Which place is cheaper, Pingyao or Dubai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Dubai or Pingyao?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Dubai and Pingyao can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Dubai or Pingyao?
Dubai
Ever wonder what it would be like to see the lifestyles of the rich and famous up close. There's no more upscale destination than Dubai. It's by far and away the spot for shopping, partying, sunbathing, fine dining and the most luxurious of luxury. As the most modern and progressive of the seven emirates in the United Arab Emirates, this area has experienced an unbelievable economic boom and tourism spike. It's a desert city with an amazing infrastructure.
Pingyao
Pingyao is a small city in the Shanxi Province of China, dating back over 2700 years. The city is most famous for their old town, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The old town is one of the best preserved ancient walled cities in the world dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
The climate in Pingyao is influenced by monsoons, and therefore gets hot and humid summers and chillier springs. Autumn is a great time to visit as temperatures are fairly mild-in the 50-60's Fahrenheit- and you can avoid the heavy rains of summer. Winter is also a pleasant time to visit, especially since temperatures tend not to dip below 30 and there is not much snow or bad weather.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 3-Day Tours from Dubai, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in United Arab Emirates, The Best Historical Tours in China, and The Best 10-Day Tours in China.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDubai $248Pingyao $55
The average daily cost (per person) in Dubai is $248, while the average daily cost in Pingyao is $55. 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 Dubai and Pingyao in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDubai $170Pingyao $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDubai $340Pingyao $46
Compare Hotels in Dubai and Pingyao
Looking for a hotel in Dubai or Pingyao? 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.
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: Dubai Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dubai $13Pingyao $13
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Dubai
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Dubai:
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Taxi Ride$12
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Airport Taxi$12
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Sea Taxi$0.54
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dubai
Also for Dubai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Global Village Dubai Ticket with Optional transfer: $10
- Private Dubai Airport Arrival/Departure Transfer to Dubai City: $13
- Private Transfer Arrival Dubai International Airport (DXB): $17
- Sharing Transfers from Dubai Hotels to Dubai Mall (Burj Khalifa, VR Parks, DAUZ): $18
- Shared Transfers from Dubai Hotels to Aquaventure/Lost Chamber: $18
- Dubai Frame Entry Ticket With Optional Transfer: $19
- Dubai Airport Private Departure and Arrival Airport Transfer: $19
- Dubai Airport Transfer to/from all Terminals: $19
- Dubai Frame Admission Ticket with Transfer Option: $20
- Dubai Airport Transfer to Dubai Hotels: $20
- Dubai Frame Ticket with Optional Private Transfer: $20
- Private 1-Way Transfer to/from Dubai Airport (DXB): $20
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Pingyao
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Pingyao:
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Taxi to Train Station$1.41
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pingyao
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pingyao:
- Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Wutaishan from Pingyao: $190
- Privater Transfer from Datong to Pingyao with driver: $115
- Private Transfer Servcie to Mianshan (Mian Mountain) from Pingyao: $60
Is it cheaper to fly into Dubai or Pingyao?
Prices for flights to both Pingyao and Dubai 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
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Food Meals for one dayDubai $56Pingyao $20
Typical Food Prices in Dubai
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Dubai:
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French bread$0.95
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Sumo salad in Dubai Mall + Juice$10
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Lemon Mint Tea$4.36
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Coffee & Cake$6.53
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Smoothie$5.45
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Shawarma$1.91
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dubai
For Dubai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- DINNER +PARTY + CITY of old city Dubai : $6.00
- Old Town, Creek, Museums, Souks, & Street Food Tour: $8.71
- Al-Seef Premium Dinner Cruise: $13
- Dhow Cruise with Dinner and Live Entertainment at Dubai Al Seef: $15
- Dhow Cruise with Dinner at Dubai Al Seef: $15
- Dhow Boat Dinner Cruise in Dubai: $16
- Scenic Dhow Cruise with Buffet Dinner and Live Shows: $16
- Deira Creek: Dhow Cruise Dinner: $16
- Catamaran Cruise with Dinner at Al Jaddaf Waterfront Dubai: $17
- Romantic Dhow Cruise Dinner in Dubai Creek: $17
- Dubai Creek Dhow Cruise Dinner: $18
- Dhow Cruise Tour with Dinner in Deira Creek - Dubai: $18
Typical Food Prices in Pingyao
Some typical examples of dining costs in Pingyao are as follows:
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Casual Lunch (for 2)$5.07
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Mango Juice$0.70
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dubai $19Pingyao $19
Typical Entertainment Prices in Dubai
For Dubai, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Visit to the Dubai Museum$0.82
Tours and Activities in Dubai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Dubai.
- Dubai Guided Old Town Tour, Abra Boat, Gold & Spice Souk: $4.63
- Dubai Fountain Boardwalk Entry Ticket: $5.45
- Dubai Old Town Self-Guided Tour and Exploration Game: $5.86
- A Self-Guided Tour of Dubai’s Origins in Deira: $5.99
- Al Fahidi Guided Walking Tour with Street Food: $7.00
- Old Town, Souk, Street Food, Museums Tour & Abra Ride: $7.00
- Old Dubai & Souks Guided Tour with Tastings & Cruise: $7.90
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Dubai: $9.03
- OLD Walking tour with a local, Markets & street food: $9.39
- Walking Tour, Old Town, Abra, Souks & Street Food: $9.80
- Old Guided Tour with Boat Ride, Souks and Museums: $9.80
- Small group - Old Dubai walking tour, food and souks: $11
Typical Entertainment Prices in Pingyao
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Pingyao are as follows:
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All Day Bike Rental (for 2)$2.82
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Temple Entrance Fee (for 2)$7.04
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Bike Parking Fee (for 2)$0.56
Tours and Activities in Pingyao
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Pingyao are as follows:
- 1-Day Pingyao Ancient Town Sightseeing Walking Tour: $113
- 1-Day Pingyao tour to Wang Family's Compound and Zhangbi Ancient Fortress : $206
- 2-Hour Guided Private Bike Tour to see the Hidden Pingyao & Tea Break: $60
- 3-Hour Private Walking Tour of Pingyao Highlights: $125
- All Inclusive Pingyao Private Tour to Qiao Family Compound and Shuanglin Temple: $142
- By bullet train from Beijing to Pingyao 2days tour &Lunch: $490
- Day tour to Wang Family Compound shuanglin temple &zhangbi castle: $210
- Half-Day Private Walking Tour of Pingyao Ancient City: $65
- Mian Mountain Private Day Tour From Pingyao: $188
- One Day Tour Exploration of Pingyao Old Town and Wang Family Mansion: $183
- Pingyao Ancient City Full-Day Walking Tour: $129
- Pingyao Day Tour: Wang Family Mansion and Zhangbi Ancient Castle: $132
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDubai $23Pingyao $14
Typical Alcohol Prices in Dubai
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Dubai:
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A Couple Drinks$25
Sample the Local Flavors in Dubai
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Dubai:
- Pub Crawl Nightlife Tour: $69
- Pub Crawl Private, Birthdays & Corporate Events: $110
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dubai and Pingyao, we can see that Dubai is more expensive. And not only is Pingyao much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Dubai is in Middle East and Pingyao is in Asia, 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 Pingyao would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Pingyao 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 Dubai would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dubai than you might in Pingyao.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Dubai Expensive? and Is Pingyao Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Dubai or Pingyao?
Dubai has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Pingyao. When comparing the sizes of Dubai and Pingyao, 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.