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

Should you visit Guilin or Kaikoura?

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

Where Should I go: Guilin or Kaikoura?

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.

Kaikoura

Kaikoura is a town on the east coast of the South Island, situated between Christchurch and Belnheim. It has a permanent resident population of 1,971. The Seaward Kaikoura Mountains that surround this town collide with the Pacific Ocean, and the continental shelf edge is just offshore. The ocean in Kaikoura is very rich in marine life, especially seals and whales.

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 in New Zealand, and The Best 2-Week Tours in New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Kaikoura or Guilin?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Guilin is $69, while the average daily cost in Kaikoura is $144. 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 Kaikoura in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Guilin $35
    Kaikoura $51
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Guilin $70
    Kaikoura $102
Compare Hotels in Guilin and Kaikoura

Looking for a hotel in Guilin or Kaikoura? 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 Kaikoura


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: Kaikoura Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Guilin $5.92
    Kaikoura $18
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Guilin

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


  • Taxi
    $2.84

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guilin

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Guilin:

  • Private Arrival Transfer: Guilin Train Stations to Downtown Hotel: $17
  • 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
  • Guilin Railway stations Transfer Service: $37
  • Transfer from Guilin Hotels to Yangshuo Town: $37
  • Private Transfer from Guilin hotel to Yangshuo hotel: $37
  • Transfer from Guilin Liangjiang Airport to Guilin City Center: $41
  • Private Guilin Airport Transfer to Yangshuo: $42
  • Private Airport Transfer: Guilin Liangjiang Airport to Yangshuo Hotel: $45
  • Private Arrival Transfer: Guilin Train Stations to Yangshuo: $49

Is it cheaper to fly into Guilin or Kaikoura?

Prices for flights to both Kaikoura 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 $23
    Kaikoura $40
Typical Food Prices in Guilin

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


  • Fresh Coconut Drink
    $1.42

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

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Guilin $28
    Kaikoura $162
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:

  • Guilin Four lakes night cruise with the English speaking driver from Guilin hotel: $47
  • Guilin City Center Walking Group Tour at Night for Three Hours: $50
  • Kayaking Adventure with Local Guide: $52
  • One Day Private Longji Rice Terraces with Minority village tour: $52
  • Half-Day Self-Guided Yangshuo Xianggong Hill Sunrise Tour: $52
  • Guilin Classic Li River Day Tour with Xianggong Hill : $55
  • Private Full-Day City Tour with Fubo Hill: $61
  • Full-Day Guilin Essence and Lifestyle Walking Tour: $69
  • 1-DAy Private Guilin -Li River Cruise-Yangshuo Highlights tour: $70
  • 1-DAY Private Longji Rice Terraces and Minority Villages Tour: $70
  • Guilin Tour Guide Service : $72
  • Yangshuo Old Town and 3 star Li River Cruise from Guilin: $72

Tours and Activities in Kaikoura

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Kaikoura are as follows:

  • Seal-Watching Pedal Kayak Tour: $82
  • Seal Kayak Kaikoura Sunset tour: $82
  • Llama Trek (Taster) - Kowhai River Valley and Native Woodland Tour: $84
  • Private Seal Kayaking and Wildlife Tour in Kaikoura: $84
  • Sunset Kayak tour in Kaikoura: $85
  • Seal Kayaking Adventure in Kaikoura: $85
  • Half-Day Wildlife Kayaking Tour: $92
  • Wildlife Kayaking Tour at Sunset: $92
  • Sunset Evening Kayaking Tour - Kaikoura: $94
  • Wildlife Sea Kayaking Tour - Kaikoura: $94
  • Kaikōura: Zipline and Native Forest Adventure Trip: $97
  • Whale Flight - Ultimate Experience : $102

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Guilin $5.88
    Kaikoura -


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Guilin and Kaikoura, we can see that Kaikoura 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 Kaikoura 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 Kaikoura would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kaikoura 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 Kaikoura Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Guilin or Kaikoura?

Guilin has a larger population, and is about 950 times larger than the population of Kaikoura. When comparing the sizes of Guilin and Kaikoura, 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.