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

Should you visit Lhasa or Qingdao?

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

Should I visit Lhasa or Qingdao? 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 Qingdao?

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.

Qingdao

Qingdao, China, located in the Shandong Province, is a very large city right on the Yellow Sea coast. The city, whose name means "The Green Island" due to it's gorgeous landscapes and interesting geography, was named China's most livable city in 2012. The city is rich in history, having almost become a German territory in 1897 and being occupied by the Japanese during WWI. Evidence of these occupiers is present in much of the architecture around the city, which includes a few Catholic and Protestant churches.

Which city is cheaper, Qingdao 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 Qingdao is $48. 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 Qingdao in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Lhasa $33
    Qingdao $22
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Lhasa $66
    Qingdao $44
Compare Hotels in Lhasa and Qingdao

Looking for a hotel in Lhasa or Qingdao? 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 Qingdao


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 Qingdao Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Lhasa $2.15
    Qingdao $10

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lhasa

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

  • Lhasa Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Railway Station: $89
  • Lhasa Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Airport: $89
  • Lhasa Private Arrival Transfer: Railway Station to Hotel: $89
  • Lhasa Kongga Airport Chauffeur Service, Lhasa Airport Transfer, Pickup: $260

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Qingdao

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

  • Qingdao Railway Station Depature Transfer from City Hotels: $36
  • Qingdao Railway Station Arrival Transfer to City Hotel: $36
  • Qingdao Private Transfer from Qingdao central to Qingdao Airport (TAO): $95
  • Qingdao Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Airport: $56
  • Qingdao Private Arrival Transfer: Airport to Hotel: $78
  • Qingdao Northern Railway Station Depature Private One-Way Transfer: $42
  • Qingdao Northern Railway Station Arrival Private One-Way Transfer: $42
  • Qingdao Liuting International Airport Chauffeur Service , to Qingdao Transfer: $31
  • Qingdao Cruise Port Departure Transfer from City Hotels: $36
  • Qingdao Cruise Port Arrival Transfer to City Hotels: $36
  • Private transfer: Qingdao to Qingdao International Airport (TAO): $622
  • Private airport transfer to or from Qingdao Liuting International Airport max 5: $18

Is it cheaper to fly into Lhasa or Qingdao?

Prices for flights to both Qingdao 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
    Qingdao $17

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

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Lhasa $14
    Qingdao $17

Tours and Activities in Lhasa

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

  • 10 Days Lhasa Mt. Everest Namtso Lake Group Tour: $1,274
  • 13 Days Lhasa Mt.EBC Mt. Kailash Kathmandu Group Tour: $2,368
  • 14 Days Lhasa and Mt Kalaish Pilgrimage Trek Group Tour: $1,830
  • 15 Days Mt Everest and Mt Kailash kora pilgrimage group tour: $2,221
  • 15 Days Mt Kailash Trek Group Tour: $2,053
  • 15 Days Mt. Kailash and Manasarova Pilgrimage Group Tour: $2,368
  • 15-Day Small-Group Best of Tibet Tour: $3,636
  • 16-Day Saga Dawa Festival Tour at Kailash (Fullmoon): $2,895
  • 2-Day Gyantse and Shigatse Tour from Lhasa: $359
  • 2-Day Lake Namtso Experience Small-Group Tour from Lhasa: $353
  • 3-Day Private Tour: Lhasa, Gyangtse, and Shigatse: $936
  • 3-Night Essential Lhasa Tour: $474

Tours and Activities in Qingdao

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

  • 2-Day Private Beijing Highlights Tour from Qingdao by Bullet Train: $438
  • 2-Day Private Customized Harbin Tour from Qingdao by Air: $868
  • 2-Day Private Tour from Qingdao with Hotel: Shaolin Temple and Longmen Grottoes: $798
  • 2-Day Qingdao Tour: Catedral de San Miguel, Laoshan Mountain and Qingdao Beer Museum: $491
  • 2-Day Qufu Historical Tour from Qingdao by High Speed Rail: $584
  • 3-Day Private Golden Triangle Tour: Shanghai, Beijing and Xi'an from Qingdao: $1,378
  • 3-Day Private Tibet Tour from Lhasa, Yamdrok Lake and Khampa La Pass: $925
  • 4 Days Private Guided Tour of Beijing and Xi'an from Qingdao: $1,088
  • 7-Day Private China Tour from Beijing, Xi'an, Guilin and Shanghai: $2,328
  • All Inclusive 2-Day Private Tour of Beijing City Highlights from Qingdao by Air: $738
  • All Inclusive 3-Day Private Tour of Xi'an and Beijing from Qingdao with Hotel: $1,328
  • All Inclusive Private 2-Day Tour of Xi'an Highlights from Qingdao with Hotel: $728

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Lhasa $5.79
    Qingdao $12


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Lhasa and Qingdao, we can see that Lhasa is more expensive. And not only is Qingdao much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Qingdao would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Qingdao 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 Qingdao.

Budget Your Trip

Budget Your Trip has average travel costs for thousands of cities around the world, all provided by other travelers. You can also register to organize your spending by category and location with graphs, maps, charts, and tables.

Share This Page
Pin This Page
Lhasa vs. Qingdao Travel Comparison

Some of the links on this website are sponsored or affiliate links which help to financially support this site. By clicking the link and making a purchase, we may receive a small commission, but this does not affect the price of your purchase.