A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Hanoi vs. Datong for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Hanoi or Datong?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Hanoi and Datong 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: Hanoi or Datong?

Hanoi

Hanoi is the chaotic capital of Vietnam, and it serves as a great introduction to the country for many travelers. It's the second largest city in the country after Saigon and is an interesting combination of East meets West. There's traditional Vietnamese culture with subtle influences brought by the French. The city continues to grow and change rapidly and it's easy to get lost amidst the chaos.

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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to Vietnam, The Best G Adventures Tours to Vietnam, The Best Cultural Tours in China, and The Best Luxury Tours to China.


Which place is cheaper, Datong or Hanoi?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Hanoi is $57, while the average daily cost in Datong is $71. 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 Hanoi and Datong in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Hanoi $25
    Datong $23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Hanoi $50
    Datong $46
Compare Hotels in Hanoi and Datong

Looking for a hotel in Hanoi or Datong? 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 Hanoi


Hotels in Datong


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: Hanoi Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Hanoi $6.54
    Datong $13
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Hanoi

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Hanoi:


  • Taxi to Bus Station
    $1.14
  • Shuttle Bus From Airport (for Two)
    $3.03
  • Local Bus Ride (for Two)
    $0.38
  • Short Taxi Ride
    $1.29
  • Short Motorbike Ride (10 Minutes)
    $0.76

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hanoi

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hanoi:

  • Hanoi Private Transfer from Hanoi (HAN) Airport to Cao Bang: $290
  • Top-Rated Luxury Halong Bay 2-Day Cruise Including Hanoi Transfer: $285
  • Hanoi Private Transfer from Hanoi (HAN) Airport to Vinh City: $281
  • 25 Minutes Scenic Halong Seaplane from Hanoi Transfer Expressway: $280
  • Halong Bay Cruise 3D2N - Kayaking Explorer & Round-trip transfer from Hanoi: $280
  • Private Transfer by Dcar Limousine Ha Noi from to Sapa : $269
  • Aspira Luxury Cruise Halong Bay & Lan Ha Bay – 2D1N with Transfer: $269
  • Private Sapa tour 3 days transfer from Hanoi by limousine overnight 3 star hotel: $264
  • Luxury 2D1N Ha Long and Lan Ha Bay Cruise with 2-Way Transfer : $259
  • Halong Bay Seaplane Tour with Transfer from Hanoi by expressway: $255
  • Halong Bay 2 Days - 1 Night with 5 Star Cruise included transfer & pick up: $254
  • Halong Bay Sightseeing With Seaplane Tour Transfer From Hanoi: $250

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Datong

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

  • Datong Hanging Temple Private Transfer from Hotel or Station: $69
  • Datong Yungang Airport Chauffeur Service , to Datong Transfer: $12
  • Transfer or Tour to Yungang Grottoes&Hanging Temple: $102
  • Dunhuang Private Round Trip Transfer to Jiayuguan and Xuanbi Great Wall : $100
  • From 4-Day Private Tour to Pingyao with Transfer: $988
  • Private One Way Transfer from Datong to Beijing : $211
  • Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Hanging Temple and Hengshan from Datong: $118
  • Private Transfer Service from Yungang Airport to Datong Hotel: $29
  • Transfer from Datong Railway Stations to Hotels in City Center: $35

Is it cheaper to fly into Hanoi or Datong?

Prices for flights to both Datong and Hanoi 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
    Hanoi $23
    Datong $35
Typical Food Prices in Hanoi

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Hanoi:


  • High End Dinner (for Two)
    $11
  • Casual Lunch (for Two)
    $4.17
  • Bowl of Pho
    $0.76
  • Italian Dinner (for Food)
    $5.88

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hanoi

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

  • (Group/Individual) HANOI STREET FOOD TOUR : $5.13
  • Hanoi Old Quarter Cooking Class Tour With Local Market Shopping : $9.71
  • Hanoi Walking Street Food Tour with Train-Street Visit: $18
  • Hanoi Cooking Class: Pho/Bun Cha/Banh Xeo...+Free Egg/Salt Coffee: $19
  • Hanoi local street food tour: $20
  • Hanoi Street Food Tour with Train Street Visit: $22
  • Hanoi food tour-Local street food tour (food&guide included): $22
  • Hanoi Street Food Tour: $23
  • Hanoi Street Food Tour with Experience Guide & Real Foodie: $24
  • Hanoi Street Food Tour with Local Delicacies (3 Hours): $24
  • Best Hanoi Day Street Food Tour with Real Foodie Tastings: $24
  • Hanoi Food Tours: $24

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Hanoi $8.07
    Datong $25
Typical Entertainment Prices in Hanoi

Here are a few typical costs in Hanoi for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Puppet Theater
    $1.52
  • The Hanoi Hilton Entrance
    $1.52
  • National History Museum
    $1.52
  • Puppet Theater Ticket
    $2.65

Tours and Activities in Hanoi

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

  • 2 Day Private Guided Tour in Pu Luong Nature Hanoi: $169
  • 2 Days Hanoi City Bus Tour Experience: $239
  • 2-Day Ta Chi Nhu Mountain Hiking Experience: $228
  • 2-day Explore Halong Bay in Caravella Cruise: $268
  • 3D2N Cao Bang Ba Be Lake Experience: $190
  • 3D2N Sapa Bac Ha Shared Tour: $245
  • 4 Days 3 Nights Ha Giang Loop Tour from Hanoi by Sleeper Bus: $235
  • 5 Days Motorbike Tour in Ha Giang Loop From Hanoi: $265
  • All-Inclusive 2D/1N 5star Cruises: Meals-Kayak-Cave-Accommodation : $175
  • Ambassador Day Cruise: Discover The Beauty of Halong Bay: $101
  • Bai Dinh Pagoda Trang An and Eco Hang Mua Cave Heritage Day Tour: $53
  • Beautiful Female Riders Vespa Red River Countryside Tour 5 Hours: $59

Tours and Activities in Datong

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Datong.

  • Yungang Grottoes Ticket Booking: $21
  • Yungang Grottoes Entrance Ticket with Optional Tour Services: $24
  • Yungang Grottoes Entrance Ticket Only: $33
  • Datong Private Self-guided Tour with Chartered Car: $35
  • Pingyao Ancient City Scenic Area Pass Ticket Only: $36
  • YungangGrottoe HangingTemple Private Self-guided Tour by Car: $79
  • Datong Hanging Temple Wooden Pagoda Self-guided Tour by Car: $95
  • 4-8 hours Private Datong Great Wall Tour: $99
  • Private day tour to Yungang Grottoes and Hanging Temple in Datong: $100
  • Private Guided Tour of Yungang Grottoes&Huayan Monastery : $148
  • Yungang Grottoes and Jinhua Palace 2-Day Tour: $168
  • Hanging Temple and Yungang Grottoes Private Tour: $174

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Hanoi $7.30
    Datong $12


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Hanoi and Datong, we can see that Datong is more expensive. And not only is Hanoi much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Hanoi would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Hanoi 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 Hanoi.

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


Which is Bigger, Hanoi or Datong?

Hanoi has a larger population, and is about 36% larger than the population of Datong. When comparing the sizes of Hanoi and Datong, 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.