A Travel Price Comparison for China Nanjing vs. Datong for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Nanjing or Datong?

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

Should I visit Nanjing or Datong? 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: Nanjing or Datong?

Nanjing

Nanjing is the capital city of the Jiangsu Province on the central eastern coast of China, just north of Shanghai. This historically and culturally rich city lies at the lower end of the Yangtze river, resulting in lush and scenic landscapes. Nanjing is well-known for having many popular historical sites, some of which have been listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Datong

If you're looking for an old world city, with a renovated feel, you might want to spend some time in Datong, China. This city was once walled-in and the newest initiative is to rebuild their great wall to maintain their old world charm. Datong is definitely done a lot to make itself a contender in the world of vacation destinations.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in China, The Best 10-Day Tours in China, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in China, and The Best 2-Week Tours in China.


Which place is cheaper, Datong or Nanjing?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Nanjing is $96, while the average daily cost in Datong is $56. 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 Nanjing and Datong in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Nanjing $46
    Datong $23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Nanjing $92
    Datong $46
Compare Hotels in Nanjing and Datong

Looking for a hotel in Nanjing or Datong? 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 Nanjing


Hotels in Datong


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.
    Nanjing $39
    Datong $12

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nanjing

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Nanjing:

  • Private Day Tour: Nanjing City Highlights with Hotel or Railway Station Transfer: $232
  • Nanjing Lukou Int Airport (NKG): Private Transfer to Nanjing: $178
  • Nanjing to Beijing Bullet Train Ticket with Local Private Transfers: $163
  • Nanjing to Beijing Bullet Train Ticket with Train Station Transfer: $120
  • Nanjing Private Transfer from Nanjing central to Nanjing Lukou Airport (NKG): $116
  • Private Nanjing Airport Transfer to Zhenjiang City: $110
  • Private Transfer to Yangzhou City from Nanjing Lukou Airport : $109
  • Nanjing to Huangshan Bullet Train Ticket with Train Station Transfer: $90
  • Private Round Trip Transfer to Yangzhou Attractions from Nanjing: $89
  • Zhenjiang Private Transfer Service from Nanjing City or Lukou Airport : $78
  • Nanjing Lukou Intl Airport (NKG) to Nanjing hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $66
  • Nanjing Lukou Airport Chauffeur Service, Nanjing Airport Transfer, Pickup: $63

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Datong

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

  • Datong Hanging Temple Private Transfer from Hotel or Station: $69
  • Datong Yungang Airport Chauffeur Service , to Datong Transfer: $12
  • Private Round-Trip Transfer to Hanging Temple: $98
  • Dunhuang Private Round Trip Transfer to Jiayuguan and Xuanbi Great Wall : $100
  • Private One Way Transfer from Datong to Beijing : $211
  • Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Hanging Temple and Hengshan from Datong: $118
  • Private Transfer Service from Yungang Airport to Datong Hotel: $29
  • Transfer from Datong Railway Stations to Hotels in City Center: $35

Is it cheaper to fly into Nanjing or Datong?

Prices for flights to both Datong and Nanjing 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
    Nanjing $28
    Datong $20

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nanjing

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

  • 3-Hour Nanjing Authentic Local Food Tour by Public Transportation: $93
  • Flexible Private Nanjing City Night Tour with Dinner Option : $112
  • Nanjing Tangshan Mountain Hot Spring Experience and Hot Pot Dinner: $175
  • Private Amazing Nanjing Airport Layover Tour with Lunch or Dinner: $181

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Nanjing $9.33
    Datong $25

Tours and Activities in Nanjing

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

  • Half-Day Nanjing City Private Flexible Tour : $109
  • 2-Day Unlimited Nanjing Private Flexible Tour with Lunch Option : $295
  • 4-Hour Nanjing City Private Tailor-Made Tour in Your Way : $109
  • 4-Hour Nanjing Private Tour: Nanjing Jiming Temple, Ming City Wall, Xuanwu Lake: $147
  • 4-Hour Nanjing Private Tour: Xiaoling Tomb, Ming City Wall and Memorial Hall : $115
  • All Inclusive Amazing Nanjing City Highlights Private Day Tour: $193
  • Beijing Great Wall Tour from Nanjing by Bullet Train with Private Car Service: $282
  • Flexible Private Nanjing City Highlights Day Tour: $164
  • Flexible Private Nanjing Independent Tour : $63
  • Flexible Suzhou Private Day Tour from Nanjing by Bullet Train: $245
  • Flexible Yangzhou Private Day Tour from Nanjing: $212
  • Flexible Zhenjiang Private Day Tour from Nanjing: $197

Tours and Activities in Datong

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

  • Yungang Grottoes Entrance Ticket with Optional Guided Service: $22
  • Datong Private Self-guided Tour with Chartered Car: $26
  • YungangGrottoe HangingTemple Private Self-guided Tour by Car: $79
  • Datong Hanging Temple Wooden Pagoda Self-guided Tour by Car: $95
  • 4-8 hours Private Datong Great Wall Tour: $99
  • Private Datong Day Tour Arranged by Local Tour Guide Nancy: $129
  • Temples and Grottoes Private Full–Day Tour: $149
  • Private city tour Datong Yungang grottoes and Huayan Monastery: $160
  • Private Custom Tour: Datong City in One Day: $180
  • Datong Private Day Tour to Deshengbu and Zhenchuankou Great Wall with Lunch: $190
  • Datong Day Tour to Yungang Grottoes and Hanging Temple: $203
  • All-Inclusive Private Day Tour to Wooden Pagoda and Hanging Temple from Datong: $220

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Nanjing $9.53
    Datong $12


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

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


Which is Bigger, Nanjing or Datong?

Nanjing has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Datong. When comparing the sizes of Nanjing and Datong, 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.