A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Harbin vs. Cromwell for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Harbin or Cromwell?

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 Cromwell can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Harbin or Cromwell?

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.

Cromwell

Cromwell is a town in the Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand. It is situated between two of the main highways on the South Island and is close to Queenstown and Wanaka. Luckily, the town is surrounded by Lake Dunstan, which is good for those who love being near water as Cromwell is the furthest point from the sea in the entire country.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in China, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in China, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand, and The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Cromwell or Harbin?

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 Harbin is $66, while the average daily cost in Cromwell is $100. 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 Cromwell in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Harbin $21
    Cromwell $39
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Harbin $42
    Cromwell $78
Compare Hotels in Harbin and Cromwell

Looking for a hotel in Harbin or Cromwell? 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 Harbin


Hotels in Cromwell


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: Cromwell Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Harbin $1.52
    Cromwell $25

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 Cromwell?

Prices for flights to both Cromwell 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Harbin $24
    Cromwell $45

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
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Harbin $53
    Cromwell $16

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 Cromwell

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

  • Queenstown to Middlemarch Small-Group Guided Tour (One-Way): $92
  • Queenstown: Mount Cook Premium Guided Day Tour: $161

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Harbin $7.96
    Cromwell $9.10

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


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Harbin and Cromwell, we can see that Cromwell 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 Cromwell 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 Cromwell would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cromwell 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 Cromwell Expensive?.