Which place is cheaper, Qingdao or Petra?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Petra or Qingdao?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Petra and Qingdao can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Petra or Qingdao?
Petra
Whether you're checking off the Seven Wonders of the World, or you're just a huge Indiana Jones fan, the city of Petra must be on your bucket list. The "rose red city, half as old as time," was the capital of the Nabataean kingdom in the 6th century BC. It was the center for trade and commerce until an earthquake took out buildings and destroyed their water management system. After this destruction, the city of Petra seemed to be lost to western civilization.
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 Historical Tours in Jordan, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Jordan, The Best Cultural Tours in China, and The Best Luxury Tours to China.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPetra $125Qingdao $58
The average daily cost (per person) in Petra is $125, 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 Petra and Qingdao in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPetra $59Qingdao $26
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPetra $118Qingdao $52
Compare Hotels in Petra and Qingdao
Looking for a hotel in Petra 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.
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: Petra Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Petra $23Qingdao $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Petra
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Petra:
- Private transfer Petra to/from Wadi Rum: $118
- Private Transfer from Petra City Hotels to Aqaba Airport: $93
- Private Transfer Petra to/from Wadi Rum: $135
- Private Transfer From Petra to Amman or Airport With Optional : $99
- Private Transfer Amman Airport to Petra or vice versa via the King's Highway: $120
- Private Transfer Amman Airport to Ma'in Hotel and vice versa: $73
- Private Departure Transfer: Petra Hotels to Amman Airport: $93
- Petra to Wadi Rum Private Transfer: $80
- Petra to Sheikh Hussein Crossing Border Private Transfer: $180
- Petra to Madaba Private Transfer: $140
- Petra to Aqaba South Beach Hotels Private Transfer: $110
- Petra Private Transfer to or from Aqaba: $105
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 Petra or Qingdao?
Prices for flights to both Qingdao and Petra 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 dayPetra $38Qingdao $20
Typical Food Prices in Petra
Some typical examples of dining costs in Petra are as follows:
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Dinner for Two$12
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Juice$1.76
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Petra
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Petra.
- Cooking outside in little Petra between the Mountains. : $45
- Private Outdoor bedouin Dinner in Petra: $300
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Petra $47Qingdao $20
Typical Entertainment Prices in Petra
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Petra are as follows:
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Entry to Petra for One$71
Tours and Activities in Petra
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Petra are as follows:
- 3 Hour Horse Riding Adventure around the Petra Area: $145
- 3-hour Private Guided Tour In Petra with hotel pick up.: $75
- Petra Back Entrance Private Walking Tour: $215
- Private Back Trail Tour of Petra starting from the Monastery : $276
- Private Full-Day Tour to Petra and Wadi Rum from Dead Sea: $269
- Private Half-Day Tour of Petra with Lunch: $120
- Private Indiana-Jones Archeological Trail Tour: $90
- Private Petra Back Entrance Tour with Guide .: $140
- Wadi Rum Day Tour from Petra ending in Aqaba: $138
- Wadi Rum Private Tour from Petra with Martian and Star Wars Film Site: $173
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
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPetra $15Qingdao $14
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Petra and Qingdao, we can see that Petra is more expensive. And not only is Qingdao much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Petra is in Middle East and Qingdao is in Asia, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Qingdao would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Qingdao 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 Petra would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Petra than you might in Qingdao.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Petra Expensive? and Is Qingdao Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Petra or Qingdao?
Qingdao has a larger population, and is about 120 times larger than the population of Petra. When comparing the sizes of Petra and Qingdao, 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.
When is the best time to visit Petra or Qingdao?
Qingdao has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Petra experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Petra or Qingdao in the Summer?
Both Qingdao and Petra during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Petra because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
It's very hot in Petra this time of the year. Petra is a little warmer than Qingdao in the summer. The daily temperature in Petra averages around 33°C (91°F) in July, and Qingdao fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).
It's quite sunny in Petra. In the summer, Petra often gets more sunshine than Qingdao. Petra gets 384 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Qingdao receives 183 hours of full sun.
Qingdao gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Petra usually gets less rain in July than Qingdao. Petra gets 0 mm (0 in) of rain, while Qingdao receives 211 mm (8.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyPetra 33°C (91°F)Qingdao 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Petra or Qingdao in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Petra and Qingdao. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Petra year-round.
In the autumn, Petra is much warmer than Qingdao. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Petra in October average around 27°C (80°F), and Qingdao averages at about 17°C (62°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Qingdao this time of the year. In Petra, it's very sunny this time of the year. Petra usually receives more sunshine than Qingdao during autumn. Petra gets 295 hours of sunny skies, while Qingdao receives 220 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Petra usually receives less rain than Qingdao. Petra gets 2 mm (0.1 in) of rain, while Qingdao receives 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberPetra 27°C (80°F)Qingdao 17°C (62°F)
Should I visit Petra or Qingdao in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Petra as well as Qingdao. Petra attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Qingdao can be very cold during winter. In January, Petra is generally much warmer than Qingdao. Daily temperatures in Petra average around 15°C (59°F), and Qingdao fluctuates around -0°C (32°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Petra this time of the year. In the winter, Petra often gets more sunshine than Qingdao. Petra gets 234 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Qingdao receives 185 hours of full sun.
Petra usually gets more rain in January than Qingdao. Petra gets 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Qingdao receives 11 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryPetra 15°C (59°F)Qingdao -0°C (32°F)
Should I visit Petra or Qingdao in the Spring?
Both Qingdao and Petra are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Petra throughout the year.
Petra is much warmer than Qingdao in the spring. The daily temperature in Petra averages around 25°C (76°F) in April, and Qingdao fluctuates around 12°C (53°F).
It's quite sunny in Qingdao. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Petra. Petra usually receives more sunshine than Qingdao during spring. Petra gets 282 hours of sunny skies, while Qingdao receives 224 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Petra usually receives less rain than Qingdao. Petra gets 12 mm (0.5 in) of rain, while Qingdao receives 37 mm (1.5 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilPetra 25°C (76°F)Qingdao 12°C (53°F)
Typical Weather for Qingdao and Petra
| Petra | Qingdao | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 15°C (59°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) | -0°C (32°F) | 11 mm (0.4 in) |
| Feb | 17°C (62°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 1°C (34°F) | 12 mm (0.5 in) |
| Mar | 20°C (68°F) | 36 mm (1.4 in) | 6°C (43°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
| Apr | 25°C (76°F) | 12 mm (0.5 in) | 12°C (53°F) | 37 mm (1.5 in) |
| May | 28°C (83°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 17°C (62°F) | 51 mm (2 in) |
| Jun | 31°C (88°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
| Jul | 33°C (91°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 211 mm (8.3 in) |
| Aug | 32°C (90°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 162 mm (6.4 in) |
| Sep | 30°C (87°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 99 mm (3.9 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (80°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) | 17°C (62°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Nov | 21°C (70°F) | 15 mm (0.6 in) | 10°C (49°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) |
| Dec | 16°C (62°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 3°C (37°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
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.