Which place is cheaper, Aoraki Mount Cook or Harbin?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Harbin or Aoraki Mount Cook?
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 Harbin and Aoraki Mount Cook can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Harbin or Aoraki Mount Cook?
Harbin
Harbin, China is the northernmost major city in the country, with a population of over 10 million. Harbin was founded in 1897 by Russia, which has resulted in a lot of Russian influence throughout the city and many Russian citizens. The city is most famous for their annual International Snow and Ice Festival, a two-month-long festival running from January through February of each year.
Aoraki Mount Cook
Aoraki Mount Cook National Park is located on the South Island of New Zealand. It was declared a national park in 1953 to protect and preserve the landscape. The park is home to the country's highest peak, Aoraki/Mount Cook. In Maori, Aoraki means, "cloud piercer", and the English name, Mt Cook, refers to the navigator James Cook, who discovered New Zealand in the 18th century. Mt Cook was the training location for Sir Edmund Hillary, who was the first person to summit Everest in 1953. Other peaks in the park include Mount Tasman, Mount Sefton, and Mount Hicks. Not only can you find lush greenery all over the park, but also, glaciers cover 40% of the parks area.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in China, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in China, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in New Zealand, and The Best Luxury Tours to New Zealand.
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Harbin Prices
China PricesAoraki Mount Cook Prices
New Zealand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHarbin $66Aoraki Mount Cook $124
The average daily cost (per person) in Harbin is $66, while the average daily cost in Aoraki Mount Cook is $124. 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 Harbin and Aoraki Mount Cook in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHarbin $21Aoraki Mount Cook $59
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHarbin $42Aoraki Mount Cook $118
Compare Hotels in Harbin and Aoraki Mount Cook
Looking for a hotel in Harbin or Aoraki Mount Cook? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Harbin $1.52Aoraki Mount Cook $27
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Harbin
Also for Harbin, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Harbin Volga Manor Private Transfer Service with Entry Tickets: $300
- Shared Transfer Service to Ice and Snow World, Sun Island Snow Festival: $250
- Private Full Day Transfer Service to Harbin Top Winter Attractions: $198
- Harbin Ice Festival Tickets and Transfer Service : $148
- 4 Hour Private Transfer to Sun Island Snow Sculptures: $100
- Private Departure Transfer to Harbin North Railway Station from Harbin City: $100
- Harbin Catholic Church Car Transfer Service: $80
- Private HRB Airport Departure Transfer from Harbin City Hotel: $70
- Private HRB Airport Arrival Transfer to Harbin City Hotel: $70
- Private Arrival Transfer from Harbin West Railway Station to Harbin City Hotel: $65
- Harbin Taiping Airport Chauffeur Service, Harbin Airport Transfer, Pick up.: $59
- Harbin Airport (HRB) : Private Arrival Transfer with Meet & Greet Service: $32
Is it cheaper to fly into Harbin or Aoraki Mount Cook?
Prices for flights to both Aoraki Mount Cook and Harbin 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 dayHarbin $24Aoraki Mount Cook $46
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Harbin
For Harbin, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Dinner Show with Costumes and Performances: $29
- Harbin Cultural Tour at Zhongyang Dajie to Baluoke with Dinner: $80
- Central Street, Baluoke Village, and Dinner Tour: $90
- Harbin Dumpling Cooking Class: $154
- Hot Spring Experience with Hot Pot Dinner in Harbin: $300
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Harbin $53Aoraki Mount Cook $23
Tours and Activities in Harbin
For Harbin, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Harbin Igloos Hot Pot Private Tour: $300
- Private Night Tour to Harbin Ice Festival: $261
- 1-Day Harbin Private Tour: $168
- 2-Day Harbin City Private Tour in Your Way in Winter Season: $280
- All-Inclusive Harbin City History and Local Culture Private Day Tour: $300
- Group Tour to Harbin Ice and Snow World plus Sun Island Snow Sculpture Festival: $298
- Half Day Tour for Harbin Guandong Ancient Lane and Wood Sculpture Museum: $104
- Half-Day Private Old Harbin Street Walking Tour with Meal: $300
- Harbin City Guided Tour to Zhongyang Street and Sophia Church: $180
- Harbin City Private Day Tour in Your Way in Winter Season: $200
- Harbin Ice Festival New Year Eve Countdown Group Tour on December 31: $200
- Harbin Ice Lantern Show and Center Street Tour: $150
Tours and Activities in Aoraki Mount Cook
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Aoraki Mount Cook.
- 45-Minute Mount Cook Ski Plane and Helicopter Combo Tour: $296
- Day Tours from Mount Cook: $119
- Gibbston Valley Wines - Cave Tour : $17
- Guided Tour with Cheese & Wine Pairing: $21
- Half-Day Self-Guided Ride and Wine Bike Tour from Arrowtown: $59
- Moeraki Boulders Self Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Mt Cook & Tasman Glacier lookout Small Group Tour from Queenstown: $149
- Mt Cook Small Group Scenic Day Tour from Queenstown: $149
- Mt Cook Tour: Finish at Christchurch, Queenstown or Dunedin: $1,042
- Mt Cook Tour: Finish at Queenstown, Christchurch or Dunedin: $1,040
- Mt Cook to Christchurch One-Way Small Group Tour via Lake Tekapo: $107
- Mt Cook to Lake Tekapo Small Group Tour (one-way): $98
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHarbin $7.96Aoraki Mount Cook $20
Sample the Local Flavors in Harbin
Also in Harbin, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Half-Day Private Harbin Beer Museum and Brewery Tour: $250
Sample the Local Flavors in Aoraki Mount Cook
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Aoraki Mount Cook:
- Kinross Winery: Classic Central Otago Wine Tasting Experience: $15
- Gibbston Valley Wine Tour - Self-Guided Audio Tour: $24
- Kinross Winery: Premium Central Otago Wine Tasting Experience: $45
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Harbin and Aoraki Mount Cook, we can see that Aoraki Mount Cook is more expensive. And not only is Harbin much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Harbin is in Asia and Aoraki Mount Cook 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 Harbin would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Harbin 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 Aoraki Mount Cook would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Aoraki Mount Cook than you might in Harbin.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Harbin Expensive? and Is Aoraki Mount Cook Expensive?.
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.