Which place is cheaper, Taipei or Mount Kailash?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Mount Kailash or Taipei?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Mount Kailash or Taipei? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Mount Kailash or Taipei?
Mount Kailash
The main point of entry to Mount Kailash is a small village called Darchen. Once an important sheep station for nomads and their flocks, the village has now grown to provide for the pilgrims wishing to embark towards Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar. It contains a number of guest houses and restaurants as well as a hotel where pilgrims must get permission from the Public Security Bureau to make the trek around the mountain. Also in the village are a handful of small stores and kiosks, as well as some grounds for camping. It is about 330 km (a one-day bus drive) from the town of Shiquanhe to the northeast, where Gunsa Airport is located, offering flights twice a week to Lhasa and Chengdu.
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 The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in China, The Best Cultural Tours in Taiwan, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Taiwan.
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Mount Kailash Prices
China PricesTaipei Prices
Taiwan Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMount Kailash $95Taipei $199
The average daily cost (per person) in Mount Kailash is $95, while the average daily cost in Taipei is $199. 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 Kailash and Taipei in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMount Kailash $29Taipei $150
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMount Kailash $58Taipei $300
Compare Hotels in Mount Kailash and Taipei
Looking for a hotel in Mount Kailash 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: Taipei Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mount Kailash $33Taipei $10
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Taipei
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Taipei:
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Easycard$2.07
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Easycard$9.55
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Train$1.11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Taipei
Also for Taipei, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Jiufen: one-way private transfer to or from Taipei City: $42
- Keelung: one-way private transfer to or from Taipei City: $42
- Luxury Chartered Private Transfer Taoyuan Airport to Taipei City: $140
- One-way Private Transfer between Jiufen and Taipei: $47
- Private Airport Transfer: Taipei Airport (TPE) → Taipei Hotel: $46
- Private Airport Transfer: Taipei Airport (TSA) → Taipei Hotel: $32
- Private Airport Transfer: Taipei Hotel → Taipei Aiport (TPE): $46
- Private Transfer from Keelung (Taipei) Cruise Port to Taipei City: $76
- Private Transfer from Taipei Taoyuan Airport TPE to Hualien Port: $277
- Private Transfer from Taipei city hotels to Hualien Cruise Port: $277
- Private Transfer from Taoyuan Airport to Taichung City downtown: $90
- Private Transfer from Taoyuan Intl Airport to Taoyuan or Taipei city: $136
Is it cheaper to fly into Mount Kailash or Taipei?
Prices for flights to both Taipei and Mount Kailash 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 dayMount Kailash $45Taipei $28
Typical Food Prices in Taipei
For Taipei, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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EasyCard$16
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Lunch at The Can$7.00
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EasyCard$32
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Lunch$3.02
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Lunch$1.91
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Dinner$6.36
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Lunch$3.66
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Lunch$4.77
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Louisa coffee$3.02
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Lunch$6.05
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Lunch$3.66
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Taipei
For Taipei, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Food Tours w/ Top 10 Taiwan Food (Breakfast/Dinner): $45
- Taipei Food Tour: Night Market & Convenience Store(Food Included): $45
- After Dusk Food Tours with Drinks & Night Market Flavors: $50
- Street Food & Hidden Eats Night Market Food Tour: $55
- Taipei Hidden Eats, Market & Street Food Tour with 8+ Tastings: $55
- Taipei Food Tours Local Market with 12+ tasters & Drinks Included: $57
- Turnip cake, Pork thick soup, Tofu pudding. Taiwan Traditional Light Meals Experience-C (Taipei Cooking Class): $65
- 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
- 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
- Street Food Cooking Class in Taipei : Gua Bao/Lu Rou Fan/Boba Tea: $79
- Taiwanese Breakfast Cooking Class in Taipei: $79
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mount Kailash $17Taipei $18
Tours and Activities in Taipei
For Taipei, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Taipei's Origin & Longshan Temple - Taiwan Cultural Tour: $0.50
- Old Town Walking Tour: $0.55
- Vintage Taipei - Best of Taiwan and Sunset Walking Tour: $1.20
- Chiang Kai-Shek Shilin Residence Ticket: $3.28
- Zoo Entrance Ticket: $4.33
- Night Market Walking Tours in Shilin, Ningxia, Longshan, Ximen: $5.00
- Vintage Taipei - Best of Taiwan & Sunset Walking Tour (Tip-based): $5.00
- Taipei's Origin & Longshan Temple - Taiwan Cultural Walking Tour: $5.00
- Taipei Historic Shared Walking Tour (Tip-based): $5.00
- Self Guided Walking Tour of Tamsui with Audio Guide: $5.92
- Taipei Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.00
- Miramar Ferris Wheel Ticket: $6.57
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMount Kailash $2.96Taipei $18
Sample the Local Flavors in Taipei
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Taipei:
- Taipei Authentic Night Sober-Friendly Pub Crawl: $20
- Taipei Nightlife: Taipei Pub Crawls (2 Different Routes): $27
- Taiwan Brewery Tour Taiwan’s First National Beer with Tastings: $50
- Yilan Kavalan Whisky Distillery,Jim&Dad's Brewing, Shenkeng Tour: $95
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mount Kailash and Taipei, we can see that Taipei is more expensive. And not only is Mount Kailash much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Mount Kailash would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Mount Kailash 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 Mount Kailash.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Mount Kailash Expensive? and Is Taipei Expensive?.
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.