Which place is cheaper, Nanjing or Hualien?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Hualien or Nanjing?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Hualien or Nanjing, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Hualien or Nanjing?
Hualien
If you're looking for hustle and bustle, head to Taipei. If you're looking for fresh air and the prettiest town by the sea, Hualien is the place to be. With many national parks to explore, cliffs and mountains to climb and beaches to get some rest and relaxation, there's plenty to do, especially for nature lovers and those who crave peace and quiet, away from the bigger cities in Taiwan.
Nanjing
Nanjing is the capital city of the Jiangsu Province on the central eastern coast of China, just north of Shanghai. This historically and culturally rich city lies at the lower end of the Yangtze river, resulting in lush and scenic landscapes. Nanjing is well-known for having many popular historical sites, some of which have been listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Taipei, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Taiwan, The Best Historical Tours in China, and The Best 10-Day Tours in China.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHualien $107Nanjing $98
The average daily cost (per person) in Hualien is $107, while the average daily cost in Nanjing is $98. 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 Hualien and Nanjing in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHualien $57Nanjing $47
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHualien $114Nanjing $94
Compare Hotels in Hualien and Nanjing
Looking for a hotel in Hualien or Nanjing? 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.Hualien $27Nanjing $39
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hualien
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hualien:
- Private Transfer from Hualien Cruise Port to Taipei city hotels: $95
- Private Transfer from Hualien Port to Taipei Taoyuan Airport: $95
- Private Transfer from Hualien Port to Taipei Taoyuan Airport(TPE): $105
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nanjing
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Nanjing:
- Huangshan Tunxi International Airport Private Arrival Transfer to City Area: $20
- [Airport transfer] Nanjing Lukou International Airport ⇔ Nanjing city transfer ☆ High reputation for service! <Charter charter>: $27
- Private Arrival Transfer to Nanjing City from Railway Station : $32
- Nanjing Railway Station Private Transfer from City Center: $32
- Private Transfer to Nanjing Railway Station from City Hotels: $33
- Private Transfer between Nanjing Olympic Stadium and City Hotel: $33
- Nanjing Railway Station Private Arrival Transfer to City Hotels: $35
- Tangshan Hot Spring Resorts Private Transfer from Nanjing Railway Station: $44
- Nanjing Lukou International Airport Private Arrival Transfer to City Center: $45
- Private Departure Transfer from Nanjing City Center to Lukou Int'l Airport: $45
- Private Transfer to Nanjing Railway Station from Lukou Airport : $45
- Private NKG Airport Transfer from Nanjing Railway Station: $45
Is it cheaper to fly into Hualien or Nanjing?
Prices for flights to both Nanjing and Hualien 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 dayHualien $31Nanjing $29
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hualien
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Hualien.
- Aboriginal Cooking Class in Hualien: $100
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nanjing
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Nanjing.
- 3-Hour Nanjing Authentic Local Food Tour by Public Transportation: $93
- Flexible Private Nanjing City Night Tour with Dinner Option : $112
- Nanjing City Private Night Tour with Qinghuai River Cruise and Dinner Option: $114
- Nanjing Tangshan Mountain Hot Spring Experience and Hot Pot Dinner: $175
- Private Amazing Nanjing Airport Layover Tour with Lunch or Dinner: $181
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Hualien $20Nanjing $9.52
Tours and Activities in Hualien
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Hualien are as follows:
- Qixingtan Fish Fishing Chihsingtan Classic Fishing Tour: $23
- Wild ATV Self-driving Experience: $42
- Hualien Walking tour , Cultural, Temples & Wet Marketing 3 Hours: $45
- Hualien Light Mountain & Sea One Day Tour | Hualien: $53
- Hualien Day Tour: Qixingtan Beach, Liyu Lake, Lintianshan Park: $68
- Hualien Changhong Bridge SUP Day tour: $85
- Shuimutin Exclusive SUP Day tour(Hualien to Taitung): $89
- Private Full Day Tour to East Coast and East Valley from Hualien : $107
- Full-Day Taroko National Park Tour from Hualien City: $115
- One-Day Private Guided Tour in Taroko Gorge from Hualien: $117
- Full-Day Tour About Taroko Culture Excellent Stories , 8 Hours: $120
- Full-Day Private Taroko National Park Tour from Hualien City: $139
Tours and Activities in Nanjing
Here are a few actual costs in Nanjing for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Flexible Private Nanjing Independent Tour : $63
- Nanjing Self-Guided Day Tour with Private Car and Driver Service: $70
- Nanjing Private English Tour Guide Service: $75
- Private Amazing Nanjing City Day Tour in Your Way: $75
- Nanjing Professional English Tour Guide Service: $91
- Zhenjiang Self-Guided Tour from Nanjing with Private Car and Driver service : $101
- Half-Day Nanjing City Private Flexible Tour : $109
- 4-Hour Nanjing City Private Tailor-Made Tour in Your Way : $109
- 4-Hour Nanjing Private Tour: Xiaoling Tomb, Ming City Wall and Memorial Hall : $115
- Nanjing Private Night Tour: Confucian Temple Area, Ming City Wall, Laomendong: $116
- Half-Day Private Customized Nanjing City Tour: $122
- 4-Hour Nanjing Private Tour with Xiaoling Tomb and Sun Yatsen Mausoleum : $124
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHualien $14Nanjing $9.73
When comparing the travel costs between Hualien and Nanjing, we can see that Hualien 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 Hualien Expensive? and Is Nanjing Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Hualien or Nanjing?
Nanjing has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Hualien. When comparing the sizes of Hualien and Nanjing, 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.