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

Should you visit Mount Everest or Qingdao?

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 Qingdao. 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 Qingdao?

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.

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.

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 Cultural Tours in China, and The Best Luxury Tours to China.


Which place is cheaper, Qingdao 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 Qingdao is $58. 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 Qingdao in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Mount Everest $6.84
    Qingdao $26
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Mount Everest $14
    Qingdao $52
Compare Hotels in Mount Everest and Qingdao

Looking for a hotel in Mount Everest 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 Mount Everest


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.


Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Mount Everest -
    Qingdao $12

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Qingdao

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

  • Private Departure Transfer: City Hotel to Qingdao Railway Station : $36
  • Qingdao Railway Station Depature Transfer from City Hotels: $36
  • Qingdao Railway Station Arrival Transfer to City Hotel: $36
  • Qingdao Cruise Port Departure Transfer from City Hotels: $36
  • Qingdao Northern Railway Station Arrival Private One-Way Transfer: $42
  • Qingdao Private Transfer from Qingdao central to Qingdao Airport (TAO): $83
  • Qingdao Private Transfer from Qingdao Airport (TAO) to central Qingdao: $83
  • Qingdao Liuting Airport Transfer Service by Minivan: $86

Is it cheaper to fly into Mount Everest or Qingdao?

Prices for flights to both Qingdao 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
    Qingdao $20

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Mount Everest $18
    Qingdao $20

Tours and Activities in Qingdao

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

  • Private Qingdao City tour with Lunch and Qingdao beer: $175
  • Private Qingdao Historic architectural day tour with Tsingdao beer during Lunch: $190
  • Private Qingdao Laoshan half day tour with one bottle of Tsingdao beer as gift: $199
  • Qingdao private half day tour with Tsingdao Beer Lunch : $202
  • Qingdao Shore Excursion: Private Full Day Laoshan Mountain Sightseeing Tour: $207
  • Private Qingdao Essentials Tour: City Highlights and Beer Museum: $216
  • Laoshan Mountain Full Day Private Activity Tour: $224
  • Qingdao Private Day Tour to Laoshan Mountain with Lunch and Cable Car: $238
  • Private Qingdao Laoshan day tour with lunch& round way cable car: $240
  • Qingdao Discover Tour to the Mount Laoshan and Tasting Famous Local Beer: $248
  • Qingdao Private Tour: City Highlights and Laoshan Mountain with Lunch+Cable Car: $268
  • All-Inclusive Private Day Tour: Qingdao Highlights with Lunch: $285

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Mount Everest -
    Qingdao $14


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mount Everest and Qingdao, we can see that Qingdao 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 Qingdao would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Qingdao 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 Qingdao Expensive?.