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

Should you visit Leh or Yangshuo?

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 Yangshuo. 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 Yangshuo?

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.

Yangshuo

A county of the city, Guilin, Yangshuo is located in a region famous for its karst topography. Surrounded by jagged mountain peaks and bordered on one side by the Li River, Yangshuo has become a popular home base for tourists looking to explore the region's natural wonders. Backpackers and tourists, both foreign and domestic, come to Yangshuo every year making it a city of many cultures. Most locals are even able to speak English, which is fairly uncommon for Chinese cities.

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 Budget Tours to China, and The Best Tours for Seniors to China.


Which place is cheaper, Yangshuo 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 Yangshuo is $72. 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 Yangshuo in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Leh $17
    Yangshuo $25
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Leh $34
    Yangshuo $50
Compare Hotels in Leh and Yangshuo

Looking for a hotel in Leh or Yangshuo? 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 Yangshuo


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.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Leh $7.86
    Yangshuo $42

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Leh

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Leh:

  • Leh Airport Transfer: $33

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Yangshuo

Also for Yangshuo, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer from Yangshuo(Xingping) Train Station to Yangshuo Hotel: $21
  • Private Transfer from Xingping hotel to Yangshuo hotel: $21
  • Private Transfer from Yangshuo hotel to Guilin hotel: $37
  • Yangshuo Via Ferrata with Round way private transfer from Yangshuo hotel: $56
  • Liusanjie Light Show with Round way private transfer from Xingping hotel: $69
  • Private Transfer from Yangshuo hotel to Longsheng hotel: $85
  • Private Impression Sanjie Liu Evening Show with Hotel Transfer: $88
  • Visit 100% primitive cave with Transfer: $97
  • Private Transfer from Xingping hotel to Longsheng hotel: $107

Is it cheaper to fly into Leh or Yangshuo?

Prices for flights to both Yangshuo 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
    Yangshuo $19

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Yangshuo

For Yangshuo, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Yangshuo Full Day Tour: Cooking class, River boat, Light Show: $259

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Leh $14
    Yangshuo $23

Tours and Activities in Leh

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

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

Tours and Activities in Yangshuo

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Yangshuo.

  • Impression Sanjie Liu Show Ticket: $45
  • Yangshuo Impression Liusanjie Show Ticket: $45
  • Yangshuo Impression Liusanjie Show Ticket: $47
  • Yangshuo Ruyi peak & round way cable car ticket: $55
  • Half/Full-Day Yangshuo Countryside Moderate Cycling and Sightseeing Private Tour: $60
  • Gullin: Li River Cruise with Pickup and Yangshuo: $65
  • 1 Day - Yangshuo Bike Tour: $80
  • Xingping Parasailing Experience Ticket: $89
  • Yangshuo Parasailing Experience Ticket: $89
  • One Day Xianggong Hill Xingping Bamboo Boat West Street Tour : $99
  • Yangshuo Classic Private Day Tour: $106
  • Half-Day Private Tour: Yangshuo Sidecar Tour from Yangshuo hotel: $117

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Leh $5.57
    Yangshuo $33


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Leh and Yangshuo, we can see that Yangshuo 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 Yangshuo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Yangshuo 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 Yangshuo Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Leh or Yangshuo?

Yangshuo has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Leh. When comparing the sizes of Leh and Yangshuo, 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.