Which place is cheaper, Harbin or Kunming?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Kunming or Harbin?
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 Kunming and Harbin. 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: Kunming or Harbin?
Kunming
Kunming, located in southern China, is the modern capital city of the Yunnan province. It is a transportation hub for visitors entering the region, and good transfer point to just about everywhere else in the province by train or bus. Within the city itself there are many things to see and do with a full range of parks and zoos, museums, temples, theatres, and scenic areas.
Harbin
Harbin, China is the northernmost major city in the country, with a population of over 10 million. Harbin was founded in 1897 by Russia, which has resulted in a lot of Russian influence throughout the city and many Russian citizens. The city is most famous for their annual International Snow and Ice Festival, a two-month-long festival running from January through February of each year.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to China, The Best Tours for Seniors to China, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Beijing, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Lhasa.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKunming $67Harbin $54
The average daily cost (per person) in Kunming is $67, while the average daily cost in Harbin is $54. 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 Kunming and Harbin in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKunming $33Harbin $21
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKunming $66Harbin $42
Compare Hotels in Kunming and Harbin
Looking for a hotel in Kunming or Harbin? 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.Kunming $13Harbin $1.49
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kunming
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Kunming:
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Taxi Ride$1.51
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kunming
Also for Kunming, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Kunming hotel to Guizhou Xingyi hotel: $240
- One way Kunming airport to hotel private transfer: $41
- Kunming Private Round Trip Transfer to Fuxianhu Lake: $90
- Kunming Changshui Airport Chauffeur Service, Kunming Airport Transfer, Pickup: $83
- Kunming Changshui Airport Chauffeur Service, Kunming Airport Transfer, Pick up: $71
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Harbin
Also for Harbin, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared Transfer Service to Ice and Snow World, Sun Island Snow Festival: $250
- Harbin City Car Transfer Service with Driver: $168
- Private Full Day Transfer Service to Harbin Top Winter Attractions: $168
- Shared Night Transfer Service to Harbin Ice and Snow World: $85
- Harbin Taiping Airport Chauffeur Service , Harbin Airport Transfer,Pick up: $78
- Private HRB Airport Departure Transfer from Harbin City Hotel: $70
- Private HRB Airport Arrival Transfer to Harbin City Hotel: $70
- Private Arrival Transfer from Harbin West Railway Station to Harbin City Hotel: $65
- Harbin Taiping Airport Chauffeur Service, Harbin Airport Transfer, Pick up.: $59
- Harbin Airport (HRB) : Private Arrival Transfer with Meet & Greet Service: $32
- Harbin Airport Chauffeur Service, Harbin Airport Transfer: $27
Is it cheaper to fly into Kunming or Harbin?
Prices for flights to both Harbin and Kunming 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 dayKunming $22Harbin $14
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kunming
For Kunming, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Kunming evening food tour with locals: $64
- Private Kunming Night Tour with Dinner: $78
- Half Day Private Tour of Kunming Flower Market and Flower Pastry Cooking Class: $165
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Harbin
For Harbin, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- 4-Hour Private Night Tour to Harbin Ice and Snow World with Dinner Options: $261
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kunming $18Harbin $52
Tours and Activities in Kunming
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Kunming.
- 1-Day Self-Guided Stone Forest Geological Park Tour from Kunming: $106
- 1-Day Stone Forest Geological Park Private Tour with the Lunch from Kunming: $201
- Kunming Private Day Tour to Jiuxiang Cave with Boat Ride : $209
- 1 Day Stone Forest & Jiuxiang Cave Tour: $196
- 1- Day Kunming Short Hiking Tour: $122
- 1-Day Civil Culture Tour in Kunming: $112
- 1-Day Dinosaur Tour in Kunming: $144
- 1-Day Kunming Temple and Market Tour: $122
- 1-Day Panorama Tour in Kunming: $122
- 1-Day Private Tour:Stone Forest and Western Hill(Dragon Gate) from Kunming: $245
- 4-Hour Tea-tasting and Cha Guo Zi (茶果子）Experience Tour: $112
- Classical Yunnan 8days highlights tour start from Kunming: $1,395
Tours and Activities in Harbin
For Harbin, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 1-Day Harbin Private Tour: $130
- 2-Day Harbin City Private Tour in Your Way in Winter Season: $280
- 4-Hour Private Tour of the Largest Indoor Ice and Snow Paradise: $136
- Full Day Private Tour to Harbin Ice and Snow Festival: $250
- Group Tour to Harbin Ice and Snow World plus Sun Island Snow Sculpture Festival: $298
- Half Day Tour for Harbin Guandong Ancient Lane and Wood Sculpture Museum: $104
- Harbin City Private Day Tour in Your Way in Winter Season: $200
- Harbin Ice Festival New Year Eve Countdown Group Tour on December 31: $200
- Private Half Day City Tour including Russian Town and Harbin Ropeway Ride: $150
- Private Half Day Tour to Unit 731 Museum in Harbin: $209
- Private Harbin Ice Festival Night Tour: $209
- Small Group Night Tour to Harbin Ice and Snow World: $198
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKunming $17Harbin $7.80
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kunming and Harbin, we can see that Kunming is more expensive. And not only is Harbin much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Harbin would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Harbin 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 Kunming would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kunming than you might in Harbin.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Kunming Expensive? and Is Harbin Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kunming or Harbin?
Harbin has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Kunming. When comparing the sizes of Kunming and Harbin, 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.