Which place is cheaper, Taipei or Pai?
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 Pai or Taipei?
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 Pai and Taipei. 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: Pai or Taipei?
Pai
As the lush green mountains adorn the blue horizon amidst its creamy clouds, Pai, in northern Thailand, works as one of the many hubs for some of the world's most exciting cultural adventures and natural wonders. Within this small town just north of the Mae Hong Son Province, near the Myanmar border, Pai lays on the Pai River and holds a population of no more than 2,500. Despite its geographical insignificance, this town attracts a wide array of tourists. From breathtaking waterfalls to relaxing hot springs, you will find yourself astonished at how much this little city holds within its borders.
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 G Adventures Tours to Thailand, The Best 3-Day Tours from Phuket, The Best Cultural Tours in Taiwan, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Taiwan.
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Pai Prices
Thailand PricesTaipei Prices
Taiwan Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPai $87Taipei $196
The average daily cost (per person) in Pai is $87, while the average daily cost in Taipei is $196. 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 Pai and Taipei in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPai $15Taipei $148
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPai $30Taipei $296
Compare Hotels in Pai and Taipei
Looking for a hotel in Pai 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: Pai Hotel Prices and Taipei Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Pai $40Taipei $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$2.04
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Easycard$9.43
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Train$1.10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Taipei
Also for Taipei, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Taoyuan airport to Yilan Private Transfer: $105
- Taoyuan Airport to Keelung port Private Transfer: $79
- Taoyuan Airport (TPE) Private Transfer to Multiple Destinations: $28
- Taiwan International Airport Private Transfer: $90
- Taiwan Airport Private Transfer: $119
- Taiwan Airport ↔ Hotel Luggage Transfer (TPE, TSA, RMQ, KHH, TNN): $20
- Taoyuan Airport (TPE) Return Bus Transfer: $9.19
- Taipei Taoyuan Airport Private Transfer (TPE): Taoyuan to Hotel: $58
- Taipei Private Transfer: Taiwan International Airport to Keelung Cruise Port: $115
- Taipei Private Transfer: Keelung Cruise Port to Hotel: $85
- Taipei City to Keelung (Taipei) Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $79
- Taipei Arrival Private Transfer: Taiwan Taoyuan (TPE) to Hotel: $65
Is it cheaper to fly into Pai or Taipei?
Prices for flights to both Taipei and Pai 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 dayPai $40Taipei $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$6.91
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EasyCard$31
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Lunch$2.99
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Lunch$1.89
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Dinner$6.29
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Lunch$3.61
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Lunch$4.71
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Louisa coffee$2.99
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Lunch$5.97
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Lunch$3.61
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Taipei
For Taipei, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Taipei Traditional Food Tour in Taiwan Breakfast Market and Tea: $45
- Food Tours w/ Top 10 Taiwan Food (Breakfast/Dinner): $45
- Taipei Walking Food Tour in Ningxia Night Market(10 Foods Incl.): $49
- Taipei Hidden Eats, Market & Street Food Tour with 8+ Tastings: $55
- Street Food & Hidden Eats Night Market Food Tour: $55
- Taipei Tastes Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $55
- Yansan Night Market Food Tour: $62
- Turnip cake, Pork thick soup, Tofu pudding. Taiwan Traditional Light Meals Experience-C (Taipei Cooking Class): $65
- Xiao long bao, Pork thick soup, Bubble milk tea. (Taiwan Cooking Class)-B: $65
- Disappearing Flavors of Taiwan Food Tour with 12+ Tasters: $69
- Yilan Geothermal Cooking Retro Train and Night View Tour: $72
- Backstreet Food Tour: Food, Culture, and Fun: $75
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Pai $44Taipei $18
Tours and Activities in Taipei
For Taipei, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 101 Skyline 460 Observatory Ticket | Taipei: $124
- 2 Days Sun Moon Lake & Lukang Historic Area Tour: $232
- 2-Hour Private Dadaocheng Walking Tour: $35
- 2-Hour Private Ximending Area Walking Tour: $35
- 2-Hour Vegetarian Private Walking Tour - S.Y.S. Memorial Hall & 44 South Village: $58
- 2-Hour Vegetarian Private Walking Tour - Xingtian Temple: $55
- 2-hr Ningxia Night Market Walking Private Tour with a Tour Guide: $35
- 3.5 hours Taipei City Tour (morning or afternoon ): $44
- 4 Days Private Tour Taipei, Jiufen, Sun Moon Lake & Taichung: $1,079
- 4-Hour Morning Cycling City Tour (incl. breakfast): $83
- 7hrs - Meteor Garden Sightseeing Tour in Taipei: $39
- 9 Hour Northeast Coast Bay View Tour in Yilan: $61
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPai $14Taipei $18
Sample the Local Flavors in Taipei
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Taipei:
- Taipei Nightlife: Taipei Pub Crawls (2 Different Routes): $27
- Yilan Kavalan Whisky Distillery,Jim&Dad's Brewing, Shenkeng Tour: $95
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pai and Taipei, we can see that Taipei is more expensive. And not only is Pai much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Pai would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Pai 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 Pai.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Pai 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.