A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Guangzhou vs. Aoraki Mount Cook for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Guangzhou or Aoraki Mount Cook?

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 Guangzhou and Aoraki Mount Cook can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Guangzhou or Aoraki Mount Cook?

Guangzhou

With a population of more than 12 million, Guangzhou is the third largest city in China after Beijing and Shanghai. Though it has a long history, founded in 214 BC, the city has also many modern attractions, a mix of the old and new with temples and parks as well as skyscrapers and shopping centers. Its location on the Pearl River has contributed to this growth, making Guangzhou a major port and commercial hub.

Aoraki Mount Cook

Aoraki Mount Cook National Park is located on the South Island of New Zealand. It was declared a national park in 1953 to protect and preserve the landscape. The park is home to the country's highest peak, Aoraki/Mount Cook. In Maori, Aoraki means, "cloud piercer", and the English name, Mt Cook, refers to the navigator James Cook, who discovered New Zealand in the 18th century. Mt Cook was the training location for Sir Edmund Hillary, who was the first person to summit Everest in 1953. Other peaks in the park include Mount Tasman, Mount Sefton, and Mount Hicks. Not only can you find lush greenery all over the park, but also, glaciers cover 40% of the parks area.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in China, The Best 2-Week Tours in China, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in New Zealand, and The Best Luxury Tours to New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Aoraki Mount Cook or Guangzhou?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Guangzhou Prices
    China Prices
    Aoraki Mount Cook Prices
    New Zealand Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Guangzhou $104
    Aoraki Mount Cook $124

The average daily cost (per person) in Guangzhou is $104, while the average daily cost in Aoraki Mount Cook is $124. 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 Guangzhou and Aoraki Mount Cook in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Guangzhou $58
    Aoraki Mount Cook $59
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Guangzhou $116
    Aoraki Mount Cook $118
Compare Hotels in Guangzhou and Aoraki Mount Cook

Looking for a hotel in Guangzhou or Aoraki Mount Cook? 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 Guangzhou


Hotels in Aoraki Mount Cook


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.


Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Guangzhou $14
    Aoraki Mount Cook $27

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guangzhou

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Guangzhou:

  • Shenzhen Day Tour from Guangzhou by Round Way Private Transfer: $255
  • Guangzhou Layover Visa-Free Private Tour with Airport Transfer: $200
  • Private Transfer from Guangzhou Int Airport (CAN) to Shekou Port: $194
  • Private Transfer from Guangzhou city hotels to Shekou Cruise Port: $176
  • Guangzhou Airport to Hotel: Private Transfer for up to 15 Pax: $170
  • Guangzhou Baiyun Airport Chauffeur Service, To Dongguan Transfer: $135
  • Pearl River Night Cruise with Private Transfers in Guangzhou: $129
  • Guangzhou Airport to Hotel: Private Transfer for up to 5 pax: $120
  • Private Arrival Transfer in English-speaking: Airport to Hotel: $99
  • Guangzhou Night Pearl River Cruise VIP Seating with Private Transfer: $96
  • Private Transfer in Guangzhou with Fluent English Speaking Driver: $90
  • Private Transfer from Guangzhou Baiyun Airport to Guangzhou Hotel: $90

Is it cheaper to fly into Guangzhou or Aoraki Mount Cook?

Prices for flights to both Aoraki Mount Cook and Guangzhou 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
    Guangzhou $34
    Aoraki Mount Cook $46

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guangzhou

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

  • Old Town Guided Food Tour with Tastings: $79
  • Shenzhen Cantonese Dim Sum Cooking Class with Lunch: $86
  • Food Tour - Eat Like Local + Rice Roll Workshop: $96
  • Private Guangzhou Night Tour VIP Cruise and Dim-Sum Dinner Option: $146
  • Guangzhou walking tour with dimsum dinner&Zhujiang river cruise: $160
  • Private Guangzhou Night Tour with Canton Tower and Dim-Sum Dinner: $176
  • Pearl River Night Cruise and Karaoke Tour with Buffet Dinner in Guangzhou: $179
  • Private Guangzhou Food Tour Michelin Restaurant&Local Food Market: $180
  • Morning Tea, Cantonese Opera, and Food Tour: $183
  • Cantonese Dim Sum Dinner with Pearl River Night Cruise in Guangzhou: $199
  • Guangzhou Pearl River Night Cruise and Din Tai Feng Dinner: $199
  • Guangzhou Private Night Tour: Lychee Bay, Beijing Road, Cruise, Dinner: $204

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Guangzhou $18
    Aoraki Mount Cook $23

Tours and Activities in Guangzhou

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

  • Guangzhou Self-Guided Tour with Private Car and Driver Service: $75
  • Liuxihe National Forest Park Private Day Tour from Guangzhou: $266
  • 1 Day Historical Guangzhou Layover Tour from Airport: $260
  • 1-Day Guangzhou Airport Layover Visa-Free Private City Tour: $185
  • 3-Hour Private Tour to Museum of Nanyue King Tomb in Guangzhou: $91
  • 4-Hour Baiyun Mountain Yuntai Garden Private Guangzhou City Tour: $180
  • 4-Hour Flexible Private Guangzhou City Tour with Dim-Sum Options: $153
  • 4-Hour Private Flexible Guangzhou City Tour with Dim-Sum Option: $100
  • 4-Hour Private Tour to Museum of Nanyue King & Academy of Clan Chen in Guangzhou: $91
  • 5-Hour Private Guangzhou Yumcha Tasting with Local Food Market Experience : $118
  • 5-Hour Sai Kwan Walking Tour with Unique Food Tasting: $72
  • 6-Day Guangzhou to Guilin Scenic Tour: $1,598

Tours and Activities in Aoraki Mount Cook

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Aoraki Mount Cook.

  • Moeraki Boulders Self Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
  • Gibbston Valley Wines - Cave Tour : $17
  • Guided Tour with Cheese & Wine Pairing: $21
  • Half-Day Self-Guided Ride and Wine Bike Tour from Arrowtown: $59
  • Twizel Stargazing Experience with a Guide (Carbon Positive): $59
  • Queenstown Sightseeing Tour: Highlights of Queenstown: $89
  • Mt Cook to Lake Tekapo Small Group Tour (one-way): $99
  • Mt Cook to Christchurch One-Way Small Group Tour via Lake Tekapo: $108
  • Mt Cook to Queenstown Small Group Tour (One-Way): $108
  • Day Tours from Mount Cook: $120
  • Mt Cook Small Group Scenic Day Tour from Queenstown: $150
  • Mt Cook & Tasman Glacier lookout Small Group Tour from Queenstown: $150

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Guangzhou $14
    Aoraki Mount Cook $20

Sample the Local Flavors in Aoraki Mount Cook

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Aoraki Mount Cook:

  • Kinross Winery: Classic Central Otago Wine Tasting Experience: $15
  • Gibbston Valley Wine Tour - Self-Guided Audio Tour: $24
  • Kinross Winery: Premium Central Otago Wine Tasting Experience: $45


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

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