A Travel Price Comparison for China Lhasa vs. Nanjing for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Lhasa or Nanjing?

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

Should I visit Lhasa or Nanjing? 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 Nanjing?

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.

Nanjing

Nanjing is the capital city of the Jiangsu Province on the central eastern coast of China, just north of Shanghai. This historically and culturally rich city lies at the lower end of the Yangtze river, resulting in lush and scenic landscapes. Nanjing is well-known for having many popular historical sites, some of which have been listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Which city is cheaper, Nanjing or Lhasa?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Lhasa is $59, while the average daily cost in Nanjing is $80. 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 city. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Lhasa and Nanjing in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Lhasa $33
    Nanjing $39
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Lhasa $66
    Nanjing $78
Compare Hotels in Lhasa and Nanjing

Looking for a hotel in Lhasa or Nanjing? 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 Nanjing


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: Lhasa Hotel Prices and Nanjing Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Lhasa $2.15
    Nanjing $32

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: $260
  • Lhasa Private Arrival Transfer: Railway Station to Hotel: $89
  • Lhasa Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Airport: $89
  • Lhasa Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Railway Station: $89

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nanjing

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Nanjing:

  • Zhenjiang Private Transfer Service from Nanjing City or Lukou Airport: $78
  • Yangzhou Private Transfer Service from Nanjing City or Lukou Airport: $80
  • Tangshan Hot Spring Spa Resorts Private Transfer from Nanjing City: $44
  • Private airport transfer to or from Nanjing International Airport max 5 persons: $28
  • Private airport transfer to or from Nanjing International Airport max 5 persons: $27
  • Private Transfer to Zhenjiang from Nanjing City Center: $89
  • Private Transfer to Yangzhou from Nanjing City Center: $89
  • Private Transfer to Gaochun City from Nanjing: $77
  • Private Transfer between Nanjing Olympic Stadium and City Hotel: $33
  • Private Transfer between Nanjing Jinniuhu Wild Animal Park and City Hotels: $61
  • Private Transfer Between Tangshan Hot Spring Resort and Nanjing Lukou Airport: $49
  • Private Round-Trip Transfer: Nanjing Lukou International Airport (NKG): $98

Is it cheaper to fly into Lhasa or Nanjing?

Prices for flights to both Nanjing 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 $22
    Nanjing $23

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lhasa

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

  • 4-Day Lhasa City Essential Group Tour including Hotel and Welcome Dinner: $592

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nanjing

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

  • 3-Hour Nanjing Authentic Local Food Tour by Public Transportation: $93
  • Nanjing City Private Night Tour with Qinghuai River Cruise and Dinner Option: $101
  • Flexible Private Nanjing City Night Tour with Dinner Option: $107
  • Private Nanjing Local Street Food Tour with Night River Cruise: $112
  • Half-Day Nanjing City Private Flexible Tour with Lunch or Dinner Option: $137
  • Nanjing Tangshan Mountain Hot Spring Experience and Hot Pot Dinner: $175

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Lhasa $14
    Nanjing $7.78

Tours and Activities in Lhasa

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

  • 4 Days Top Lhasa Group Tour: $53
  • Highlight Tibet Potala Palace Tour with Tibet Travel Expert Guide: $95
  • Day Tour: Tibet Ganden Monastery: $178
  • Day Tour: Tibet Drepung and Sera Monasteries: $180
  • Day Tour: Tibet Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple: $237
  • Tibet Entry Permit Plus Jokhang Temple & Barkhor Streets and Sera Monastery Tour: $263
  • Half- Day Potala Palace Tour from Lhasa: $278
  • 2-Day Lake Namtso Experience Small-Group Tour from Lhasa: $353
  • 2-Day Gyantse and Shigatse Tour from Lhasa: $359
  • Lhasa overview tour - 2 days: $360
  • The Best Bet 4 Days Lhasa Tour with Local Tibet Travel Expert: $421
  • 3-Night Essential Lhasa Tour: $474

Tours and Activities in Nanjing

Here are a few actual costs in Nanjing for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • 2-Day Beijing Private Tour Including the Great Wall from Nanjing by Bullet Train: $534
  • 2-Day Beijing Private Tour from Nanjing by Bullet Train with Drop-Off Options: $488
  • 2-Day Mount Huangshan and Xidi Village Private Tour from Nanjing by Bullet Train: $549
  • 2-Day Mt Huangshan and Hongcun Village Private Tour from Nanjing by Bullet Train: $549
  • 2-Day Nanjing Private Flexible Tour with Tangshan Hot Spring Spa Experience: $300
  • 2-Day Private Beijing Highlights Tour from Nanjing by Bullet Train: $499
  • 2-Day Private Customized Harbin Tour from Nanjing by Air: $1,118
  • 2-Day Private Lijiang Highlights Tour from Nanjing by Plane: $948
  • 2-Day Private Tour from Nanjing by Air and Train:Highlights of Xi'an and Beijing: $969
  • 2-Day Private Tour from Shenzhen with Hotel:Shaolin Temple and Longmen Grottoes: $798
  • 2-Day Private Tour of Beijing UNESCO World Heritage Sites from Nanjing by Train: $521
  • 2-Day Unlimited Nanjing Private Flexible Tour with Lunch Option: $238

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Lhasa $5.79
    Nanjing $7.94


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

Budget Your Trip

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Lhasa vs. Nanjing Travel Comparison

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