A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Guilin vs. David for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Guilin or David?

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 David can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Guilin or David?

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.

David

In the Pacific West of Panama, David is the capital city of Chiriqui province. The city's population of almost 150,000 is among the wealthiest in the country. There is a well established middle class and unemployment remains low in the area. The area has grown rapidly in recent years with growing commercial and banking sectors. The city is well connected to the rest of the country by the Pan American Highway.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in China, The Best Historical Tours in China, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City.


Which place is cheaper, David or Guilin?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Guilin is $84, while the average daily cost in David is $39. 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 David in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Guilin $35
    David $12
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Guilin $70
    David $24
Compare Hotels in Guilin and David

Looking for a hotel in Guilin or David? 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 Guilin


Hotels in David


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: David Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Guilin $5.85
    David $12
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Guilin

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Guilin are as follows:


  • Taxi
    $2.80

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guilin

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Guilin:

  • One Way Transfer Service between Guilin city and airport: $17
  • Private Arrival Transfer: Guilin Train Stations to Downtown Hotel: $17
  • Private Departure Transfer from Hotel to Guilin Train Stations: $17
  • Guilin Transfer Services: Airport,train station & hotel: $18
  • [Airport Transfer] Haikou Airport ⇔ Haikou City Transfer ☆ High reputation for service! <Charter charter> *: $23
  • Private Arrival Transfer: Guilin International Airport (KWL) to Downtown Hotel: $25
  • Private Departure Transfer: Downtown Guilin Hotel to Airport (KWL): $25
  • Private Airport Transfer:Guilin Hotel to Guilin Liangjiang International Airport: $35
  • Private Airport Transfer: Guilin Liangjiang International Aiport to Guilin Hotel: $35
  • Transfer from Guilin Hotels to Yangshuo Town: $37
  • Private Transfer from Guilin hotel to Yangshuo hotel: $37
  • Guilin Railway stations Transfer Service: $37

Is it cheaper to fly into Guilin or David?

Prices for flights to both David 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Guilin $39
    David $17
Typical Food Prices in Guilin

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Guilin:


  • 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
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Guilin $28
    David $4.37
Typical Entertainment Prices in Guilin

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


  • 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:

  • City Tour with Elephant Hill & Ming Tea Tasting: $46
  • Guilin Four lakes night cruise with the English speaking driver from Guilin hotel: $47
  • Kayaking Adventure with Local Guide(beginner friendly): $51
  • Half-Day Self-Guided Yangshuo Xianggong Hill Sunrise Tour: $52
  • 1-Day tour of Guilin-LiRiver cruise-Yangshuo Xianggong hill : $55
  • GUILIN:kayaking adventure with local guide: $60
  • Private Full-Day City Tour with Fubo Hill: $60
  • Guilin English tour guide service : $62
  • Private Day Tour: Longji Terraces Cultural Villages and Hike : $69
  • Full-Day Guilin Essence and Lifestyle Walking Tour: $69
  • Private day tour :Guilin-LiRiver bamboo boat-Yangshuo Highlights : $70
  • 1-DAY Private Longji Rice Terraces and Minority Villages Tour: $70

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Guilin $5.81
    David -


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

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


Which is Bigger, Guilin or David?

Guilin has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of David. When comparing the sizes of Guilin and David, 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.