Which place is cheaper, Halong Bay or Kolkata (Calcutta)?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Kolkata (Calcutta) or Halong Bay?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Kolkata (Calcutta) or Halong Bay, 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: Kolkata (Calcutta) or Halong Bay?
Kolkata (Calcutta)
Formerly known as Calcutta, Kolkata is the capital of West Bengal, India. Featuring colonial architecture, galleries, temples, and festivals, the city has flourished from its roots as an East India Company trading post in the 18th Century to a thriving metropolis. Today Kolkata is a diverse center of culture and bustling activity.
Halong Bay
Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the north of Vietnam, near the Chinese border. Known for its thousands of beautiful limestone karsts and stalactite-filled caves, it is one of the most visited destinations in Vietnam. If you appreciate natural scenery and want an adventure at sea, you'll love cruising among more than 1,900 islands in Ha Long Bay.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 4-Week (1-Month) Tours in India, The Best Bicycle Tours in India, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Ho Chi Minh City, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Hanoi.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKolkata (Calcutta) $37Halong Bay $58
The average daily cost (per person) in Kolkata (Calcutta) is $37, while the average daily cost in Halong Bay is $58. 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 Kolkata (Calcutta) and Halong Bay in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKolkata (Calcutta) $17Halong Bay $28
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKolkata (Calcutta) $34Halong Bay $56
Compare Hotels in Kolkata (Calcutta) and Halong Bay
Looking for a hotel in Kolkata (Calcutta) or Halong Bay? 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: Kolkata (Calcutta) Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kolkata (Calcutta) $5.11Halong Bay $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kolkata (Calcutta)
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kolkata (Calcutta):
- Build Your Own: custom private tour of Kolkata with transfers: $69
- Kolkata 8 Hour Private City Tour Including Hotel Transfers by Car: $86
- Path of Knowledge: A Heritage Walking Tour of Kolkata with Private Transfer: $165
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Kolkata Airport: $32
- Private Transfer Kolkata Airport CCU To Kolkata Hotels Drop: $22
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Halong Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Halong Bay:
- Bus Transfer from Cat Ba island to Ninh Binh: $13
- Bus/Private Transfer Cat Ba Island to Ninh Binh/ Ninh binh to Cat Ba: $19
- Transfer From Halong to Ninh Binh: $25
- Rosa Eco Bus Luxury Transfer Ha Long to Ha Noi: $27
- Sunworld Halong theme park ticket with roundtrip transfer: $32
- Transfer Ha Long to Ha Noi Super Limousine Morning Bus: $33
- From Hanoi with Expessway Transfer to Halong Bay 1 Day Trip: $42
- Halong Bay Day Tour Roundtrip Transfer by Expressway 2024 - 2025: $43
- Small Group Halong Day Tour: Islands, Cave, Kayak. Lunch. Expressway Transfers: $45
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Cruise Port to Hanoi hotels: $46
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Port to Haiphong city hotels: $46
- 6 Hours Sailing on Dragon King Cruise From Halong with Transfer: $50
Is it cheaper to fly into Kolkata (Calcutta) or Halong Bay?
Prices for flights to both Halong Bay and Kolkata (Calcutta) 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 dayKolkata (Calcutta) $14Halong Bay $16
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kolkata (Calcutta)
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Kolkata (Calcutta).
- Bengali Nights Kolkata Food Tour with 13+ Tastings: $35
- Cooking experience in Authentic Bengali House with Lunch/Dinner: $41
- Alleyway Food Tour: $42
- Traditional Bengali Cooking Class in Kolkata in a Local Home: $64
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Halong Bay
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Halong Bay.
- Ambassador Luxury Dinner Cruise in Halong Bay: $46
- 1-day private Hanoi city tour with fun and night street walking food tour: $101
- Luxury Aspira Cruise from Halong with kayaking,cave,cooking class: $175
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kolkata (Calcutta) $15Halong Bay $16
Tours and Activities in Kolkata (Calcutta)
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Kolkata (Calcutta) are as follows:
- Heritage & Cultural Walk of Kolkata (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $13
- Kolkata Colonial Walk (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $13
- Kolkata Food Crawl (2 Hours Guided Local Food Tasting Tour): $20
- Chasing The Sun Experience Kolkata's Culture: $25
- Kolkata Half Day Guided City Tour: $27
- The Taste of Kolkata - Evening Food Walk Tour: $30
- Magic Hour Tour: $37
- Cultural Confluence of Kolkata - Culture Kaleidoscope Tour: $37
- Kolkata's Flower Market - Hooghly's Flower Fest Tour: $37
- Kolkata Slum Walking Tour: $41
- Indian Museum Guided Tour (Including surrounding area): $43
- Mesmerising Kolkata Private Customised Day Tour: $53
Tours and Activities in Halong Bay
Here are a few actual costs in Halong Bay for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- City Sightseeing Ha Long Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour : $19
- Full Day Boat Tour in Halong Bay, Cat Ba Archipelago & Lan Ha Bay: $24
- Best love - Full Day Boat Tour to Lan Ha Bay and Ha Long Bay: $26
- Most favorite full day boat tour with kayaking in Lan Ha bay, Ha Long bay: $26
- Ha Long Bay Day Tour with Lunch, Cave Explore & Titop Island: $29
- From Cat Ba island: full day boat tour to Lan Ha bay - Ha Long bay: $32
- Cruise and kayak on Lan Ha bay Ha Long bay with local experts: $32
- Full Day Trip to Lan Ha Bay with Kayaking in less tourist Areas: $34
- Lan Ha Bay Full Day Boat tour from Cat Ba island: $35
- Lan Ha Bay day tour from Cat Ba Town - Serenity Premium Cruise: $35
- Lan Ha Bay Full-Day Cruise From Cat Ba Town - Serenity Cruises: $36
- One Day Lan Ha Bay with Cat Ba Expedition Tour: $37
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKolkata (Calcutta) $8.27Halong Bay $12
Sample the Local Flavors in Kolkata (Calcutta)
Also in Kolkata (Calcutta), these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Pub Crawl Kolkata: $39
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kolkata (Calcutta) and Halong Bay, we can see that Halong Bay is more expensive. And not only is Kolkata (Calcutta) much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Kolkata (Calcutta) would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Kolkata (Calcutta) 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 Halong Bay would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Halong Bay than you might in Kolkata (Calcutta).
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Kolkata (Calcutta) Expensive? and Is Halong Bay Expensive?.
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.