A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Halong Bay vs. Taipei for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Halong Bay or Taipei?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Halong Bay and Taipei can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Halong Bay or Taipei?

Halong Bay

Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the north of Vietnam, near the Chinese border. Known for its thousands of beautiful limestone karsts and stalactite-filled caves, it is one of the most visited destinations in Vietnam. If you appreciate natural scenery and want an adventure at sea, you'll love cruising among more than 1,900 islands in Ha Long Bay.

Taipei

Few cities in the world are full of more diverse opportunities than the cultural crosshairs city of Taipei. As the capital of Taiwan, this 300-year-old city is the financial, cultural and governmental center of Taiwan. Located in the northern part of the island between the Yangming Mountains and Central Mountains, this city of 2.6 million people is always ready to welcome more visitors.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Ho Chi Minh City, The Best 10-Day Tours from Hanoi, The Best Cultural Tours in Taiwan, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Taiwan.


Which place is cheaper, Taipei or Halong Bay?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Halong Bay is $58, while the average daily cost in Taipei is $182. 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 Halong Bay and Taipei in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Halong Bay $28
    Taipei $145
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Halong Bay $56
    Taipei $290
Compare Hotels in Halong Bay and Taipei

Looking for a hotel in Halong Bay or Taipei? 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 Halong Bay


Hotels in Taipei


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: Taipei Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Halong Bay $14
    Taipei $10

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Halong Bay

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Halong Bay:

  • Transfer Ha Long to Ha Noi Super Limousine Morning Bus: $33
  • Transfer From Halong to Ninh Binh: $25
  • Sunworld Halong theme park ticket with roundtrip transfer: $32
  • Small Group Halong Day Tour: Islands, Cave, Kayak. Lunch. Expressway Transfers: $45
  • Rosa Eco Bus Luxury Transfer Ha Long to Ha Noi: $27
  • Private Transfer from Tuan Chau to Haiphong (HPH) Airport: $51
  • Private Transfer from Halong Bay Port to Haiphong city hotels: $46
  • Private Transfer from Halong Bay Port to Haiphong Airport (HPH): $51
  • Private Transfer from Halong Bay Cruise Port to Hanoi hotels: $46
  • Private Departure Transfer - Ha Long Bay to Hanoi Airport: $64
  • PRIVATE LIMOUSINE TRANSFER +Join Premium Day Cruise in Halong Bay: $55
  • Halong Deluxe Day Tour Small Group on Boat Transfer by Limousine: $66

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Taipei

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Taipei:


  • Easycard
    $2.01
  • Easycard
    $9.29

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Taipei

Also for Taipei, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Bicycle transfer (Taipei - Hualien) 4 persons: $40
  • Bruns 9 seater, charter tour, business transfer, airport transfer, round-the-island charter tour: $299
  • Flowserve Nine-seat-Taiwan travel charter, charter tour, business transfer, round-the-island tour, airport shuttle charter service: $256
  • Luxury Chartered Private Transfer Taoyuan Airport to Taipei City: $140
  • Modern nine-seater, Taiwan chartered tour, chartered day trip, round-the-island chartered car, airport transfer, hotel pick-up service: $254
  • Private Transfer from Taipei Taoyuan Airport TPE to Taichung Port: $63
  • Private Transfer from Taipei Taoyuan Airport(TPE) to Hualien Port: $103
  • Private Transfer from Taipei city to Keelung (Taipei) Cruise Port: $38
  • Private Transfer from Taoyuan Intl Airport to Taoyuan or Taipei city: $126
  • Private Transfer from Taoyuan airport Taiwan to Taipei: $52
  • Private Transfer:Taoyuan International Airport to Hotel: $40
  • Taipei Arrival Private Transfer: Taoyuan International Airport to Hotel: $55

Is it cheaper to fly into Halong Bay or Taipei?

Prices for flights to both Taipei and Halong Bay 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
    Halong Bay $16
    Taipei $16

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Halong Bay

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Halong Bay.

