A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Mount Everest vs. Pingyao for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Mount Everest or Pingyao?

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 Mount Everest and Pingyao. 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: Mount Everest or Pingyao?

Mount Everest

More commonly known as Mount Everest, Qomolangma is the highest mountain in the world with a peak reaching 8,848 meters above sea level. Pilgrims trek long distances to worship its divine aura, climbing enthusiasts run great risks to challenge its high altitude, and visitors from all over come to see where the tallest reaches of earth meet the heavens.

Pingyao

Pingyao is a small city in the Shanxi Province of China, dating back over 2700 years. The city is most famous for their old town, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The old town is one of the best preserved ancient walled cities in the world dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

The climate in Pingyao is influenced by monsoons, and therefore gets hot and humid summers and chillier springs. Autumn is a great time to visit as temperatures are fairly mild-in the 50-60's Fahrenheit- and you can avoid the heavy rains of summer. Winter is also a pleasant time to visit, especially since temperatures tend not to dip below 30 and there is not much snow or bad weather.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Kathmandu, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Pokhara, The Best Historical Tours in China, and The Best 10-Day Tours in China.


Which place is cheaper, Pingyao or Mount Everest?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Mount Everest is $40, while the average daily cost in Pingyao is $54. 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 Mount Everest and Pingyao in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Mount Everest $6.84
    Pingyao $23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Mount Everest $14
    Pingyao $46
Compare Hotels in Mount Everest and Pingyao

Looking for a hotel in Mount Everest or Pingyao? 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 Mount Everest


Hotels in Pingyao


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.


Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Mount Everest -
    Pingyao $13

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Pingyao

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


  • Taxi to Train Station
    $1.38

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pingyao

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pingyao:

  • Private Transfer Servcie to Mianshan (Mian Mountain) from Pingyao: $60
  • Privater Transfer from Datong to Pingyao with driver: $115
  • Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Wutaishan from Pingyao: $190

Is it cheaper to fly into Mount Everest or Pingyao?

Prices for flights to both Pingyao and Mount Everest 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
    Mount Everest $26
    Pingyao $19

Typical Food Prices in Pingyao

Some typical examples of dining costs in Pingyao are as follows:


  • Casual Lunch (for 2)
    $4.97
  • Mango Juice
    $0.69

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Mount Everest $18
    Pingyao $18

Typical Entertainment Prices in Pingyao

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Pingyao are as follows:


  • All Day Bike Rental (for 2)
    $2.76
  • Temple Entrance Fee (for 2)
    $6.90
  • Bike Parking Fee (for 2)
    $0.55

Tours and Activities in Pingyao

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

  • 2-Hour Guided Private Bike Tour to see the Hidden Pingyao & Tea Break: $60
  • Half-Day Private Walking Tour of Pingyao Ancient City: $65
  • Pingyao Food Walking Tour : $67
  • 1-Day Pingyao Ancient Town Sightseeing Walking Tour: $113
  • Private Tour: Wang's Family Compound and Shuanglin Temple From Pingyao: $122
  • 3-Hour Private Walking Tour of Pingyao Highlights: $125
  • Pingyao Ancient City Full-Day Walking Tour: $129
  • Pingyao Day Tour: Wang Family Mansion and Zhangbi Ancient Castle: $132
  • All Inclusive Pingyao Private Tour to Qiao Family Compound and Shuanglin Temple: $142
  • Private Day Tour: Pingyao Highlights of Old Town and City Wall: $154
  • Private Old Town Highlights Day Tour: $160
  • Private Day Tour in Pingyao Including Zhenguo and Shuanglin Temple: $164

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Mount Everest -
    Pingyao $13


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

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