A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Mandalay vs. Nelson for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Mandalay or Nelson?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Mandalay or Nelson, 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: Mandalay or Nelson?

Mandalay

Located in Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) on the banks of the Irawaddy River, Mandalay is the nation's second largest city behind Yangon. It is centered on the restored Royal Palace and has a large population of Buddhist monks who frequent the city's many temples and monasteries.

Nelson

Nelson is a city that sits on Tasman Bay on the South Island of New Zealand. Travelers, especially ones that are heading to explore Abel Tasman National Park, frequently visit this town. Nelson has a population of about 46,000 people and, geographically speaking, it is the center of New Zealand as a whole.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to New Zealand, and The Best Wildlife Tours to New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Nelson or Mandalay?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Mandalay is $19, while the average daily cost in Nelson is $114. 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 Mandalay and Nelson in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Mandalay $8.65
    Nelson $41
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Mandalay $17
    Nelson $82
Compare Hotels in Mandalay and Nelson

Looking for a hotel in Mandalay or Nelson? 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 Mandalay


Hotels in Nelson


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: Nelson Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Mandalay -
    Nelson $28

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mandalay

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Mandalay:

  • Private Mandalay Airport Transfer: $27
  • Inle [Heho] Airport Private Transfer : $46
  • Mandalay Airport Private Transfer : $55
  • Bagan Land Transfer form Mandalay: $103
  • Private Land Transfer : Mandalay to Bagan: $139
  • Mandalay To Bagan Transfer Tour: $150
  • Private Transfer Of Mandalay To Bagan: $150
  • Around Mandalay in 2 Day and Next Day to Transfer Bagan: $200
  • From Mandalay To Kalaw-NyaungShwe-Inle Lake Private Transfer: $200
  • 2 Days in Mandalay Region, 3 Night in Monywa and 4 Days to transfer Bagan: $260

Is it cheaper to fly into Mandalay or Nelson?

Prices for flights to both Nelson and Mandalay 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
    Mandalay $10
    Nelson $47

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mandalay

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

  • Myanmar traditional cooking class with local: $26
  • Bamboo Bike Food Tour: $42
  • Bicycle Food Tour in Mandalay: $45

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Mandalay -
    Nelson $23

Tours and Activities in Mandalay

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

  • A Little Adventure Village Explore: $17
  • Private Full-Day Mandalay Heritage Charter Car Tour: $45
  • Mandalay Half-Day Tour: $45
  • Mandalay Bike 'n Bite Tour: $46
  • Mandalay Half-Day Sightseeing: $53
  • Mandalay Full-Day Tour: $60
  • Full day Adventure Trip in Mandalay & Amarapura : $61
  • Adventure to Dee Dote Waterfalls from Mandalay: $63
  • Mandalay Fullday Sightseeing: $65
  • Day Tour Of Mingun/Sagaing/Amarapura: $75
  • Amarapura,Sagaing,Innwa Sightseeing Tour: $75
  • Amarapura,Sagging,Innwa/Ava Sightseeing : $75

Tours and Activities in Nelson

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

  • Nelson City Walking Tour - Guided: $28
  • Cable Bay Adventure Park: E-bike hire: $56
  • Abel Tasman Vista Cruise: $62
  • Cable Bay Adventure Park Skywire Experience: $64
  • Skywire Adventure at Cable Bay, Nelson: $65
  • Nelson to Mapua: Full-Day Cycling Self-Guided Adventure: $70
  • Self-Guided Nelson to Mapua Cycle Adventure: $71
  • Magical Mapua Charms in off-summer Season Selfguided Cycle Tour: $74
  • Magical Mapua Self Guided One Day Cycle Tour: $74
  • Half Day Guided Mountain Biking Adventure in Nelson: $74
  • Great Taste Beer Tour by Bicycle (Self-guided): $77
  • Guided Quad Biking Tour Through Forest and Farmland: $79

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Mandalay -
    Nelson $13

Sample the Local Flavors in Nelson

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Nelson:

  • Self-guided E-bike cycle tour with private wine tasting : $116
  • Wine Tour with Tastings and Lunch: $222


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mandalay and Nelson, we can see that Nelson is more expensive. And not only is Mandalay much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Mandalay is in Asia and Nelson is in Pacific, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Mandalay would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Mandalay 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 Nelson would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Nelson than you might in Mandalay.

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


Which is Bigger, Mandalay or Nelson?

Mandalay has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Nelson. When comparing the sizes of Mandalay and Nelson, 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.