Should you visit Hangzhou or Datong?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Hangzhou and Datong. 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. So, let's dig into it.
Hangzhou
Hangzhou is a city in Eastern China, about an hour by train from Shanghai, renowned for its historic relics and natural beauty. Each year it attracts more than 20 million tourists who come to see what the city has to offer. Set amongst the natural scenery of lakes and mountains, Hangzhou is modern city that coexists with the old. Historic pagodas and cultural sites built around the central lake sit like they belong amidst the skyscrapers and bustling markets of today.
Datong
If you're looking for an old world city, with a renovated feel, you might want to spend some time in Datong, China. This city was once walled-in and the newest initiative is to rebuild their great wall to maintain their old world charm. Datong is definitely done a lot to make itself a contender in the world of vacation destinations.
Which city is cheaper, Datong or Hangzhou?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Hangzhou is $34, while the average daily cost in Datong is $50. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Hangzhou and Datong in more detail.
Accommodation
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $30 for a double occupancy room in Hangzhou.
The prices for places to stay in Datong can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is $21, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around $42.
Food
While meal prices in Hangzhou can vary, the average travelers spends about $5.43 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Hangzhou should cost around $2.17 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Hangzhou is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
The average traveler spends about $18 per day in Datong for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
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Food
Meals for one day
Hangzhou $5.43
Datong $18
Typical Food prices in Hangzhou
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Hangzhou:
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Breakfast Pastries
$2.63
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Pizza Hut Lunch
$12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hangzhou
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Hangzhou.
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Hangzhou Night Tour: Dinner and Romance of the Song Dynasty Show:
$52
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All Inclusive Night Tour with Impression West Lake Show VIP Ticket and Dinner:
$117
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Eat Like A Local - Hangzhou Night Food Tour:
$117
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VIP Seated Enduring Memories of Hangzhou Show Tour with Authentic Dinner:
$127
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Hangzhou Cooking Class and Local Market Tour:
$148
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Private Amazing Hangzhou Airport Layover Tour with Lunch or Dinner Option:
$161
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Half Day Westlake Highlights Tour with Optional Lunch or Dinner:
$163
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Wuzhen Ancient Water Town Private Night Tour from Hangzhou with Dinner Option:
$185
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Enduring Memories of Hangzhou West Lake Show VIP Ticket with Authentic Dinner:
$191
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Xitang Water Town Private Night Tour from Hangzhou with Dinner:
$191
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Hangzhou Night Tour With Food Street For Dinner and Beer Tasting:
$196
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Hangzhou Private Tour to Wuzhen Water Town with Lunch or Dinner:
$213
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Hangzhou is $0.39 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Datong than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $11 on transportation in Datong on average per day.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Hangzhou
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Hangzhou:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hangzhou
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hangzhou:
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Great Wall Self-Guided Tour from Hangzhou by Bullet Train with Local Transfer:
$300
-
2-Day Putuo Mountain Self-Guided Tour from Hangzhou by Private Transfer:
$267
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Water Town and West Lake Sightseeing with Hangzhou Hotel or Railway Station Transfer:
$217
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Hangzhou Secure Chauffured Transfers: Hangzhou Airport to Keqiao:
$212
-
Private Botique Tour: Essential Hangzhou Sightseeing with Hotel or Railway Station Transfer:
$207
-
Private Transfer to Yellow Mountain from Hangzhou:
$184
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Hangzhou Private Transfer to Shanghai with stop-over at Xitang Water Town:
$177
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Hangzhou Private Transfer to Shanghai with stop-over at Wuzhen Water Town:
$165
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Hangzhou to Beijing Bullet Train Ticket with Local Private Transfer:
$163
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Private Transfer to Putuo Mountain from Hangzhou:
$155
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Hangzhou City Center Transfer to Shanghai Pudong Airport:
$148
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Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport To Shanghai City one way private transfer:
$140
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Datong
Also for Datong, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Datong Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Hanging Temple, Yungang Grottoes:
$100
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Datong Railway Station Private Departure Transfer from City Hotels:
$30
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Datong Yungang Airport Chauffeur Service , to Datong Transfer:
$12
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Dunhuang Private Round Trip Transfer to Jiayuguan and Xuanbi Great Wall:
$100
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Private Day tour of Datong From Beijing Including Transfer Service:
$828
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Private One Way Transfer Service to Pingyao from Datong:
$179
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Private One Way Transfer from Datong to Beijing:
$211
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Private Round Trip Transfer to Jiayuguan and Xuanbi Great Wall:
$58
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Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Hanging Temple and Hengshan from Datong:
$70
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Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Wutaishan Mountain from Datong:
$190
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Private Transfer Service from Datong to Pingyao Ancient City:
$238
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Private Transfer Service from Yungang Airport to Datong Hotel:
$29
Entertainment
Sightseeing expenses in Datong, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $22 per day, per person.
Tours and Activities in Hangzhou
Here are a few actual costs in Hangzhou for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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1 Day Hangzhou Group Tour from Shanghai:
$238
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1-day Village Tea Picking, Roasting & Serving Guided Private Tour from Hangzhou:
$244
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2 Days 1 Night Classic Tour to Catch the Highlights in Hangzhou:
$418
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2 Days 1 Night Classic Tour to Wuzhen Ancient Water Town in Hangzhou:
$523
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2-Day Beijing Private Tour Include Great Wall from Hangzhou by Bullet Train:
$508
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2-Day Hangzhou Private Tour with Wuzhen Watertown Visit:
$503
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2-Day Hangzhou and Wuzhen Water town Private Tour with All Inclusive Option:
$289
-
2-Day Huangshan Mountain Sunset Climb & Sunrise Camp Guided Tour from Hangzhou:
$162
-
2-Day Huangshan and Hongcun Village Private Tour from Hangzhou by Bullet Train:
$499
-
2-Day Live-in Temple Buddhist Monk Mediation Experience from Hangzhou:
$252
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2-Day Mt Huangshan and Xidi Village Private Tour from Hangzhou by Bullet Train:
$499
-
2-Day Private Customized Harbin Tour from Hangzhou by Air:
$928
Tours and Activities in Datong
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Datong.
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Datong Hot Pot Foodie Tour:
$51
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Private Yangmingshan Volcano Tour:
$70
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Half Day Private Tour to Jiufen, Shifen Waterfall & Pingxi Sky Lantern:
$70
-
Private Taipei Sunrise Tour in Yangmingshan National Park:
$70
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Half Day Private Tour to Yangmingshan National Park and Yehliu Geopark:
$80
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Taipei Private Car Charter Tour:
$82
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Private Tour to Maokon, Chih Nan Temple & Gondola Experience:
$92
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Full-Day Private Custom Taipei City Tour:
$100
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Private Datong Day Tour Arranged by Local Tour Guide Nancy:
$100
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Full-Day Private Northern Taiwan Tour from Taipei with Pickup:
$100
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Northern Taiwan and Taipei Countryside Full-Day Private Tour:
$100
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4 Hour Private Walking Tour of the Yungang Grottoes in Datong:
$101
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Datong, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $11.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Hangzhou and Datong, we can see that Datong is more expensive. And not only is Hangzhou much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Hangzhou would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Hangzhou 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 Datong would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Datong than you might in Hangzhou.
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