Which place is cheaper, Lijiang or Hoi An?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Hoi An or Lijiang?
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 Lijiang. 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 Lijiang?
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).
Lijiang
Lijiang is a city in Southwestern China with a history of rule under the Mu family during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It played a key role along the Ancient Southern Silk Road, which started from Burma, crossed Lijiang, Shangri-La County, Tibet, journeyed through Iran, the Fertile Crescent, and ultimately to the Mediterranean Sea. The area was once a center for trade, politics, culture, and education, which is still evident in the rich culture seen today. Lijiang has also been the home of centuries to the Naxi people who still inhabit the area.
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.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHoi An $47Lijiang $42
The average daily cost (per person) in Hoi An is $47, while the average daily cost in Lijiang is $42. 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 Lijiang in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHoi An $21Lijiang $16
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHoi An $42Lijiang $32
Compare Hotels in Hoi An and Lijiang
Looking for a hotel in Hoi An or Lijiang? 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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Hoi An $19Lijiang $5.69
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Hoi An
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Hoi An are as follows:
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Taxi From Danang to Hoi An$8.94
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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:
- Private Transfer From Hue To Hoi An With A Sightseeing Tour: $44
- Private Car Transfer From Hoi An/Da Nang My Son HolyLand: $42
- My Son sanctuary and Marble mountain tours and transfer: $35
- My Son Sanctuary & Hai Van Pass: Transfer Hoi An to/from Hue: $68
- Lady Buddha in Monkey Mountain: Transfer Hue to/from Hoi An: $59
- Hue: Transfer to/from Hoi An by Private Car via Hai Van Pass: $49
- Hue Private Car with Driver for Customizable Tour & Transfer: $7.61
- Water Coconut Jungle Eco Tour with Hotel Transfer: $13
- Private Transfer To Hue via My Son Sanctuary & More: $64
- Hue Transfer with Scenic Route over The Hai Van Pass: $53
- Coconut River Basket Boat Tour with Transfer: $12
- Basket Boat Experience with Transfers by River Boat: $21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lijiang
Also for Lijiang, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Lijiang/Shuhe hotel to Shangri-la(Diqing) hotel: $149
- Private Transfer from Lijiang/Shuhe hotel to Dali and Stops at Shaxi Old Town: $160
- Private Transfer from Lijiang to Shangri-La and Stops at Tiger Leaping Gorge: $159
- Private Transfer from Lijiang to Dali and Stops at Shaxi: $165
- Private Transfer from Dali to Lijiang and Stops at Shaxi: $165
- Lijiang Sanyi International Airport Chauffeur Service,Lijiang Airport Transfer: $57
Is it cheaper to fly into Hoi An or Lijiang?
Prices for flights to both Lijiang 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
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Food Meals for one dayHoi An $10Lijiang $17
Typical Food Prices in Hoi An
For Hoi An, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Dinner at Bamboo Village (for Two)$14
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$4.06
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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
Typical Food Prices in Lijiang
For Lijiang, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two$4.22
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lijiang
For Lijiang, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Lijiang Naxi Cuisine Cooking Class & Market Visit: $59
- Lijiang Naxi Cuisine Cooking Class & Market Visit: $65
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Hoi An $13Lijiang $20
Typical Entertainment Prices in Hoi An
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Hoi An's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Golf (for Two)$151
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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 Lijiang
For Lijiang, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 1 Day Private Tour to Shaxi Ancient Town from Lijiang or Dali: $165
- 1 Day Tiger Teaping Gorge Private Tour from Lijiang or Shangri-La: $170
- 1-Day Private Tour to Lijiang Highlights: $297
- 2 Days Tiger Leaping Gorge Hiking Tour by public coach: $189
- All Inclusive Private Day Tour to Shaxi Ancient Town from Lijiang: $221
- Biking tour&guide visit Lijiang baisha village market park: $160
- Flexible Lijiang City Highlights Private Day Tour with Lunch: $218
- Flexible Lijiang City Highlights Private Day Tour with Lunch: $208
- Lijiang Jade dragon snow Mountain Glacier Park show &village tour: $270
- Lijiang Private Essentials Tour to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain including Cable Car: $258
- Lijiang Sanyi airport (LJG) Pick up and Tiger Teaping Gorge Private Tour : $186
- Lijiang Tour to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain w/Cable Car & Show: $348
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHoi An $9.21Lijiang $8.02
Typical Alcohol Prices in Hoi An
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Hoi An are as follows:
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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 comparing the travel costs between Hoi An and Lijiang, we can see that Hoi An is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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 Lijiang Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Hoi An or Lijiang?
Lijiang has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Hoi An. When comparing the sizes of Hoi An and Lijiang, 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.