A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Hualien vs. Suzhou for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Hualien or Suzhou?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Hualien or Suzhou, 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 Suzhou?

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.

Suzhou

Suzhou is a city in Jiangsu province famed for its beautiful gardens and traditional waterside architecture, featuring elaborate canals and bridges. Located on the Yangtze Delta, the city consists largely of waterways making Suzhou a kind of 'Venice of the Orient.' It is also a hub for scholars, artists, and skilled craftsmen.

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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Shanghai, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing.


Which place is cheaper, Suzhou or Hualien?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Hualien is $107, while the average daily cost in Suzhou is $104. 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 Suzhou in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Hualien $57
    Suzhou $39
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Hualien $114
    Suzhou $78
Compare Hotels in Hualien and Suzhou

Looking for a hotel in Hualien or Suzhou? 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 Hualien


Hotels in Suzhou


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Hualien $27
    Suzhou $59

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hualien

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hualien:

  • Private Transfer from Hualien Port to Taipei Taoyuan Airport: $95
  • Private Transfer from Hualien Cruise Port to Taipei city hotels: $95
  • Private Transfer from Hualien Port to Taipei Taoyuan Airport(TPE): $105

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Suzhou

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Suzhou:

  • Nanjing Downtown hotels to Lukou Intl Airport (NKG) - Departure Private Transfer: $34
  • Private Departure Transfer to Suzhou Train Station from City Hotel: $44
  • Private Round Trip Transfer to Tianping Mountain from Suzhou: $51
  • Private Round-Trip Transfer between Zhouzhuang Water Town and Suzhou City: $58
  • Private Round-Trip Transfer between Tongli Water Town and Suzhou City : $58
  • Private Round Trip Transfer from Suzhou to Luzhi Water Town: $64
  • Private Departure Transfer to Shanghai Airport from Suzhou City Hotel: $68
  • Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport Private Departure Transfer from Suzhou: $80
  • Shanghai Private Transfer from Suzhou with Stop-over at Zhouzhuang Water Town : $81
  • Suzhou Private Transfer to Zhouzhuang Water Town with Shanghai Drop-off Option: $84
  • Suzhou Private Transfer to Tongli Water Town with Shanghai Drop-off Option: $84
  • Shanghai Pudong International Airport Private Departure Transfer from Suzhou: $87

Is it cheaper to fly into Hualien or Suzhou?

Prices for flights to both Suzhou 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Hualien $31
    Suzhou $33

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 Suzhou

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Suzhou.

  • Suzhou Alleyway Walking Food Tour: $55
  • Suzhou Alleyway Food Tour: $65
  • Half-Day Private Customized Suzhou Highlights with Lunch or Dinner Option: $123
  • Private Suzhou Night Tour:Master of the Nets Garden, Ancient Canal with Dinner: $145
  • Zhouzhuang Water Town Private Tour from Suzhou with Lunch or Dinner Option: $154

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Hualien $20
    Suzhou $9.58

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 Suzhou

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Suzhou are as follows:

  • Suzhou Self-Guided Tour with Private Car and Driver Service : $65
  • Zhouzhuang and Tongli Self-Guided Tour from Suzhou with Drop-off Options : $70
  • 4-Hour Suzhou Private Customized Tour: $80
  • Suzhou Private Walking Tour with Panmen Gate, City Moat and Yiyuan Garden: $101
  • 4-Hour Flexible Suzhou City Highlights Private Tour: $114
  • Suzhou Private Flexible City Tour with Lunch Option: $121
  • 4-Hour Suzhou Private Flexible Tour with Garden and Boat Ride Option: $125
  • Private Flexible Suzhou Day Tour with Old and New Highlights: $127
  • Private Suzhou City Amazing Day Tour in Your Way : $127
  • 4-Hour Tongli Water Town Private Tour from Suzhou with Boat Ride : $127
  • 4-Hour Suzhou Private Tour: Humble Administrator’s Garden,Tiger Hill and Canal : $134
  • Nanjing Self-Guided Tour from Suzhou by Private Car with Drop-off Option : $137

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Hualien $14
    Suzhou $6.58


When comparing the travel costs between Hualien and Suzhou, 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 Suzhou Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Hualien or Suzhou?

Suzhou has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Hualien. When comparing the sizes of Hualien and Suzhou, 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.