A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Lombok vs. Kunming for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Lombok or Kunming?

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 Lombok and Kunming. 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: Lombok or Kunming?

Lombok

Lombok is an island east of the well-tread Bali and west of lesser-developed Sumbawa. While Lombok is not as popular as its neighbor to the west, it is a great place to visit for that very reason. Less popularity means lower prices for accommodations, food, activities, and less-inundated tourist spots. Nonetheless, Lombok is rapidly developing in tourism, and the government is naming it and Sumbawa the number two tourism spots, following Bali.

Kunming

Kunming, located in southern China, is the modern capital city of the Yunnan province. It is a transportation hub for visitors entering the region, and good transfer point to just about everywhere else in the province by train or bus. Within the city itself there are many things to see and do with a full range of parks and zoos, museums, temples, theatres, and scenic areas.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Indonesia, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Indonesia, The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China.


Which place is cheaper, Kunming or Lombok?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Lombok is $52, while the average daily cost in Kunming is $67. 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 Lombok and Kunming in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Lombok $29
    Kunming $33
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Lombok $58
    Kunming $66
Compare Hotels in Lombok and Kunming

Looking for a hotel in Lombok or Kunming? 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 Lombok


Hotels in Kunming


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: Lombok Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Lombok $11
    Kunming $13

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lombok

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

  • Private Transfer from Sumbawa Besar Airport (SWQ) to Wisata Alam Semongkat: $210
  • Private Transfer from Sumbawa Besar Airport (SWQ) to Lopok: $152
  • Private Transfer from Dusun Setangi to Lombok Airport (LOP): $93
  • Airport transfer from lombok airport to Senaru rinjiani area: $76
  • Lombok Airport Private Transfer by Car: $75
  • Lombok Airport to Gili Islands - Private Shuttle & Transfer: $59
  • Lombok Int Airport (LOP) to Lombok - Round Trip Private Transfer: $59
  • Eka Jaya Boat Transfer from Lombok to Padang Bai: $58
  • Private Transfer from Lombok Airport (LOP) to Batu Bolong: $50
  • Private Transfer from Bangsal to Lombok Airport (LOP): $50
  • Private Transfer from Lombok Airport (LOP) to Sigar Penjalin: $50
  • Private Transfer from Sigar Penjalin to Lombok Airport (LOP): $50

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kunming

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Kunming:


  • Taxi Ride
    $1.52

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kunming

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

  • Private Transfer from Kunming hotel to Guizhou Xingyi hotel: $240
  • Kunming Private Round Trip Transfer to Fuxianhu Lake: $90
  • Kunming Changshui Airport Chauffeur Service, Kunming Airport Transfer, Pick up: $71
  • Kunming Airport Private Transfer - Charge by Vehicle: $48
  • [Airport Transfer] Kunming Changshui Airport ⇔ Kunming City Transfer ☆ High reputation for service! <Charter charter>: $36
  • Kunming Private Departure Transfer:City Hotel to Railway Station: $22

Is it cheaper to fly into Lombok or Kunming?

Prices for flights to both Kunming and Lombok 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
    Lombok $12
    Kunming $22

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lombok

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

  • Anggrek Putih Cooking Class & Garden Tour: $38
  • Love and Legends: The Ultimate Romantic Dinner on the beach : $47
  • Babah Peranakan Chinese Cuisine Dinner in Lombok: $60
  • Kids Cooking Class at Tugu Hotel Lombok: $63
  • Exquisite Dinner with Spectacular View at Tugu Hotel Lombok: $64
  • Traditional Cooking Class Experience With Recipes From The Past Generations: $67

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kunming

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

  • Kunming evening food tour with locals: $65
  • Private Kunming Night Tour with Dinner: $78

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Lombok $10
    Kunming $18

Tours and Activities in Lombok

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

  • 2 Days Private Tetebatu and Rinjani Nature Tour in Lombok: $169
  • 2D/1N (Hostel) Backpacker Lombok Tour Package: $205
  • 3 Days Mount Rinjani Complete Tour @All In One Price: $221
  • 3 Days Tour in Mount Rinjani Summit with Lake Hiking : $269
  • 3D 2N Mount Rinjani Trekking Tour To Summit And Lake: $185
  • Beach Tour in Lombok Indonesia: $51
  • Benang Kelambu Waterfall And Culture Full Day Tour : $75
  • Best Lombok Rice Terrace Walking Tour With Waterfall & Monkey: $60
  • Camping Tour in Sasak Mountain Lombok Island: $89
  • Complete your Lombok Holiday with Lombok Instagram Tour: $50
  • Cultural Tour of Lombok with English Speaking Guide: $63
  • Daily Tour: $70

Tours and Activities in Kunming

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

  • 1-Day Self-Guided Stone Forest Geological Park Tour from Kunming: $106
  • 1-Day Stone Forest Geological Park Private Tour with the Lunch from Kunming: $201
  • Kunming Private Day Tour to Jiuxiang Cave with Boat Ride : $209
  • 1 Day Stone Forest & Jiuxiang Cave Tour: $196
  • 1- Day Kunming Short Hiking Tour: $122
  • 1-Day Dinosaur Tour in Kunming: $144
  • 1-Day Dongchuan Red Land Photography Private Tour from Kunming: $269
  • 1-Day Kunming Culture Tour: $156
  • 1-Day Kunming Scenery Tour: $122
  • 1-Day Kunming Temple and Market Tour: $122
  • 1-Day Kunming tour with the Green Lake,Bird & Flower market and Yuantong Temple: $201
  • 1-Day Private Tour:Stone Forest and Western Hill(Dragon Gate) from Kunming: $245

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Lombok $8.15
    Kunming $17


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

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