Which place is cheaper, Taipei or Luang Prabang?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Luang Prabang or Taipei?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Luang Prabang or Taipei, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Luang Prabang or Taipei?
Luang Prabang
Southeast Asia is a region full of mystical wonders and cultural charm, but nowhere is as charming as the city of Luang Prabang. As the former capital of Laos, Luang Prabang was reopened to tourism in 1989. With that move the city experienced an upswing in revenue and was able to restore and rebuild the beautiful colonial mansions to serve as guesthouses and hotels for the new swarm of tourists.
Taipei
Few cities in the world are full of more diverse opportunities than the cultural crosshairs city of Taipei. As the capital of Taiwan, this 300-year-old city is the financial, cultural and governmental center of Taiwan. Located in the northern part of the island between the Yangming Mountains and Central Mountains, this city of 2.6 million people is always ready to welcome more visitors.
For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Laos, The Best Adventure Tours to Laos, The Best Cultural Tours in Taiwan, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Taiwan.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLuang Prabang $14Taipei $182
The average daily cost (per person) in Luang Prabang is $14, while the average daily cost in Taipei is $182. 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 Luang Prabang and Taipei in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLuang Prabang $5.72Taipei $145
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLuang Prabang $11Taipei $290
Compare Hotels in Luang Prabang and Taipei
Looking for a hotel in Luang Prabang or Taipei? 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.
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: Luang Prabang Hotel Prices and Taipei Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Luang Prabang $2.11Taipei $10
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Luang Prabang
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Luang Prabang are as follows:
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Tuk Tuk Ride$2.36
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Luang Prabang
Also for Luang Prabang, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Luang Prabang Private Airport transfers: $9.00
- LPQ Airport: Private Transfer to/from Luang Prabang City: $29
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Taipei
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Taipei:
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Easycard$2.01
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Easycard$9.29
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Taipei
Also for Taipei, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Bruns 9 seater, charter tour, business transfer, airport transfer, round-the-island charter tour: $299
- Modern nine-seater, Taiwan chartered tour, chartered day trip, round-the-island chartered car, airport transfer, hotel pick-up service: $254
- Jiaoxi to Taipei Taoyuan Airport (TPE)- Departure Transfer: $236
- Taipei Taoyuan Airport (TPE) to Jiaoxi - Arrival Private Transfer: $236
- Luxury Chartered Private Transfer Taoyuan Airport to Taipei City: $140
- Taoyuan airport to Yilan Private Transfer: $115
- Taipei Private Transfer:Keelung Cruise Port to Taiwan Taoyuan Int Airport: $115
- Private Transfer from Taipei hotels to Hualien Cruise Port: $102
- Taipei Private Transfer: Keelung Cruise Port to Hotel: $85
- Taipei Taoyuan Airport (TPE) to Taian Township -Arrival Transfer: $76
- Keelung(Taipei) Cruise Port to Taipei-Round-Trip Private Transfer: $76
- Taiwan Taoyuan Airport (TPE) to Keelung Cruise Port - Arrival Private Transfer: $57
Is it cheaper to fly into Luang Prabang or Taipei?
