Which place is cheaper, Dali or Hue?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Hue or Dali?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Hue and Dali can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Hue or Dali?
Hue
Hue is a major city in central Vietnam and was historically the imperial capital. The city was the base for the imperial Nguyen Dynasty, which ruled from 1802 to 1945. During the Vietnam War the city faced many challenges. It was conquered by the Viet Cong and held for 24 days. During this time about 3,000 people were slaughtered for their political views, education level, or religious affiliation.
Dali
Dali is a city in southern China with a long and glorious history dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The Xiaguan neighborhood of the city is the modern industrial center where most public transportation arrives; however, the Old Town of Dali is the place that draws the most visitors. Being one of China's ancient cities, Dali is said to have been a gateway to the Silk Road, and still attracts attention with its traditional architecture, beautiful scenery, ethnic cultures, and nightlife.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Vietnam, The Best Cruise Tours and Packages in Vietnam, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in China, and The Best Adventure Tours to China.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHue $48Dali $48
The average daily cost (per person) in Hue is $48, while the average daily cost in Dali is $48. 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 Hue and Dali in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHue $23Dali $17
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHue $46Dali $34
Compare Hotels in Hue and Dali
Looking for a hotel in Hue or Dali? 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: Hue Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Hue $12Dali $9.19
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Hue
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Hue:
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Cyclo$0.48
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Short Taxi Ride$0.88
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Taxi Ride to Tombs$14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hue
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hue:
- Vinh Moc Tunnels & Khe Sanh: Transfer from Hue or Phong Nha: $43
- Transfer from Hue to Hoi An with Private Car: $98
- Transfer from Hue to Hoi An via Hai Van Pass and Golden Bridge: $55
- Transfer from Hue to Hoi An by Motorbike: $67
- Transfer from Hue to Da Nang or Hoi An via Bach Ma National Park: $81
- Transfer from Hue city to Phu Bai airport: $29
- Transfer from Hue airport to Hue city center or vice versa: $7.10
- Transfer from Da Nang or Hoi An to Hue via Hue City Tour: $64
- Transfer between Hue Hotels and Hue Airport: $7.41
- Sightseeing Transfer Between Hue and Hoi An: $102
- Sightseeing Transfer Between Hue and Hoi An: $113
- Roundtrip Transfer to Ba Na Hills - Golden Bridge via Hai Van Pass from Hue City: $85
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Dali
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Dali:
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Local Bus$0.41
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dali
Also for Dali, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Dali Airport Chauffeur Service,Dali Airport Transfer: $40
- Private Transfer from Dali to Lijiang/Shuhe hotel: $149
- Private Transfer from Dali to Lijiang/Shuhe hotel and Stops at Shaxi Old Town: $160
Is it cheaper to fly into Hue or Dali?
Prices for flights to both Dali and Hue 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 dayHue $15Dali $18
Typical Food Prices in Hue
Some typical examples of dining costs in Hue are as follows:
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River Night Market Dinner (for Two)$7.99
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Two Sugarcane Drinks$0.80
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Quick Lunch (for Two)$2.20
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Sitdown Dinner (for Two)$4.39
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hue
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Hue.
- Private Healthy Cooking Class In Ancient Vietnamese Garden: $20
- Hue Walking Street Food Tour: $27
- Walking street food tour: $30
- Hue : Vegetarian Cooking Class with Local Family: $31
- Vietnamese Cooking Class with Local Family in Hue: $31
- Hue Food Tour by Walking or Cyclo or Motorcycle with Driver: $33
- Hue Food Tour by Walking or Cyclo or Motorbike with Driver: $33
- Home Cooking Class in Hue City : $35
- Hue Walking Food Tour: $35
- Best Hue Street Food Tour: $35
- Exploring Hue Food Tour with Local Guide : $35
- Home Vegan/Vegetarian Cooking Class with Local Girl: $35
Typical Food Prices in Dali
For Dali, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch$4.42
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Breakfast$3.45
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Hue $11Dali $18
Typical Entertainment Prices in Hue
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Hue are as follows:
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Boat Ride$7.79
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Bicycle Rental (One Day)$1.12
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Imperial Citadel Entrance$3.20
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Massage at Institute for the Blind$1.60
Tours and Activities in Hue
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Hue are as follows:
- Hue - Bach Ma National Park Group Tour : $300
- Hue City Full-Day Tour with Boat Trip on Perfume River and Lunch: $128
- Hue City: Full-Day Guided Tour - Imperial City - All Inclusive: $59
- Hue Private Guided Tour : Citadel, Royal tombs, Thien Mu pagoda: $57
- 1-day Hue full day city tour: $39
- 12 Hours Experience Different Hue: $179
- 13 Days Private Tour Highlights of Cambodia & Vietnam: $4,731
- 2 Day Motorbike Tour from Hue to Hoi An by Mister T Easy Rider: $160
- 2,5 hours walking tour inside Hue Imperial city: $35
- 2-Day Phong Nha-Ke Bang Cave Adventure from Hue: $250
- 2-Day Sa Pa Adventure with Trekking and Ethnic Homestay: $88
- 2.5 hours Hue Walking Tour with Tour Guide: $19
Tours and Activities in Dali
For Dali, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 1-Day Erhai Sightseeing in Dali: $129
- 1 day Dali Highlights Mini Group Tour: $140
- 1-Day Tie Dye Experience Tour in Dali: $160
- Private Day Tour of Dali Explore the Ancient City: $175
- Private hiking tour to Cangshan Mountain from Dali: $175
- Private tour to Xizhou old town local market Erhai lake three Pagodas from Dali: $184
- Dali Private Tour to Xizhou Ancient Town and Erhai Lake : $186
- 1-Day Dali tour with the Daili old town, Xizhou Village and Three Pagodas: $195
- 2-Days Self-Guided tour from Dali to Lijiang and overnight in Shaxi old town: $205
- Private Customized Tour: Dali City Highlights in One Day: $213
- All Inclusive Private Day Tour to Shaxi Ancient Town from Dali: $213
- Private Day Tour: Erhai Lake, Three Pagodas, Dali Ancient Town: $217
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHue $5.79Dali $11
Typical Alcohol Prices in Hue
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Hue:
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Beer$1.00
When comparing the travel costs between Hue and Dali, we can see that Hue 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 Hue Expensive? and Is Dali Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Hue or Dali?
Hue has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Dali. When comparing the sizes of Hue and Dali, 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.