Which place is cheaper, Chongqing or Pingyao?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
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.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPingyao $55Chongqing $89
The average daily cost (per person) in Pingyao is $55, while the average daily cost in Chongqing is $89. 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
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPingyao $23Chongqing $50
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPingyao $46Chongqing $100
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.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Pingyao $13Chongqing $19
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Pingyao
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Pingyao:
-
Taxi to Train Station$1.42
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
- Privater Transfer from Datong to Pingyao with driver: $115
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chongqing
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chongqing:
- Private Transfer:From Jiangbei Airport to Chongqing downtown: $16
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chongqing Jiangbei Airport (CKG): $22
- Private Arrival Transfer: Chongqing Jiangbei Airport (CKG) to Hotel: $22
- [Airport Transfer] Chongqing Airport ⇔ Chongqing City Transfer ☆ High reputation for service! <Charter charter>: $23
- Private Arrival Transfer:Any Chongqing Railway Station to Hotel: $24
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Any Railway Station in Chongqing: $24
- Chongqing Jiangbei Airport (CKG) private round-trip transfer: $25
- Private Transfer from Chongqing hotel to Chongqing Train Station : $27
- Private Departure Transfer:Hotel to Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport CKG: $39
- Private Arrival Transfer: Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport(CKG) to Hotel: $39
- Private Arrival Transfer: Chongqing Chaotianmen Cruise Pier to Hotel: $39
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chongqing Chaotianmen Cruise Pier: $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
-
Food Meals for one dayPingyao $20Chongqing $25
Typical Food Prices in Pingyao
Some typical examples of dining costs in Pingyao are as follows:
-
Casual Lunch (for 2)$5.11
-
Mango Juice$0.71
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chongqing
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Chongqing.
- Chongqing Local Flavors Walking Food Tour: $98
- 4 Hour Walking Historical Local Food Tour: $110
- CHONGQING:Strolling through the city(Include dinner): $127
- Chongqing City Private Night Tour with Hot Pot Dinner: $158
- Private Chongqing night tour with dinner hot pot: $170
- Chongqing Liangjiang Night Cruise Including Authentic Hot Pot Dinner: $183
- Chongqing Port Transfer Service with Half-Day Tour and Hot Pot Dinner: $193
- From Port Transfer with Half Day Tour and Hot Pot Dinner: $197
- Private Chongqing Night View Tour with Hot Pot or Local Dinner: $199
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Pingyao $19Chongqing $14
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)$2.84
-
Temple Entrance Fee (for 2)$7.09
-
Bike Parking Fee (for 2)$0.57
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
- 2-Hour Guided Private Bike Tour to see the Hidden Pingyao & Tea Break: $60
- Half-Day Private Walking Tour of Pingyao Ancient City: $65
- Pingyao Food Walking Tour : $67
- 1-Day Pingyao Ancient Town Sightseeing Walking Tour: $113
- Private Tour: Wang's Family Compound and Shuanglin Temple From Pingyao: $122
- 3-Hour Private Walking Tour of Pingyao Highlights: $125
- Pingyao Ancient City Full-Day Walking Tour: $129
- Pingyao Day Tour: Wang Family Mansion and Zhangbi Ancient Castle: $132
- All Inclusive Pingyao Private Tour to Qiao Family Compound and Shuanglin Temple: $142
- Private Day Tour: Pingyao Highlights of Old Town and City Wall: $154
- Private Old Town Highlights Day Tour: $160
Tours and Activities in Chongqing
Here are a few actual costs in Chongqing for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 3-Hour Walking Tour of Chongqing Shancheng (Mountain City) Lane: $65
- 1 Day Chongqing Megacity Walking Tour: $75
- One-day CityTour and Cuisine (no car, citywalk): $79
- Private Chongqing Day Tour: Panda, E'ling Park, Three Gorges Museum: $99
- city tour of Chongqing : $130
- Private Chongqing Illuminated Night Tour : $138
- 1-Day Chongqing Dazu Rock Carvings Private Tour With the Lunch: $143
- From Full-Day Private Tour Dazu Rock Carvings: $148
- All-in-one Chongqing Night view private tour: $150
- Half Day Afternoon Private Tour: General Stilwell Museum, Arhat Temple, Panda: $156
- 1-Day Chongqing City Private Tour with the Hot pot Lunch: $157
- Best of Chongqing One Day Tour: Stilwell Museum, Arhat Temple, Eling Park, Panda: $157
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayPingyao $14Chongqing $7.09
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.