A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Leh vs. Yakushima for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Leh or Yakushima?

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 Leh and Yakushima. 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: Leh or Yakushima?

Leh

Leh is a small town located in the Indus river valley at a crossroads of the old trading routes from Kashgar, Tibet, and Kashmir. Today, the town is best known for its Buddhist sites and nearby trekking areas. It is situated in northern India, amidst the mountainous Himalayan range.

Yakushima

Yakushima, Japan is a UNESCO World Heritage island located north of Okinawa and off the south east of of Kyushu. The island is well-known to Japanese tourists but not so much to international ones, making it a bit of a hidden gem to international tourists. This also means that English isn't spoken as much as in larger cities, so make sure to brush up on your Japanese and bring a dictionary.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from New Delhi, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Mumbai, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Japan, and The Best Luxury Tours to Japan.


Which place is cheaper, Yakushima or Leh?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Leh is $39, while the average daily cost in Yakushima is $116. 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 Leh and Yakushima in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Leh $17
    Yakushima $59
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Leh $34
    Yakushima $118
Compare Hotels in Leh and Yakushima

Looking for a hotel in Leh or Yakushima? 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 Leh


Hotels in Yakushima


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: Leh Hotel Prices and Yakushima Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Leh $7.86
    Yakushima $49

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Leh

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Leh:

  • Leh Airport Transfer: $33

Is it cheaper to fly into Leh or Yakushima?

Prices for flights to both Yakushima and Leh 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
    Leh $14
    Yakushima $28

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Leh $14
    Yakushima $20

Tours and Activities in Leh

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

  • Leh-Ladakh Sameday Tour/ Capture the Majesty in Just One Day: $53
  • "Leh to Pangong Lake Sameday tour: A Day of Tranquil Wonders: $80
  • LADAKH TOUR: $659
  • From Srinagar: Private Himalayan 11-Day Tour to Ladakh: $1,507

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Leh $5.57
    Yakushima $6.38


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Leh and Yakushima, we can see that Yakushima is more expensive. And not only is Leh much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Leh would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Leh 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 Yakushima would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Yakushima than you might in Leh.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Leh Expensive? and Is Yakushima Expensive?.