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

Should you visit Datong or Taupo?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Datong or Taupo, 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 Taupo?

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.

Taupo

Taupo is a town located in the center of the North Island, situated on the shores of Lake Taupo, which is New Zealand's largest lake. It is also the caldera of the Taupo Volcano. It has a population of 23,700 people and is visited by many people interested in fishing, boating, and other water activities. There are many hiking and biking trails that take you around the water as well.

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


Which place is cheaper, Taupo or Datong?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Datong is $56, while the average daily cost in Taupo is $111. 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 Taupo in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Datong $23
    Taupo $62
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Datong $46
    Taupo $124
Compare Hotels in Datong and Taupo

Looking for a hotel in Datong or Taupo? 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 Taupo


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: Taupo Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Datong $12
    Taupo $25

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Datong

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

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

Is it cheaper to fly into Datong or Taupo?

Prices for flights to both Taupo 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 $20
    Taupo $24

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Datong $25
    Taupo $35

Tours and Activities in Datong

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

  • Yungang Grottoes Entrance Ticket with Optional Guided Service: $22
  • Datong Private Self-guided Tour with Chartered Car: $26
  • 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
  • Temples and Grottoes Private Full–Day Tour: $149
  • Private city tour Datong Yungang grottoes and Huayan Monastery: $160
  • Private Tour: Yungang Grottoes and Hanging Monastery From Datong: $164
  • Private Custom Tour: Datong City in One Day: $180
  • All Inclusive Private Day Tour to Hanging Temple at Hengshan from Datong : $188

Typical Entertainment Prices in Taupo

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


  • Bungy Jumping
    $152
  • Jet Boating
    $56

Tours and Activities in Taupo

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

  • 11-Day North Island Revive Small Group Tour: $1,959
  • Daily Scenic Maori Rock Carving Cruise Taupo: $30
  • Escape Room Experience Taupo - Cabin in the Woods: $23
  • Escape Room Experience Taupo - The Candy Cottage: $22
  • Escape Room Experience Taupo - The Hunting Lodge: $23
  • Escape Room Experience Taupo - The Marvelous Circus: $22
  • Great Lake Trail Lake Taupo 2-Day Mountain Biking Tour: $97
  • Hukafalls: 30-Minute Jet Boat Experience: $83
  • Lake 1.5-Hour Maori Rock Carvings 5:00 PM Cruise: $27
  • Lake Maori Rock Carvings 10.30 AM 1.5-Hour Cruise: $29
  • Lake Maori Rock Carvings 8.30 AM 1.5-Hour Cruise: $29
  • Lake Māori Rock Carvings Scenic Boat Cruise: $29

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Datong $12
    Taupo $13

Typical Alcohol Prices in Taupo

Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Taupo from other travelers:


  • Wine
    $5.05


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Datong and Taupo, we can see that Taupo 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 Taupo 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 Taupo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Taupo 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 Taupo Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Datong or Taupo?

Datong has a larger population, and is about 50 times larger than the population of Taupo. When comparing the sizes of Datong and Taupo, 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.