Which place is cheaper, Kunming or Hoi An?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Hoi An or Kunming?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Hoi An and Kunming. 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, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Hoi An or Kunming?
Hoi An
Located just south of the city of Da Nang, Hoi An is famous for it's beautiful old town. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Unfortunately, since its designation as a World Heritage Site in 1999, mass tourism has grown and the city has felt the growing pains. Most of the homes and shops in the old town are now used for commercial purposes. The city is still quaint, but the old town is lined with tailor shops, souvenir stores, and restaurants. Foreigners are required to purchase a ticket to enter the old town of Hoi An (120,000 VND, about $5).
Kunming
Kunming, located in southern China, is the modern capital city of the Yunnan province. It is a transportation hub for visitors entering the region, and good transfer point to just about everywhere else in the province by train or bus. Within the city itself there are many things to see and do with a full range of parks and zoos, museums, temples, theatres, and scenic areas.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Vietnam, The Best Historical Tours in Vietnam, The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHoi An $47Kunming $69
The average daily cost (per person) in Hoi An is $47, while the average daily cost in Kunming is $69. 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 Hoi An and Kunming in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHoi An $21Kunming $33
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHoi An $42Kunming $66
Compare Hotels in Hoi An and Kunming
Looking for a hotel in Hoi An or Kunming? 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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Hoi An Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Hoi An $19Kunming $14
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Hoi An
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Hoi An are as follows:
-
Taxi From Danang to Hoi An$8.94
-
Bus From Hoi An Bus Station to Town$0.61
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hoi An
Also for Hoi An, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- From Hoi An Transfer To Phong Nha by Private Car+Sightseeing: $106
- From Private Transfer to Hue with Photo Stops: $90
- My Son Sanctuary & Hai Van Pass: Transfer Hoi An to/from Hue: $68
- Hai Van Pass & Ba Na Hills: Car Transfer Hue to/from Hoi An: $65
- Private Transfer To Hue via My Son Sanctuary & More: $64
- Lady Buddha in Monkey Mountain: Transfer Hue to/from Hoi An: $59
- Hoi An Private Transfer to Hue with Golden Bridge: $57
- Hue Transfer with Scenic Route over The Hai Van Pass: $53
- Hue: Transfer to/from Hoi An by Private Car via Hai Van Pass: $49
- Private Transfer From Hue To Hoi An With A Sightseeing Tour: $44
- Private Car Transfer From Hoi An/Da Nang My Son HolyLand: $42
- Da Nang: Private Car Rental with Driver for Tours & Transfer: $42
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kunming
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Kunming:
-
Taxi Ride$1.55
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kunming
Also for Kunming, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- [Airport Transfer] Kunming Changshui Airport ⇔ Kunming City Transfer ☆ High reputation for service! <Charter charter>: $36
- One way Kunming airport to hotel private transfer: $41
- Kunming Private Round Trip Transfer to Fuxianhu Lake: $90
- Kunming Changshui Airport Chauffeur Service, Kunming Airport Transfer, Pickup: $83
- Kunming Airport Private Transfer - Charge by Vehicle: $48
Is it cheaper to fly into Hoi An or Kunming?
Prices for flights to both Kunming and Hoi An 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 dayHoi An $10Kunming $23
Typical Food Prices in Hoi An
For Hoi An, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
-
Dinner at Bamboo Village (for Two)$14
-
Casual Lunch (for Two)$4.06
-
Casual Dinner (for Two)$8.13
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hoi An
For Hoi An, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hoi An Walking food tour: $2.54
- Hoi An Private Cooking Class & Coracle Tour Fishing Crabbing: $4.65
- Hoi An:Traditional Cooking Class with Cam Thanh Local Family: $21
- Hoi An/Da Nang: Vietnamese Cooking Class with Transportation: $22
- Hoi An Street Food Tour With Bao: $23
- Vietnamese Cooking Class with Local Family in Hoi An: $25
- Cooking Class with Traditional Vietnamese Meals: $25
- Vegetarian Cooking Class w Local Family and transfer: $25
- Tra Que Herb Village Cooking Class: $25
- Authentic Cooking Class with Locals in Tra Que Herbs Village: $25
- Hoi An food tour: $25
- Evening traditional cooking class with local Chef: $27
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kunming
For Kunming, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Kunming evening food tour with locals: $66
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Hoi An $13Kunming $19
Typical Entertainment Prices in Hoi An
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Hoi An's activities, tours, and tickets:
-
Golf (for Two)$151
-
Short Boat Ride$1.63
Tours and Activities in Hoi An
For Hoi An, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 11 Days Tour Discover Vietnam – See the best of Vietnam: $1,179
- 3 Traditional Handicraft Village in 1 Tour: $55
- 5-Hour Private Hoi An Ancient Town Tour: $509
- Afternoon Tour with My Son Holyland & Rice Paper Making: $37
- BUFFALO RIDING ADVENTURE AND BASKET BOAT TOUR: $28
- Bach Ma National Park: Day Trek Private Tour - Hoi An/DaNang: $160
- Basket Boat Experience: $13
- Basket Boat Ride- Buffalo Ride- Farming & Hoi An City Tour: $106
- CAM THANH COCONUT JUNGLE - HOI AN CITY MORNING TOUR: $46
- CHAM ISLAND SIGHTSEEING AND SNORKELING TOUR: $39
- COFFEE MAKING AND TASTING EXPERIENCE: $30
- Cam Thanh Coconut Jungle & Hoi An City: Morning Adventure.: $42
Tours and Activities in Kunming
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Kunming.
- 1-Day Self-Guided Stone Forest Geological Park Tour from Kunming: $106
- 1-Day Stone Forest Geological Park Private Tour with the Lunch from Kunming: $201
- Kunming Private Day Tour to Jiuxiang Cave with Boat Ride : $209
- 1 Day Stone Forest & Jiuxiang Cave Tour: $196
- 1- Day Kunming Short Hiking Tour: $122
- 1-Day Dongchuan Red Land Photography Private Tour from Kunming: $269
- 1-Day Kunming tour with the West Hill,Dragon Gate and Bamboo Temple: $222
- Classical Yunnan 8days highlights tour start from Kunming: $1,395
- Essences of Kunming Downtown Day Tour: $129
- Full Day Private Kunming Sedan Chair Snow Mountain Tour: $130
- Full-Day Private Tour to Fuxian Lake from Kunming with Lunch: $188
- Half Day Flower Tour in Kunming: $91
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayHoi An $9.21Kunming $18
Typical Alcohol Prices in Hoi An
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Hoi An are as follows:
-
Bottle of Wine$9.75
Sample the Local Flavors in Hoi An
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Hoi An:
- Pub Crawl by Bus with Shots at Each Bar: $8.45
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Hoi An and Kunming, we can see that Kunming is more expensive. And not only is Hoi An much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Hoi An would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Hoi An 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 Kunming would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kunming than you might in Hoi An.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Hoi An Expensive? and Is Kunming Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Hoi An or Kunming?
Kunming has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Hoi An. When comparing the sizes of Hoi An and Kunming, 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.
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.