  • Ambassador Luxury Dinner Cruise in Halong Bay: $46
  • 1-day private Hanoi city tour with fun and night street walking food tour: $101
  • Luxury Aspira Cruise from Halong with kayaking,cave,cooking class: $175

Typical Food Prices in Taipei

For Taipei, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • EasyCard
    $15
  • Lunch at The Can
    $6.81
  • EasyCard
    $31
  • Lunch
    $2.94
  • Lunch
    $1.86
  • Dinner
    $6.19
  • Lunch
    $3.56
  • Lunch
    $4.64
  • Louisa coffee
    $2.94

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Taipei

For Taipei, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Historic Night Market Food Tour with Tastings: $45
  • Ximending Vegan Food Tour Snack, Dessert & Main!: $46
  • Taipei Food Tour: Yongkang Street for Foodies: $58
  • Yansan Night Market Food Tour: $62
  • Turnip cake, Pork thick soup, Tofu pudding. Taiwan Traditional Light Meals Experience-C (Taipei Cooking Class): $65
  • Taipei Food Tour and Colorful Bubble Tea Making: $65
  • Taipei Food Tour and Colorful Bubble Tea Making: $70
  • Private Food Tour – 10 Tastings with Locals: $74
  • Backstreet Food Tour: Food, Culture, and Fun: $75
  • Xiao Long Bao, Chicken vermicelli with mushroom and sesame oil, Tofu strips salad, Bubble milk tea. Taiwan Traditional Delicacies Experience-A (Taipei Cooking Class): $77
  • Xiao Long Bao, Chicken vermicelli with mushroom and sesame oil, Tofu strips salad, Bubble milk tea. Taiwan Traditional Delicacies Experience-A (Taipei Cooking Class): $77
  • Xiao Long Bao, Chicken vermicelli with mushroom and sesame oil, Tofu strips salad, Bubble milk tea. Taiwan Traditional Delicacies Experience-A (Taipei Cooking Class): $77

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Halong Bay $16
    Taipei $17

Tours and Activities in Halong Bay

Here are a few actual costs in Halong Bay for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • 2 Day Halong Experience with Seaplane and Overnight Cruise: $295
  • 2-Day Halong Orchid Cruise: $235
  • Alisa Premier Luxury 5-Star Cruise in Halong Bay 2 Days 1 Night: $175
  • (All Inclusive 5-STAR) Amanda Cruise 2 Days 1 Night - Ha Long Bay: $189
  • (All Inclusive 5-STAR) Amanda Luxury Cruise 2D1N Trip - LanHa Bay: $168
  • (All Inclusive 5-STAR) Amanda Premium Cruise 2D1N Trip-HaLong Bay: $199
  • (Official) Signature Halong Cruise - 02 days 01 night program: $160
  • (Official) Signature Royal Cruise - 02 days 01 night program: $164
  • 1 Day Cruise in Halong Bay - Top Luxury & Small Cruise Tour 2024: $50
  • 1 Day Halong Bay Deluxe Cruise with Wego Halong: $40
  • 1 Day Small Group Luxury Cruise in Halong with Better Care : $60
  • 1-Day Halong Bay Premium Cruise, visit Titop Island & 2 Caves: $52

Tours and Activities in Taipei

For Taipei, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Old Town Walking Tour: $1.00
  • Taipei's Origin & Longshan Temple - Taiwan Cultural Walking Tour: $1.00
  • Taipei Old Town - Taiwan Introduction Walking Tour: $1.00
  • Taipei's Origin & Longshan Temple - Taiwan Cultural Tour: $1.00
  • Chiang Kai-Shek Shilin Residence Ticket: $3.07
  • Miramar Ferris Wheel Ticket: $6.14
  • Scavenger Hunt and City Exploration Self-Guided Tour: $8.75
  • Taipei Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $8.95
  • Taipei Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
  • Taipei Makong Cable Car: Ticket & Combos: $10
  • National Palace Museum E-Ticket: $11
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Halong Bay $12
    Taipei $18

Sample the Local Flavors in Taipei

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Taipei:

  • Taipei Nightlife: Taipei Pub Crawls (2 Different Routes): $28
  • Taipei Nightlife: Taipei Pub Crawls (2 Different Routes): $30
  • Private Tour Yilan Kavalan Whisky Distillery from Taipei : $207


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

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