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

Should you visit Mumbai or Pingyao?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Mumbai or Pingyao, 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: Mumbai or Pingyao?

Mumbai

Mumbai is the largest city in India and the capital of Maharashtra state. It is still occasionally referred to as Bombay, but most people know it now as Mumbai. It's the commercial capital of the country and is a major port city. It's also famous for Bollywood, which is the movie capital of the country and famous for it's music filled Bollywood flicks that have become popular around the world. Mumbai is arguably the most cosmopolitan city in India and has some of the most liberal views of an otherwise conservative country. Many immigrants and expats live in Mumbai and it's easy to see the blend of cultures.

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 2-Week Tours from Mumbai, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to India, The Best Historical Tours in China, and The Best 10-Day Tours in China.


Which place is cheaper, Pingyao or Mumbai?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Mumbai is $69, 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 Mumbai and Pingyao in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Mumbai $34
    Pingyao $23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Mumbai $68
    Pingyao $46
Compare Hotels in Mumbai and Pingyao

Looking for a hotel in Mumbai 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 Mumbai


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.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Mumbai Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Mumbai $7.77
    Pingyao $13

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mumbai

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

  • Dharavi Slum Tour in Mumbai with Combo Packages & Transfers: $12
  • Mumbai Private Car: Airport to Hotel Transfer: $18
  • Airport to Hotel or Hotel to Airport Transfers: $24
  • Private Transfer to/from Mumbai Airport: $24
  • Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Mumbai HTL-APT (BOM): $27
  • Private Transfer From/To Mumbai Chhatrapati International Airport: $27
  • Affordable transfer from Mumbai Airport to Pune: $28
  • Mumbai Airport Transfer in Private Vehicle: $28
  • Private Hotel Transfers to/from Mumbai Airport: $30
  • One way Private transfer from Mumbai Airport to Hotel: $34
  • Private Hotel Transfers to/from Airport: $36
  • Private Transfer from Chatrapati Shivaji (BOM) Airport to Mumbai: $39

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

Is it cheaper to fly into Mumbai or Pingyao?

Prices for flights to both Pingyao and Mumbai 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
    Mumbai $26
    Pingyao $19

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mumbai

For Mumbai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Virtual Authentic Indian Tea and Paratha Cooking Class: $14
  • Hidden Gems and Street Food Tour: $15
  • Discover Mumbai's street & beach with food tour: $17
  • Mumbai Food Tour: $20
  • Vegetarian Indian Cuisine Virtual Cooking Class Experience from Mumbai: $20
  • Mumbai Food Tour: $25
  • Street Food Tour - Eat like a Local with sunset view: $26
  • Old Bombay Bazaar and Food Tour with local Guide: $27
  • Guided Food Tour Through the Vibrant Markets of Old Bombay: $28
  • Street Food Tour: $32
  • Indian cusine demonstration cum hands on with Hi Tea / Dinner at a Family home: $33
  • Mumbai Street Food Tour with Sun Set View: $38

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.
    Mumbai $2.66
    Pingyao $18

Tours and Activities in Mumbai

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Mumbai.

  • Audio Guided Walking Tour on HopOn India App – From Gateway to Fountain, Mumbai: $5.32
  • Elephanta Caves Audio Guided Walking Tour, Mumbai on HopOn India App: $5.34
  • Highlights Bus Full-Day Tour in Hindi: $5.40
  • Dharavi Slum Tour with Local guide: $6.00
  • Audio Guided Tour of Matunga & Dadar Parsi Colony, Mumbai: $6.14
  • Malabar District, Scavenger Hunt & Self-Guided Tour: $6.56
  • Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $6.56
  • Mumbai (Malabar District) Self-Guided Tour: $6.67
  • Dharavi Slum Tour: $8.63
  • Dharavi Slum Tour: $8.99
  • Inside Dharavi: Unveiling Mumbai's Slum Culture Tour: $9.11
  • Dharavi Slum Experience with Local Resident English Guide: $9.50

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:

  • 1-Day Pingyao Ancient Town Sightseeing Walking Tour: $113
  • 1-Day Pingyao tour to Wang Family's Compound and Zhangbi Ancient Fortress : $206
  • 2-Hour Guided Private Bike Tour to see the Hidden Pingyao & Tea Break: $60
  • 3-Hour Private Walking Tour of Pingyao Highlights: $125
  • All Inclusive Pingyao Private Tour to Qiao Family Compound and Shuanglin Temple: $142
  • Day tour to Wang Family Compound shuanglin temple &zhangbi castle: $210
  • Half-Day Private Walking Tour of Pingyao Ancient City: $65
  • Mian Mountain Private Day Tour From Pingyao: $188
  • One Day Tour Exploration of Pingyao Old Town and Wang Family Mansion: $183
  • Pingyao Ancient City Full-Day Walking Tour: $129
  • Pingyao Day Tour: Wang Family Mansion and Zhangbi Ancient Castle: $132
  • Pingyao Food Walking Tour : $67

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Mumbai $3.69
    Pingyao $13

Sample the Local Flavors in Mumbai

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Mumbai:

  • Bombay Party (Bar Crawl): $25
  • South Bombay Pub Crawl: $39
  • South Bombay Pub Crawl: $39
  • Mumbai Pub Crawl: History, Iconic Bars, Cocktail Workshop, Stories and Drinks : $90
  • Mumbai Private Bar Crawl with City Night Tour: $124
  • Nashik: Private Full-Day Wine Tour with Tastings From Mumbai: $128
  • Full-Day Private Wine Tour at Sula Vineyards from Mumbai: $152
  • Wine Tasting Tour Sula Vineyards Nashik - (Day excursion from Mumbai): $163


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

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


Which is Bigger, Mumbai or Pingyao?

Mumbai has a larger population, and is about 300 times larger than the population of Pingyao. When comparing the sizes of Mumbai and Pingyao, 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.