Which place is cheaper, Lake Tekapo or Guilin?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Guilin or Lake Tekapo?
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 Lake Tekapo can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Guilin or Lake Tekapo?
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.
Lake Tekapo
Tekapo is a lakeside town on the South Island of New Zealand, and it is part of the Mackenzie District of Canterbury. This is one of the bluest lakes in the country and is surrounded by the mighty mountains of the Southern Alps.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in China, The Best Historical Tours in China, The Best Tours for Seniors to New Zealand, and The Best Contiki Tours to New Zealand.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGuilin $69Lake Tekapo $80
The average daily cost (per person) in Guilin is $69, while the average daily cost in Lake Tekapo is $80. 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 Lake Tekapo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGuilin $35Lake Tekapo $63
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGuilin $70Lake Tekapo $126
Compare Hotels in Guilin and Lake Tekapo
Looking for a hotel in Guilin or Lake Tekapo? 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: Lake Tekapo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Guilin $5.92Lake Tekapo -
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Guilin
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Guilin are as follows:
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Taxi$2.84
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guilin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Guilin:
- 2-hours Yangshuo Yulong Bamboo Boat Tour with the Round-way Private Transfers: $83
- Guilin Airport to Yangshuo: Private Transfer for up to 15 Pax: $190
- Guilin Private Transfer (English-speaking) Between Guilin Hotels & Yangshuo: $93
- Guilin Railway stations Transfer Service: $37
- Guilin Transfer Services: Airport,train station & hotel: $59
- Guilin liangjiang Airport Chauffeur Service,Guilin Airport Transfer: $57
- Four Lakes Night Cruise with Round-trip Transfer: $59
- Haikou Meilan Airport Chauffeur Service, Haikou Airport Transfer, Pick up: $75
- Haikou Meilan International Airport Chauffeur Service ,Haikou Airport Transfer: $50
- Live Show of Impression Liu San Jie including the Transfer Services: $102
- Private Airport Transfer: Guilin Liangjiang Airport to Yangshuo Hotel: $45
- Private Airport Transfer: Guilin Liangjiang International Aiport to Guilin Hotel: $35
Is it cheaper to fly into Guilin or Lake Tekapo?
Prices for flights to both Lake Tekapo 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 $23Lake Tekapo $14
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$1.42
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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Guilin $28Lake Tekapo -
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:
- 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 Lake Tekapo
Here are a few actual costs in Lake Tekapo for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Indoor Māori Cultural Astronomy Experience: $36
- Dark Sky Indoor Cultural Astronomy Experience: $40
- 45 Minutes Virtual Stargazing Experience in Lake Tekapo: $57
- Alpine Stargazing Experience with a Guide: $60
- High Country Farm Tour - Lake Tekapo: $60
- Silver River Stargazing Experience in Lake Tekapo: $62
- Chameleon Stargazing Shared Tour: $62
- Lake Tekapo Farm Tours: $62
- Stargazing Experience: $67
- Crater Experience at Cowan's Observatory: $82
- Tekapo Star Gazing Tour: $93
- Tekapo: Mt Cook Day Tour with Pukaki, Tasman, & Tekapo Lake: $103
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGuilin $5.88Lake Tekapo -
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Guilin and Lake Tekapo, we can see that Lake Tekapo 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 Lake Tekapo 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 Lake Tekapo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lake Tekapo 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 Lake Tekapo Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Guilin or Lake Tekapo?
Guilin has a larger population, and is about 1970 times larger than the population of Lake Tekapo. When comparing the sizes of Guilin and Lake Tekapo, 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.