Prices for flights to both Taipei and Luang Prabang 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
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Food Meals for one dayLuang Prabang $5.47Taipei $16
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Luang Prabang
For Luang Prabang, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Luang Prabang Local Market and Morning Food Tour with Drinks: $29
- Day-time Bamboo weaving & Cooking Classes join-in: $44
- Bamboo Weaving Workshop & Cooking Class: $44
- Evening Bamboo weaving & Cooking classes join-in: $47
- Mekong Sunset Cruise and Hot Pot Dinner: $50
- Evening Cooking Class & Local Baci Ceremony: $51
- Luang Prabang Mekong Sunset Cruise and Hot Pot Dinner: $51
- Laos Cooking Class in Luang Prabang: $55
- Luang Prabang Evening food tour by Tuktuk: $56
- Luang Prabang Evening Food Tour by Tuk-Tuk: $57
- Luang Prabang Evening Food Tour by Tuk-Tuk : $58
- Full Day bamboo experience with cooking class & Kuang si waterfalls: $59
Typical Food Prices in Taipei
For Taipei, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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EasyCard$15
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Lunch at The Can$6.81
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EasyCard$31
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Lunch$2.94
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Lunch$1.86
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Dinner$6.19
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Lunch$3.56
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Lunch$4.64
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Louisa coffee$2.94
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Taipei
For Taipei, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Historic Night Market Food Tour with Tastings: $45
- Ximending Vegan Food Tour Snack, Dessert & Main!: $46
- Taipei Food Tour: Yongkang Street for Foodies: $58
- Yansan Night Market Food Tour: $62
- Taipei Food Tour and Colorful Bubble Tea Making: $65
- Xiao long bao, Pork thick soup, Bubble milk tea. (Taiwan Cooking Class)-B : $65
- Turnip cake, Pork thick soup, Tofu pudding. Taiwan Traditional Light Meals Experience-C (Taipei Cooking Class): $65
- Taipei Food Tour and Colorful Bubble Tea Making: $70
- Private Food Tour – 10 Tastings with Locals: $73
- Backstreet Food Tour: Food, Culture, and Fun: $75
- Xiao Long Bao, Chicken vermicelli with mushroom and sesame oil, Tofu strips salad, Bubble milk tea. Taiwan Traditional Delicacies Experience-A (Taipei Cooking Class): $77
- The Award-Winning PRIVATE Food Tour of The 10 Tastings: $79
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Luang Prabang $2.72Taipei $17
Tours and Activities in Luang Prabang
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Luang Prabang.
- 1 DAY Mekong Cruise to Pak Ou Caves. Kuang Si Waterfalls . Local Villages: $48
- Bike to Kuangsi Waterfall and Cruise the Mekong River Back - Luang Prabang 1 day: $170
- Dine and Cruise on Mekong River: $66
- Elephant keeper experience option waterfall day tour: $115
- From Guided Mountain Bike Tour with Lunch: $42
- Full Day Kuang Si Warerfalls & Rice Farming Experience in Living Land: $80
- Full day / Half Day Kayaking and Pak Ou Caves with optional sunset cruise: $41
- Full-Day Luang Prabang Highlights Tour Including Kuangsi Waterfall: $85
- Full-Day Private Guided Pak Ou Caves & Ethnic Village Tour: $159
- Full-Day Private Tour in Luang Prabang with Vintage Jeep: $170
- Guided Exploring Luang Prabang Full-Day Tour: $69
- Guided Meditation Experience in Luang Prabang: $40
Tours and Activities in Taipei
For Taipei, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- One-Day Historical and Heritage Tour in Taipei : $47
- 2 days Yeliou (or Pingxi sky lantern) & Sun Moon Lake tour (Taichung city end) : $200
- 2-Day Private Tour to Sun Moon Lake and Mount Hehuan: $195
- 2-Hour Private Dadaocheng Walking Tour: $35
- 2-Hour Private Longshan Temple Walking Tour: $35
- 2-Hour Private Ximending Area Walking Tour: $35
- 2-Hour Vegetarian Private Walking Tour - S.Y.S. Memorial Hall & 44 South Village: $58
- 2-Hour Vegetarian Private Walking Tour - Xingtian Temple: $55
- 3-Day Private Tour of Taroko Gorge & East Coast Scenic Area: $290
- 3.5 hours Taipei City Tour (morning or afternoon ) : $44
- 4-Hour Morning Cycling Tour in Taipei : $73
- 5 Hours Sightseeing and Bar Tour in Taipei: $69
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLuang Prabang $1.82Taipei $18
Sample the Local Flavors in Taipei
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Taipei:
- Taipei Nightlife: Taipei Pub Crawls (2 Different Routes): $28
- Taipei Nightlife: Taipei Pub Crawls (2 Different Routes): $30
- Private Tour to Yilan Kavalan Whisky Distillery: $130
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Luang Prabang and Taipei, we can see that Taipei is more expensive. And not only is Luang Prabang much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Luang Prabang would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Luang Prabang 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 Taipei would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Taipei than you might in Luang Prabang.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Luang Prabang Expensive? and Is Taipei Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Luang Prabang or Taipei?
Taipei has a larger population, and is about 170 times larger than the population of Luang Prabang. When comparing the sizes of Luang Prabang and Taipei, 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.