Which place is cheaper, Gold Coast or Pingyao?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Pingyao or Gold Coast?
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 Gold Coast. 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 Gold Coast?
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.
Gold Coast
The Gold Coast is one of Australia's premier destinations. Famous for gorgeous beaches, warm weather, watersports, and plenty of activities for all ages, millions of tourists from Australia as well as everywhere in the world flock to this region every year. With beaches, national parks, theme parks, shopping and dining, nice resorts, boating, fishing, diving, theme parks and more, the Gold Coast offers something for everyone.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in China, The Best 10-Day Tours in China, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Australia, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Australia.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPingyao $54Gold Coast $98
The average daily cost (per person) in Pingyao is $54, while the average daily cost in Gold Coast is $98. 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 Gold Coast in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPingyao $23Gold Coast $55
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPingyao $46Gold Coast $110
Compare Hotels in Pingyao and Gold Coast
Looking for a hotel in Pingyao or Gold Coast? 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 $13Gold Coast $23
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Pingyao
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Pingyao:
-
Taxi to Train Station$1.38
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pingyao
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pingyao:
- Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Wutaishan from Pingyao: $190
- Privater Transfer from Datong to Pingyao with driver: $115
- Private Transfer Servcie to Mianshan (Mian Mountain) from Pingyao: $60
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Gold Coast
Also for Gold Coast, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Gold Coast Airport Arrival Shared Transfer: $21
- Airport to Hotel Return Transfer: $21
- Movie World To Brisbane Hotel One Way Transfer: $26
- Private Airport Transfer to Gold Coast Airport (OOL) from South Gold Coast 1-4px: $66
- Gold Coast Airport: One-Way Private Transfer to Gold Coast: $73
- Gold Coast Airport Transfer: Airport OOL to Gold Coast in Business Car: $98
- Gold Coast Airport Transfer: Gold Coast to Airport OOL in Business Car: $98
- Arrival Private Transfer: Airport OOL to Gold Coast in Business Car: $98
- Departure Private Transfer: Gold Coast to Airport OOL in Business Car: $98
- Australia Zoo Ticket and Roundtrip Transfer: $101
- Tangalooma Beach Day Cruise with Bus Transfers: $114
- Gold Coast Airport Transfer: Airport OOL to Gold Coast in Luxury Van: $125
Is it cheaper to fly into Pingyao or Gold Coast?
Prices for flights to both Gold Coast 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 $19Gold Coast $27
Typical Food Prices in Pingyao
Some typical examples of dining costs in Pingyao are as follows:
-
Casual Lunch (for 2)$4.97
-
Mango Juice$0.69
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Gold Coast
For Gold Coast, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Australian Outback Spectacular Dinner & Show: $72
- Gold Coast Buffet Dinner Sightseeing Cruise: $79
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Pingyao $18Gold Coast $19
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)$2.76
-
Temple Entrance Fee (for 2)$6.90
-
Bike Parking Fee (for 2)$0.55
Tours and Activities in Pingyao
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Pingyao are as follows:
- 1-Day Pingyao Ancient Town Sightseeing Walking Tour: $113
- 1-Day Pingyao tour to Wang Family's Compound and Zhangbi Ancient Fortress : $206
- 2-Hour Guided Private Bike Tour to see the Hidden Pingyao & Tea Break: $60
- 3-Hour Private Walking Tour of Pingyao Highlights: $125
- All Inclusive Pingyao Private Tour to Qiao Family Compound and Shuanglin Temple: $142
- Day tour to Wang Family Compound shuanglin temple &zhangbi castle: $210
- Half-Day Private Walking Tour of Pingyao Ancient City: $65
- Mian Mountain Private Day Tour From Pingyao: $188
- One Day Tour Exploration of Pingyao Old Town and Wang Family Mansion: $183
- Pingyao Ancient City Full-Day Walking Tour: $129
- Pingyao Day Tour: Wang Family Mansion and Zhangbi Ancient Castle: $132
- Pingyao Food Walking Tour : $67
Tours and Activities in Gold Coast
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Gold Coast.
- Spring Brook National Park Self Guided Driving Tour: $15
- Spring Brook National Park Self Guided Driving Tour: $15
- SkyPoint Observation Deck Ticket: $24
- Surfers Paradise: IceBar Entry Ticket and Drink: $29
- Surfer's Paradise Sightseeing Cruise: $29
- Surfers Paradise: Gold Coast Afternoon River Cruise 4pm: $32
- Surfers Paradise and Midday River Cruise: $32
- Gold Coast Morning Tea Cruise from Surfers Paradise: $32
- Surfers Paradise Sunset Cruise: $32
- Aquaduck City Tour and River Cruise: $36
- City Lights Cruise: $36
- Gold Coast Sunset River Cruise: $36
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayPingyao $13Gold Coast $5.19
Sample the Local Flavors in Gold Coast
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Gold Coast:
- Tamborine Mountain: Wine Tasting Tour with 2-Course Lunch: $124
- Full-Day Guided Wine Tour in Mt Tamborine From Gold Coast : $133
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pingyao and Gold Coast, we can see that Gold Coast is more expensive. And not only is Pingyao much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Pingyao is in Asia and Gold Coast is in Pacific, 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 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 Gold Coast would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Gold Coast 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 Gold Coast Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Pingyao or Gold Coast?
Gold Coast has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Pingyao. When comparing the sizes of Pingyao and Gold Coast, 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.