A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Lhasa vs. Da Nang for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Lhasa or Da Nang?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Lhasa or Da Nang? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Lhasa or Da Nang?

Lhasa

Lhasa is the famed capital of Tibet, and is one of the most fascinating cities in the world to visit. It's name means "Land of the Gods" and the city dates back more than 1,300 years. It's elevation is 3,650 meters above sea level, making it one of the highest cities in the world. It sits on the northern slopes of the Himalayan Mountains by the Lhasa River and is the second largest city on the Tibetan Plateau after Xining.

Da Nang

Halfway between Ho Chi Minh City in the south and Hanoi in the North is the easy-going beach city of Da Nang (or Danang, for some). The third most populated city in Vietnam, Da Nang draws in crowds with its beautiful and calm beaches as well as its history as a French colonial port.

With beaches, mountains, and cityscape, there's bound to be a point of interest for all travelers. Da Nang is also a transit hub to get to the four Vietnamese UNESCO World heritage sites: Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park, Hue, Hoi An, and My Son.

Da Nang experiences wet season from September through March and dry season from April through August with average temperatures of around 80℉.

Da Nang is also known to have some of the friendliest locals, probably due to the peace and quiet and lack of heavy traffic, even in the city.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in China, The Best Cultural Tours in China, The Best Adventure Tours to Vietnam, and The Best Eco Tours in Vietnam.


Which place is cheaper, Da Nang or Lhasa?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Lhasa is $71, while the average daily cost in Da Nang is $46. 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 Lhasa and Da Nang in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Lhasa $39
    Da Nang $19
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Lhasa $78
    Da Nang $38
Compare Hotels in Lhasa and Da Nang

Looking for a hotel in Lhasa or Da Nang? 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 Lhasa


Hotels in Da Nang


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: Da Nang Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Lhasa $2.56
    Da Nang $11

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lhasa

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

  • Lhasa Kongga Airport Chauffeur Service, Lhasa Airport Transfer, Pickup: $170

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Da Nang

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Da Nang:

  • Vietnam Airport Transfers: $13
  • Try find better than us! Airport Transfer in Da Nang HTL-APT (DAD): $10
  • Try find better than us! Airport Transfer in Da Nang APT-HTL (DAD): $10
  • Transfer: Center Danang - BRG Golf Resort: $55
  • Transfer from Danang to Ba Na hills get free to Marble mountains: $66
  • Transfer from Da Nang to Hue : $70
  • Transfer from Da Nang to Hoi An: $8.00
  • Transfer from Da Nang or Hoi An to Hue via Bach Ma National Park: $81
  • Transfer between Da Nang Railway Station and Hoi An: Arrival or Departure: $31
  • Transfer From Hoi An to Da Nang Airport or Train station.: $21
  • Transfer Danang Airport to Intercontinenal Danang Resort: $31
  • Tours/transfer from Hoi An/Da Nang to Bana/Golden Bridge: $33

Is it cheaper to fly into Lhasa or Da Nang?

Prices for flights to both Da Nang and Lhasa 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
    Lhasa $26
    Da Nang $16

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Da Nang

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Da Nang.

  • Dragon bridge show and Da Nang local food tour: $4.10
  • Home Cooking Class: $22
  • Vegetarian Cooking class and Basket Boat Riding: $25
  • Happy Cooking Class in Danang : $26
  • Cooking Class and tasting Pho with Local Girl: $29
  • Vegetarian Home Cooking Class Da Nang: $29
  • Eco Cooking Class and Basket boat tour from Da Nang city: $29
  • Da Nang Home Cooking Class: $29
  • Da Nang Street Walking Food Tour : $29
  • Basket Boat Riding and Cooking Class from Da Nang City : $29
  • Da Nang Vegetarian Cooking Class: $29
  • Making Lantern & Basket Boat & Happy Cooking Class: $30

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Lhasa $17
    Da Nang $13

Tours and Activities in Lhasa

For Lhasa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • 4 Days Lhasa City Essence Tour: $745
  • 4 Days Lhasa City Tibet Tour included Permit issued: $760
  • Private Full-Day Tour w/ Lunch: $800
  • 5 Days Classic Lhasa Tour with Yamdrok Lake in Tibet: $999
  • Nepal Tibet Tour 8 Days: $2,729

Tours and Activities in Da Nang

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

  • Ba Na Hills & Golden Bridge Full-Day Tour: $93
  • DA NANG CITY SUNSET - Private Guided Tour : $92
  • Experience Hoi an Rural Eco Tour from Da Nang or Hoi An city: $76
  • Full-Day Tour to Discover Hue's Imperial Heritage : $56
  • GOLDEN BRIDGE BA NA HILLS & MARBLE MOUNTAIN -Private Guided Tour: $148
  • Golden Bridge Ba Na Hill-Early start to Avoid Crowds-PrivateTour: $138
  • Golden Bridge- Early Departure & Marble Mountains- Private Tour: $133
  • HOI AN COUNTRYSIDE & MARBLE MOUNTAIN Private Tour from Hoi An or Da Nang city: $82
  • Hoi An Countryside Tour with 3 Villages & Hoi An City Tour: $128
  • HoiAn Walking Tour with RiverBoat-Night Market-Colourful Lantern: $77
  • Hue City 1 Day Private Tour From Hoi An or Da Nang: $130
  • INSTAGRAM Tour - Da Nang & Hoi An city Private Tour ( 11 Hours): $140

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Lhasa $6.90
    Da Nang $9.39


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

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


Which is Bigger, Lhasa or Da Nang?

Da Nang has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Lhasa. When comparing the sizes of Lhasa and Da Nang, 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.