushun(Port Arthur) Full-Day Tour: $300
  • All-Inclusive Private Dalian Port Layover Tour with Lunch: $300
  • All Inclusive 2-Day Private Tour of Beijing City Highlights from Dalian by Air: $738
  • 3-Day Private Tibet Tour from Lhasa, Yamdrok Lake and Khampa La Pass: $925
  • 4 Days Private History and Culture Tour of Beijing and Xi'an: $1,088
  • 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 Macao

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


  • Macau Tower
    $11

Tours and Activities in Macao

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

  • Cultural and Heritage Tour of Cotai: $76
  • Macau Beer Tour (3 Bars + 10 Landmarks): $52
  • Macau Heritage & Gambling Tour History: $47
  • Macau Scavenger Hunt Adventure: $47
  • Macau Sightseeing tour including Buffet Lunch on Macau Tower and pickup in Macau: $116
  • Private Tour: Discover Macau: $264
  • Savour Macau Half Day Tour by Award Winning Operator: $40
  • Sightseeing Coach Tour of Macau from Shenzhen with Ferry: $176
  • Taipa Biking Tour Ride: $54

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Dalian $5.39
    Macao -

About these numbers

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dalian and Macao, we can see that Macao is more expensive. And not only is Dalian much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Dalian would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Dalian 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 Macao would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Macao than you might in Dalian.

Budget Your Trip

Budget Your Trip has average travel costs for thousands of cities around the world, all provided by other travelers. You can also register to organize your spending by category and location with graphs, maps, charts, and tables.
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Dalian vs. Macao Travel Comparison

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