A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Datong vs. Nelson for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Datong or Nelson?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Datong or Nelson, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Datong or Nelson?

Datong

If you're looking for an old world city, with a renovated feel, you might want to spend some time in Datong, China. This city was once walled-in and the newest initiative is to rebuild their great wall to maintain their old world charm. Datong is definitely done a lot to make itself a contender in the world of vacation destinations.

Nelson

Nelson is a city that sits on Tasman Bay on the South Island of New Zealand. Travelers, especially ones that are heading to explore Abel Tasman National Park, frequently visit this town. Nelson has a population of about 46,000 people and, geographically speaking, it is the center of New Zealand as a whole.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in China, The Best Luxury Tours to China, The Best Eco Tours in New Zealand, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Nelson or Datong?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Datong is $72, while the average daily cost in Nelson is $101. 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 Datong and Nelson in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Datong $24
    Nelson $43
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Datong $48
    Nelson $86
Compare Hotels in Datong and Nelson

Looking for a hotel in Datong or Nelson? 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 Datong


Hotels in Nelson


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: Nelson Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Datong $13
    Nelson $30

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Datong

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

  • Datong Yungang Airport Chauffeur Service , to Datong Transfer: $12
  • Private Transfer Service from Yungang Airport to Datong Hotel: $29
  • Transfer from Datong Railway Stations to Hotels in City Center: $35
  • Datong Hanging Temple Private Transfer from Hotel or Station: $69
  • Private Round-Trip Transfer to Hanging Temple: $98
  • Dunhuang Private Round Trip Transfer to Jiayuguan and Xuanbi Great Wall : $100
  • Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Hanging Temple and Hengshan from Datong: $118
  • Chengdu: Private Round-Trip Transfer to Leshan Budda: $128
  • Private One Way Transfer from Datong to Beijing : $211
  • Flexible Private Transfer Service from Datong to Pingyao with Sightseeing Stops: $225

Is it cheaper to fly into Datong or Nelson?

Prices for flights to both Nelson and Datong 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
    Datong $35
    Nelson $29

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Datong $26
    Nelson $25

Tours and Activities in Datong

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

  • Datong Private Self-guided Tour with Chartered Car: $26
  • Yungang Grottoes Entrance Ticket Only: $35
  • Pingyao Ancient City Scenic Area Pass Ticket Only: $36
  • YungangGrottoe HangingTemple Private Self-guided Tour by Car: $79
  • Datong Hanging Temple Wooden Pagoda Self-guided Tour by Car: $95
  • 4-8 hours Private Datong Great Wall Tour: $99
  • Private Datong Day Tour Arranged by Local Tour Guide Nancy: $129
  • Datong Classic Day Tour: $135
  • Private city tour Datong Yungang grottoes and Huayan Monastery: $160
  • Private Custom Tour: Datong City in One Day: $180
  • Private day tour to Yungang Grottoes and Hanging Temple& lunch: $180
  • Private Tour: Yungang Grottoes and Hanging Monastery From Datong: $186

Tours and Activities in Nelson

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

  • Cable Bay Adventure Park: E-bike hire: $58
  • Cruise, Walk, and Sail in Abel Tasman National Park: $128
  • Full-Day Sailing Adventure in the Abel Tasman National Park: $165
  • Great Taste Beer Tour by Bicycle (Self-guided): $81
  • Magical Mapua Charms in off-summer Season Selfguided Cycle Tour: $78
  • Magical Mapua Self Guided One Day Cycle Tour: $78
  • Moutere Ebike Wine and Food One Day Self Guided Tour: $153
  • Nelson City Walking Tour - Guided: $30
  • Nelson to Mapua: Full-Day Cycling Self-Guided Adventure: $73
  • Abel Tasman Cruise-Fly Day Tour: $402
  • Cable Bay Adventure Park Skywire Experience: $67
  • Guided Quad Biking Tour Through Forest and Farmland: $82

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Datong $13
    Nelson $14

Sample the Local Flavors in Nelson

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Nelson:

  • Self-guided E-bike cycle tour with private wine tasting : $100


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

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


Which is Bigger, Datong or Nelson?

Datong has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Nelson. When comparing the sizes of Datong and Nelson, 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.