Which place is cheaper, Chongqing or Pingyao?
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 Pingyao or Chongqing?
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 Pingyao and Chongqing. 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: Pingyao or Chongqing?
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.
Chongqing
Chongqing, China is a large city in central China and one of only four cities in the country that are not part of a province. While Chongqing is famous for being an economically important city, brush away its industrial surface and you'll find a naturally beautiful city with plenty of hidden wonders. Although you'll find many expats in the city, English is rarely spoken, meaning knowing some basic Mandarin will come in handy.
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.
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Pingyao Prices
China PricesChongqing Prices
China Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPingyao $72Chongqing $111
The average daily cost (per person) in Pingyao is $72, while the average daily cost in Chongqing is $111. 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 Pingyao and Chongqing in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPingyao $24Chongqing $53
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPingyao $48Chongqing $106
Compare Hotels in Pingyao and Chongqing
Looking for a hotel in Pingyao or Chongqing? 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: Chongqing Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Pingyao $14Chongqing $20
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Pingyao
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Pingyao:
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Taxi to Train Station$1.48
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pingyao
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pingyao:
- Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Wutaishan from Pingyao: $190
- Private Transfer Servcie to Mianshan (Mian Mountain) from Pingyao: $60
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chongqing
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chongqing:
- Chongqing Airport Private Transfer: $22
- Private Arrival Transfer:Any Chongqing Railway Station to Hotel: $24
- Chongqing Jiangbei Airport (CKG) private round-trip transfer: $25
- Private Transfer from Chongqing hotel to Chongqing Train Station: $27
- Private Arrival Transfer: Chongqing Chaotianmen Cruise Pier to Hotel: $27
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chongqing Jiangbei Airport (CKG): $29
- Private Arrival Transfer: Chongqing Jiangbei Airport (CKG) to Hotel: $29
- Private Transfer: Chongqing Jiangbei Airport (CKG) to Chaotianmen Cruise Pier: $29
- Private Transfer: Chongqing Chaotianmen Cruise Pier to Airport (CKG): $30
- Chongqing Airport Meet and Greet with Private Transfer: $35
- Private Arrival Transfer: Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport(CKG) to Hotel: $39
- Private Departure Transfer:Hotel to Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport CKG: $39
Is it cheaper to fly into Pingyao or Chongqing?
Prices for flights to both Chongqing and Pingyao 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 dayPingyao $36Chongqing $45
Typical Food Prices in Pingyao
Some typical examples of dining costs in Pingyao are as follows:
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Casual Lunch (for 2)$5.32
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Mango Juice$0.74
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chongqing
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Chongqing.
- Qingyu Banquet Experience with Show and Dinner: $51
- Half-Day Cultural Immersion with Cooking Class: $80
- Chongqing Local Food Tour Adventure: $86
- Food Tour with Old Town and Magical Night Views: $93
- Chongqing Food Tour: $93
- Chongqing Cyberpunk City Night Tour Including Dinner: $140
- Chongqing City Private Night Tour with Hot Pot Dinner or Massage: $150
- Chongqing Port Transfer Service with Half-Day Tour and Hot Pot Dinner: $245
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Pingyao $20Chongqing $14
Typical Entertainment Prices in Pingyao
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Pingyao are as follows:
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All Day Bike Rental (for 2)$2.95
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Temple Entrance Fee (for 2)$7.38
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Bike Parking Fee (for 2)$0.59
Tours and Activities in Pingyao
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Pingyao are as follows:
- Shuanglin Temple Tour or Entry Ticket Only Option: $18
- 3-Hour Private Walking Tour of Pingyao Ancient City: $76
- All Inclusive Pingyao Private Tour to Qiao Family Compound and Shuanglin Temple: $142
- Pingyao Ancient City Full-Day Walking Tour: $145
- Private Day Tour in Pingyao Including Zhenguo and Shuanglin Temple: $164
- 1-Day Pingyao Ancient Town Sightseeing Walking Tour: $170
- Pingyao Day Tour: Wang's Family Compound and Shuanglin Temple: $175
- One Day Tour Exploration of Pingyao Old Town and Wang Family Mansion: $183
- Pingyao in One Day: Including City Highlights and Shuanglin Temple Private Tour: $204
- Private Day Tour: Pingyao Highlights of Old Town and City Wall: $205
- 1-Day Pingyao tour to Wang Family's Compound and Zhangbi Ancient Fortress: $206
- Private Tour of Pingyao Ancient City, Qiao's Family Compound,Shuanglin Temple: $221
Tours and Activities in Chongqing
Here are a few actual costs in Chongqing for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Chongqing Luxury Hot Spring and Massage Luxury Meal Private Tour: $10
- Premium Chongqing Dazu Rock Carving Tour All Inclusive Best Guide: $10
- Ultimate Chongqing City Highlights+Hidden Gems Private Tour: $10
- Wulong Private Tour All Inclusive: Premium Vehicle & local Lunch: $10
- Premium Chongqing Private Tours: Highlights, Night View or Cruise: $10
- Chongqing:Cloud Eye ticket: $12
- 520m-high Eye Skyview Deck Ticket for Adult: $26
- Chongqing Private Guided Tour: $39
- Chong Qing : 1949 theater historical Show Ticket: $39
- Two Rivers Night Cruise- Yangtze & Jialing Rivers: $40
- Chongqing 1949 Ticket Epic Historical Spectacle: $41
- Chongqing 1949 Grand Theater Immersive Show Ticket: $43
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPingyao $14Chongqing $7.38
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pingyao and Chongqing, we can see that Chongqing 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 Chongqing would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Chongqing 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 Pingyao Expensive? and Is Chongqing Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Pingyao or Chongqing?
Chongqing has a larger population, and is about 90 times larger than the population of Pingyao. When comparing the sizes of Pingyao and Chongqing, 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.
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.