A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Darjiling vs. Hue for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Darjiling or Hue?

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

Should I visit Darjiling or Hue? 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: Darjiling or Hue?

Darjiling

What began as a cluster of villages grew to prominence in the 19th Century when the British first established a hill station here and eventually realized that the climate was well-suited for tea plantations. Darjeeling (or Darjiling) has since become known for its teas in addition to cultural diversity, stunning views, and trekking opportunities.

Hue

Hue is a major city in central Vietnam and was historically the imperial capital. The city was the base for the imperial Nguyen Dynasty, which ruled from 1802 to 1945. During the Vietnam War the city faced many challenges. It was conquered by the Viet Cong and held for 24 days. During this time about 3,000 people were slaughtered for their political views, education level, or religious affiliation.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to India, The Best Sightseeing Tours in India, The Best Eco Tours in Vietnam, and The Best Cruise Tours and Packages in Vietnam.


Which place is cheaper, Hue or Darjiling?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Darjiling is $35, while the average daily cost in Hue is $48. 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 Darjiling and Hue in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Darjiling $13
    Hue $23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Darjiling $26
    Hue $46
Compare Hotels in Darjiling and Hue

Looking for a hotel in Darjiling or Hue? 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 Darjiling


Hotels in Hue


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: Darjiling Hotel Prices and Hue Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Darjiling $7.48
    Hue $12

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Darjiling

Also for Darjiling, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer Darjeeling Hotels To Bagdogra Airport IXB Drop: $49
  • Rafting Journey at the Down on Teesta River's White Water with Private Transfer: $197

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Hue

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


  • Cyclo
    $0.48
  • Short Taxi Ride
    $0.88
  • Taxi Ride to Tombs
    $14

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hue

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hue:

  • Golden Bridge Trip with Guide, Lunch &transfer from Chan May Port: $165
  • Da Nang: Private Car Transfer to Hue Via My Son Sanctuary: $139
  • Private Transfer from Hue (HUI) Airport to Dong Hoi: $135
  • Hue Transfer to Hoi An Via Hai Van Pass &Sightseeing Private: $135
  • Private Transfer From Hue To Phong Nha: $135
  • Hue & Hoi An Transfer: Private Car Sightseeing Trip: $131
  • Private Transfer To Hue Via My Son Sanctuary :Hoi An/Da Nang: $131
  • Private Car Transfer to Hue Via Hai Van Pass & Golden Bridge: $131
  • From Bach Ma National Park Private Car Transfer: $121
  • Private Transfer: Hoi An City Center - Hue City Center: $115
  • Sightseeing Transfer Between Hue and Hoi An: $113
  • Hue Transfer to Hoi An Via Hai Van Pass & Golden Bridge: $111

Is it cheaper to fly into Darjiling or Hue?

Prices for flights to both Hue and Darjiling 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
    Darjiling $14
    Hue $15

Typical Food Prices in Hue

Some typical examples of dining costs in Hue are as follows:


  • River Night Market Dinner (for Two)
    $7.99
  • Two Sugarcane Drinks
    $0.80
  • Quick Lunch (for Two)
    $2.20
  • Sitdown Dinner (for Two)
    $4.39

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hue

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

  • Private Healthy Cooking Class In Ancient Vietnamese Garden: $20
  • Hue Walking Street Food Tour: $27
  • Walking street food tour: $30
  • Hue : Vegetarian Cooking Class with Local Family: $31
  • Vietnamese Cooking Class with Local Family in Hue: $31
  • Hue Food Tour by Walking or Cyclo or Motorcycle with Driver: $33
  • Hue Food Tour by Walking or Cyclo or Motorbike with Driver: $33
  • Hue Walking Food Tour: $35
  • Exploring Hue Food Tour with Local Guide : $35
  • Home Vegan/Vegetarian Cooking Class with Local Girl: $35
  • Home Cooking Class with Local Girl: $37
  • Hue:Exploring Street Food Tour With Local Guide: $37

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Darjiling $12
    Hue $11

Tours and Activities in Darjiling

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

  • Discover the Spiritual Trails of Gangtok (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $12
  • Heritage & Cultural Walk of Darjeeling (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $13
  • Discover the Spiritual Trails of Darjeeling (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $13
  • Gangtok Food Crawl (2 Hours Guided Local Food Tasting Tour): $25
  • Tiger Hill Darjeeling Nature Walk (3 Hours Guided Trekking Experience): $25
  • Darjeeling Tea Garden Tour : $31
  • Colonial Heritage Walking Tour in Darjeeling: $31
  • Mirik Lake Day tour From Darjeeling: $37
  • Private Morning Excursion Tour To Tiger Hill (3 Points) With Pickup and Drop: $62
  • Excursion to Tea Estate Tour With Tea Processing Tour with Transportation: $62
  • Gangtok Monastery Tour (Guided Halfday Sightseeing Tour by Car): $82
  • Best of Gangtok (Guided Halfday Sightseeing Tour by Car): $84

Typical Entertainment Prices in Hue

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Hue are as follows:


  • Boat Ride
    $7.79
  • Bicycle Rental (One Day)
    $1.12
  • Imperial Citadel Entrance
    $3.20
  • Massage at Institute for the Blind
    $1.60

Tours and Activities in Hue

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Hue are as follows:

  • Hue City Full-Day Tour with Boat Trip on Perfume River and Lunch: $128
  • Hue City: Full-Day Guided Tour - Imperial City - All Inclusive: $59
  • Hue Private Guided Tour : Citadel, Royal tombs, Thien Mu pagoda: $57
  • 1-day Hue full day city tour: $39
  • 12 Hours Experience Different Hue: $179
  • 13 Days Private Tour Highlights of Cambodia & Vietnam: $4,731
  • 2 Day Motorbike Tour from Hue to Hoi An by Mister T Easy Rider: $160
  • 2,5 hours walking tour inside Hue Imperial city: $35
  • 2-Day Phong Nha-Ke Bang Cave Adventure from Hue: $250
  • 2-Day Sa Pa Adventure with Trekking and Ethnic Homestay: $88
  • 2.5 hours Hue Walking Tour with Tour Guide: $20
  • 3-Hours Hue Imperial Walking Tour with Guide: $22

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Darjiling $8.77
    Hue $5.79

Typical Alcohol Prices in Hue

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Hue:


  • Beer
    $1.00


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

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Darjiling Expensive? and Is Hue Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Darjiling or Hue?

Hue has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Darjiling. When comparing the sizes of Darjiling and Hue, 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.