Which place is cheaper, Xi'an or Dubai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Dubai or Xi'an?
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 Xi'an can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Dubai or Xi'an?
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.
Xi'an
Xi'an is an ancient city in the Shaanxi Province in China. Today it is most notable as the location of the Terracotta Warriors, but for visitors who choose to linger, there is so much more to see and do in the area. The city itself is more than 3,000 years old and for about one thousand years, through 13 dynasties and 73 emperors, it was the capital. Because of its rich history there are many historical ruins and a strong culture in the city. Today the city is a pleasant place to visit, although much of it's influence and power has dwindled. The city has both cosmopolitan and modern areas as well as historic and culturally rich areas. The neighborhoods are diverse and by exploring the city in depth you can learn a little more about what China really has to offer.
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 10-Day Tours in China, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in China.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDubai $248Xi'an $94
The average daily cost (per person) in Dubai is $248, while the average daily cost in Xi'an is $94. 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 Xi'an in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDubai $170Xi'an $60
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDubai $340Xi'an $120
Compare Hotels in Dubai and Xi'an
Looking for a hotel in Dubai or Xi'an? 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 $13Xi'an $12
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:
- Dining Experience at Armani Hotel Burj Khalifa With Transfers: $185
- Dubai Frame & La Perle Dragon Dubai (Bronze) With Transfer: $210
- Dubai Frame With Transfers: $61
- Inside Burj Al Arab Tour with Gold Cappuccino and Transfer: $190
- 1 Day 1 Park (Motiongate or Legoland) with Private Transfer: $185
- 1-Hour Quad Biking Tour with Transfer from Dubai: $61
- 12 Minute Helicopter Ride in Dubai with Optional Transfer: $255
- 20 Minute Jet Car Ride Near Burj Al Arab with Optional Transfers: $230
- 3-Hour Ice Skating Experience in Dubai with optional Transfer: $66
- 4 Seater Jet Car Adventure in Dubai with Optional Transfer: $280
- 5 Hours Dubai Frame and Global Village Tour with Private Transfer: $135
- A Japanese Business Lunch Experience in Dubai with Transfer: $119
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Xi'an
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Xi'an:
- Private Airport Transfer: Xi'an Airport to Hotel up to 40 pax: $300
- 2-Day Customized Private Tour With Transfer in Historical Xi'an: $231
- Mt. Hua Entrance Ticket w/ Shuttle Bus&Cable Car&Private Transfer: $224
- Essential Xian Tour with Airport Train Station or Hotel Transfer: $197
- Full-Day Layover Private Tour: Essence of Xi'an With Airport Transfer: $197
- Xian Highlights Private Tour With Airport Transfer: $195
- Private Guided Transfer to Terracotta Warriors, City Wall, Small Wild Pagoda: $189
- Xian Terracotta Warriors Museum Tour with Airport Transfer: $184
- Xian Terracotta Warriors Tour with Airport Transfer: $176
- Terracotta Warriors Museum Ticket With Private Transfer Service: $172
- One Day Private Xian Tour to Terracotta Warriors with Airport Transfers: $170
- Terracotta Warriors Museum Tour with Airport Pickup or Drop-off Transfer: $162
Is it cheaper to fly into Dubai or Xi'an?
Prices for flights to both Xi'an 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 $56Xi'an $12
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$6.54
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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:
- Dhow Cruise Dinner Dubai Creek with Buffet Dinner: $14
- Ocean Express Dinner Cruise Al-Seef: $14
- Dhow Dinner Cruise with International Buffet in Dubai: $14
- Dubai Dhow Cruise Dinner in Deira Creek: $15
- Dubai:Desert Safari BBQ dinner, Dune bashing,Camel&Sandboarding: $15
- Scenic Dhow Cruise with Buffet Dinner and Live Shows: $16
- Desert Safari with Dinner and Live Show: $18
- Dhow Dinner Cruise with International Buffet: $18
- Romantic Dhow Cruise Dinner: $19
- Dhow Cruise Dinner Creek with pickup & drop off: $19
- Dhow Cruise Dinner Creek: $19
- Dubai Best Dhow Cruise dinner (buffet): $20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Xi'an
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Xi'an.
- Skip the Line: Xi'an Tang Dynasty Show Ticket & Dumpling Dinner or Royal Banquet: $32
- Xian Muslim Quarter: 2-Hour Small Group Walking Food Tour : $36
- Dinner and Show of Tang Dynasty Palace in Xian: $40
- Xi'an Twilight Sightseeing and Food Tour: $51
- Tang Dynasty Show with Optional Dinner: $51
- Xi'an Authentic Food Tour with Local Beverages: $54
- Xi'an Food Tour by Tuk Tuk: $62
- Half-day Xi'an Biang Biang Noodles Cooking Class with Spice Market Visit: $65
- Private Xi'an Food Tour: $65
- Private Xi’an Night & Food Tour by Tuk Tuk and Public Transportation: $67
- Xi'an Evening Food Tour by TukTuk: $69
- 4 Hours Food Tours in Xi'an: $72
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dubai $19Xi'an $35
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.
- Tourist eSIM/SIM Card with Data and Minutes: $2.48
- Dubai Guided Old Town Tour, Abra Boat, Gold & Spice Souk: $4.63
- Global Village Entry Ticket: $6.13
- 4G Data Roaming eSIM Card for Tourists: $7.18
- Small-Group Premium Old Town, Souk, & Abra Boat Tour: $7.90
- Walking Tour with Gold & Spice Souks & Abra Boat Ride: $8.85
- Pearl Merchants and Palm Trees: A Self-Guided Tour of Sharjah: $8.99
- Dubai Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- Dubai Old city tour small group - History and Traditions: $9.53
- Guided Old Town Tour with Souks, Tastings & Boat Tour: $9.67
- Walking Tour, Old Town, Abra, Souks & Street Food: $9.80
- Global Village Tickets : $10
Tours and Activities in Xi'an
Here are a few actual costs in Xi'an for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Private Half Day Tour to See The Big Wild Goose Pagoda&City Wall:: $185
- 1 Day Xian City Highlights Private Tour: $148
- 1 day Xi'an Culture and History Discovery Mini Group tour: $112
- 1 day private tour to Xi'an Terra Cotta Warriors by Metro/Subway: $110
- 1-Day Private Tour: Mount Huashan With the Lunch from Xi'an: $190
- 1-Day Xi'an City Highlights and Hanyangling Museum Private Tour: $100
- 1-Day Xi'an Terracotta Warriors Museum and Banpo Neolithic Village Museum Tour: $100
- 1-Day Xi'an Tour with the Terracotta Warriors, Cave Dwelling and City Wall : $236
- 2 Days Xian Small Group Tour: Terracotta Army and City Sightseeing: $226
- 2 Days Xian Small Group Tour: Terracotta Army, Hanyangling Museum, and Xian City: $228
- 2-Day Highlights Xi'an Private Tour Combo Package: Terracotta Warriors and City Sightseeing: $240
- 2-Day Transit Private Tour of Xi'an Highlights: $300
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDubai $23Xi'an $7.24
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: $67
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dubai and Xi'an, we can see that Dubai is more expensive. And not only is Xi'an much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Dubai is in Middle East and Xi'an 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 Xi'an would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Xi'an 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 Xi'an.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Dubai Expensive? and Is Xi'an Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Dubai or Xi'an?
Xi'an has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Dubai. When comparing the sizes of Dubai and Xi'an, 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.