Which place is cheaper, Pingyao or Haifa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Haifa or Pingyao?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Haifa and Pingyao. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Haifa or Pingyao?
Haifa
Located on the northern Mediterranean coast of Israel, Haifa is Israel's third largest city. It is also a beautiful and strategically located city near the border with Lebanon. The population of Haifa, which is approximately 300,000, is surprisingly diverse. There are Jews, Muslim, and Christian Arabs throughout the city. While Haifa is an industrial city with a strong work ethic and a good job base, it is also a beautiful city with many gardens and a stunning coastline. Today the job base has increasingly become technology based with some large companies such as Google and Microsoft offering employment in the area. Haifa University is also the country's top technology university.
Pingyao
Pingyao is a small city in the Shanxi Province of China, dating back over 2700 years. The city is most famous for their old town, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The old town is one of the best preserved ancient walled cities in the world dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
The climate in Pingyao is influenced by monsoons, and therefore gets hot and humid summers and chillier springs. Autumn is a great time to visit as temperatures are fairly mild-in the 50-60's Fahrenheit- and you can avoid the heavy rains of summer. Winter is also a pleasant time to visit, especially since temperatures tend not to dip below 30 and there is not much snow or bad weather.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Israel, The Best Cultural Tours in Israel, The Best Historical Tours in China, and The Best 10-Day Tours in China.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHaifa $123Pingyao $54
The average daily cost (per person) in Haifa is $123, while the average daily cost in Pingyao is $54. 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 Haifa and Pingyao in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHaifa $74Pingyao $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHaifa $148Pingyao $46
Compare Hotels in Haifa and Pingyao
Looking for a hotel in Haifa or Pingyao? 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: Haifa Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Haifa $4.93Pingyao $13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Haifa
Also for Haifa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Haifa Cruise Port to Tel Aviv Airport (TLV): $173
- Private Transfer from Haifa Cruise Port to Tel Aviv City: $173
- Transfers all over the Holyland: Haifa, TLV, Airport, JLM, Jordan: $195
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Pingyao
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Pingyao:
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Taxi to Train Station$1.38
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pingyao
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pingyao:
- Privater Transfer from Datong to Pingyao with driver: $115
- Private Transfer Servcie to Mianshan (Mian Mountain) from Pingyao: $60
- Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Wutaishan from Pingyao: $190
Is it cheaper to fly into Haifa or Pingyao?
Prices for flights to both Pingyao and Haifa 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 dayHaifa $44Pingyao $19
Typical Food Prices in Haifa
For Haifa, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Dinner$27
Typical Food Prices in Pingyao
Some typical examples of dining costs in Pingyao are as follows:
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Casual Lunch (for 2)$4.97
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Mango Juice$0.69
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Haifa $5.68Pingyao $18
Tours and Activities in Haifa
For Haifa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Haifa Port Shore Excursion: Nazareth and Sea of Galilee Day Tour from Haifa Port: $120
- Haifa Private Tour: $160
- Haifa, Acre & Rosh Anikra Grottos Haifa Port FullDay Shared Tour: $231
- Jerusalem & Bethlehem Tour from Haifa Port. Private Tour: $248
- Jerusalem & Bethlehem Tour from Haifa Port 2024 - Small Group: $255
- Romantic Walking Tour In Haifa for Couples: $290
- Full Day Tour to Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee: $290
- Christianity Day Tour: Haifa Port to Nazareth and Sea of Galilee : $295
- Haifa Port: Full-Day Christianity Cruise to Galilee: $388
- Haifa, Acre and Rosh Anikra for Cruises with Licensed Guide: $405
- Caesarea, Haifa, Acre, Rosh Hanikra Private Day Tour: $700
- Wine private tour of Central Israel: $949
Typical Entertainment Prices in Pingyao
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Pingyao are as follows:
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All Day Bike Rental (for 2)$2.76
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Temple Entrance Fee (for 2)$6.90
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Bike Parking Fee (for 2)$0.55
Tours and Activities in Pingyao
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Pingyao are as follows:
- 1-Day Pingyao Ancient Town Sightseeing Walking Tour: $113
- 1-Day Pingyao tour to Wang Family's Compound and Zhangbi Ancient Fortress : $206
- 2-Hour Guided Private Bike Tour to see the Hidden Pingyao & Tea Break: $60
- 3-Hour Private Walking Tour of Pingyao Highlights: $125
- All Inclusive Pingyao Private Tour to Qiao Family Compound and Shuanglin Temple: $142
- Day tour to Wang Family Compound shuanglin temple &zhangbi castle: $210
- Half-Day Private Walking Tour of Pingyao Ancient City: $65
- Mian Mountain Private Day Tour From Pingyao: $188
- One Day Tour Exploration of Pingyao Old Town and Wang Family Mansion: $183
- Pingyao Ancient City Full-Day Walking Tour: $129
- Pingyao Day Tour: Wang Family Mansion and Zhangbi Ancient Castle: $132
- Pingyao Food Walking Tour : $67
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHaifa $13Pingyao $13
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Haifa and Pingyao, we can see that Haifa is more expensive. And not only is Pingyao much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Haifa is in Middle East and Pingyao is in Asia, 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 Pingyao would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Pingyao 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 Haifa would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Haifa than you might in Pingyao.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Haifa Expensive? and Is Pingyao Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Haifa or Pingyao?
Haifa has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Pingyao. When comparing the sizes of Haifa and Pingyao, 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.