Which place is cheaper, Queenstown or Guilin?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Guilin or Queenstown?
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 Queenstown can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Guilin or Queenstown?
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.
Queenstown
Queenstown is a popular tourist destination on New Zealand's South Island. It is beautifully surrounded by the Southern Alps and sits on the banks of Lake Wakatipu. Across the lake you will find a stunning view of the Remarkables, a dramatic mountain range. The town itself is quite touristy, but prices still remain reasonable. There are options for all travel budgets, whether you're a backpacker hoping to save a few dollars or a family looking for some luxury accommodation. Despite its natural and tranquil setting, Queenstown is actually very much a party town, particularly during the peak seasons. Don't be surprised to find people out enjoying themselves until the early hours of the morning. If you're not into the party scene and are hoping to get a decent night's sleep, consider staying a little outside of town. About an hour outside of Queenstown you'll find Wanaka, which is a much smaller and peaceful town without the party scene.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in China, The Best Historical Tours in China, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in New Zealand, and The Best 10-Day Tours in New Zealand.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGuilin $69Queenstown $111
The average daily cost (per person) in Guilin is $69, while the average daily cost in Queenstown is $111. 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 Queenstown in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGuilin $35Queenstown $59
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGuilin $70Queenstown $118
Compare Hotels in Guilin and Queenstown
Looking for a hotel in Guilin or Queenstown? 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: Queenstown Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Guilin $5.92Queenstown $11
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:
- Private Departure Transfer from Hotel to Guilin Train Stations: $17
- [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 Transfer from Guilin hotel to Yangshuo hotel: $37
- Transfer from Guilin Hotels to Yangshuo Town: $37
- Guilin Railway stations Transfer Service: $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 International Airport (KWL) to Yangshuo: $49
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Queenstown
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Queenstown:
- From Mount Cook Transfer w/ Guided Landmark Tour: $108
- Private Transfer from Queenstown Central to Wanaka: $188
- Private Transfer from Queenstown to Milford Sound Cruise Port: $171
- Private Transfer from Wanaka to Queenstown Airport: $188
- Private Transfer from Wanaka to Queenstown Central: $188
- Private Transfers from Queenstown Airport to Wanaka : $188
- QUEENSTOWN:Private 1 way Airport transfer to/from CBD Hotels: $70
- QUEENSTOWN:Private 1 way Airport transfer to/from CBD Hotels: $61
- Queenstown Airport: One-Way Private Transfer to Queenstown: $35
- Milford Sound Cruise with Helicopter Transfer: $798
- Tasman Glacier Helihike with Flight Transfers: $985
Is it cheaper to fly into Guilin or Queenstown?
Prices for flights to both Queenstown 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 $23Queenstown $38
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
- Full-Day Li-River with the 4 Star Luxury Boat VIP Room and Yangshuo Cooking Tour: $286
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Queenstown
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Queenstown.
- Bar Crawl with 5 Free Shots and Pizza: $18
- Dinner at Walter Peak High Country Farm and Cruise from Queenstown: $120
- Queenstown Progressive Dinner Tour | Experience 3 Locations: $239
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Guilin $28Queenstown $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:
- 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 Longji Rice Terraces and Minority Villages Tour: $70
- 1-DAy Private Guilin -Li River Cruise-Yangshuo Highlights tour: $70
- Yangshuo Old Town and 3 star Li River Cruise from Guilin: $72
- Half/Full day Yangshuo Cuiping hill Sunset Private Tour: $73
Typical Entertainment Prices in Queenstown
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Queenstown are as follows:
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Skyline Gondola (for 2)$32
Tours and Activities in Queenstown
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Queenstown are as follows:
- Time Tripper Underwater Experience: $12
- Skip the Line: Odyssey Sensory Maze Entry Queenstown Ticket: $20
- Private Race Car Simulation Experience: $21
- Augmented Reality Escape Adventure: $25
- Fear Factory Haunted House Admission Ticket: $25
- Escape Adventure AR Experience in Queenstown: $25
- Minus 5 Ice Bar Experience with Drink Options: $28
- Go Karts - Highlands Motorsport and Tourism Park: $31
- Kiwi Park Admission Ticket: $37
- Lake Wakatipu Scenic Cruise: $43
- Kids Club Experience Including Childcare: $49
- Queenstown Hop-on Hop-off Evening Beer Tour: $57
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGuilin $5.88Queenstown $9.50
Sample the Local Flavors in Queenstown
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Queenstown:
- Ice Bar Crawl: $25
- Jump on the Wine Hopper - Queenstown's Flexible Wine Tour!: $55
- Queenstown & Gibbston Valley: Hop-On Hop-Off Wine Tours: $55
- Craft Beer Brewery Tour with Lunch: $114
- Afternoon Wine Tasting Tour with 3 Wineries: $120
- Classic Wine Tour: $123
- Afternoon Boutique Wine Tour: $139
- Queenstown Classic Wine Tour: 3 Vineyards, Caves and Cheeseboard: $139
- Wine Tasting Tour: $141
- Central Otago Wine Tour from Queenstown Including Lunch: $165
- Wine Tour & Maori Culture Queenstown: $178
- Gourmet Food and Wine Tour with Lunch and Wine Tastings: $178
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Guilin and Queenstown, we can see that Queenstown 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 Queenstown 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 Queenstown would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Queenstown 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 Queenstown Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Guilin or Queenstown?
Guilin has a larger population, and is about 60 times larger than the population of Queenstown. When comparing the sizes of Guilin and Queenstown, 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.