Which place is cheaper, Aoraki Mount Cook or Guilin?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Guilin 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 Guilin and Aoraki Mount Cook can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Guilin or Aoraki Mount Cook?
Guilin
Guilin is a city in Southern China situated on the west bank of the Li River with Hunan to the north. Its name means, "Forest of Sweet Osmanthus," owing to the large number of fragrant Sweet Osmanthus trees located in the city. Products like tea, sugar, and wine, can be made from the tree and are found in many shops throughout Guilin. A popular tourist destination, the city is renowned for its scenery of karst topography with unique mountains jutting out of the urban landscape.
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 Hiking & Trekking Tours in China, The Best Historical Tours in China, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in New Zealand, and The Best Luxury Tours to New Zealand.
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Guilin Prices
China PricesAoraki Mount Cook Prices
New Zealand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGuilin $84Aoraki Mount Cook $124
The average daily cost (per person) in Guilin is $84, 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 Guilin and Aoraki Mount Cook in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGuilin $35Aoraki Mount Cook $59
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGuilin $70Aoraki Mount Cook $118
Compare Hotels in Guilin and Aoraki Mount Cook
Looking for a hotel in Guilin 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.
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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Guilin $5.85Aoraki Mount Cook $27
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Guilin
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Guilin are as follows:
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Taxi$2.80
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guilin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Guilin:
- Private Transfer from/to Zhangjiajie to Guilin: $387
- Private Transfer from Guilin to Fenghuang and stops at Chengyang Dong Village: $267
- Private Transfer from Guilin to Fenghuang and stops at Longji rice terraces area: $267
- Private Transfer from Guilin to Fenghuang and stops at Hongjiang: $267
- Private Transfer: Guilin to/from Zhangjiajie/Fenghuang: $256
- Guilin Airport to Yangshuo: Private Transfer for up to 15 Pax: $190
- Private Transfer from Guilin to Zhaoxing and stops at Longji terraces: $168
- Private Transfer from Yangshuo/Guilin to Sanjiang and stops Longji Rice Terraces: $160
- Private Transfer from Haikou (HAK) airport to/from Sanya hotel: $120
- Yangshuo Via Ferrata with Round way private transfer from Guilin hotel: $120
- Guilin Private Transfer in English-speaking Services: Airport to Hotel Roundtrip: $99
- 2-hours Yangshuo Yulong Bamboo Boat Tour with the Round-way Private Transfers: $83
Is it cheaper to fly into Guilin or Aoraki Mount Cook?
Prices for flights to both Aoraki Mount Cook and Guilin 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 dayGuilin $39Aoraki Mount Cook $46
Typical Food Prices in Guilin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Guilin:
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Fresh Coconut Drink$1.40
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guilin
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Guilin.
- Half day Yangshuo Cooking lesson Small Group Tour: $62
- Full-Day Li-River with the 4 Star Luxury Boat VIP Room and Yangshuo Cooking Tour: $286
- Countryside Cycling 1-day Tour with Cooking Class: $306
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Guilin $28Aoraki Mount Cook $23
Typical Entertainment Prices in Guilin
Here are a few typical costs in Guilin for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Entrance to the Caves$17
Tours and Activities in Guilin
Here are a few actual costs in Guilin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2-Day Self-Guided Guilin Tour with 4 Star Boat, Yangshuo and Longji Terraces : $200
- Longji Rice Terraces Day Tour with the Ping'an and Dazhai Village: $209
- 1 Day Congjiang Ethnic Dong Village Private Tour from Guilin: $219
- 1 Day Guilin Sanjiang Tour to Dong Villages: $169
- 1 Day Guilin Tour: Village Visit, Waterfall Viewing, Hiking: $230
- 1 Day Li River Cruise and Yangshuo Biking Adventure: $72
- 1 Day Li River Cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo with Private Guide: $209
- 1 Day Li River Cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo with Private Guide & Driver: $209
- 1 Day Private Cruise Tour at Li River from Guilin with Biking: $198
- 1 Day Private Longji Rice Terraces and Minority Village Tour: $202
- 1 Day Private Tour: Li River Cruise from Guilin & Yangshuo Biking: $172
- 1 Day Relaxing Guilin Li River Cruise and Yangshuo Private Tour: $205
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
- Tekapo to Mt. Cook National Park Day Tour with Driver: $97
- 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
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGuilin $5.81Aoraki 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 Guilin and Aoraki Mount Cook, we can see that Aoraki Mount Cook is more expensive. And not only is Guilin much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Guilin 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 Guilin would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Guilin 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 Guilin.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Guilin Expensive? and Is Aoraki Mount Cook Expensive?.
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.