A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Pingyao vs. Lima for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Pingyao or Lima?

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 Lima. 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 Lima?

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.

Lima

Lima, the capital city of Peru, is likely to be your point of entry for the country. Lima was founded in 1535 and was the seat of the Spanish rule for 300 years. It's a surprisingly modern city despite its rich history, but many beautiful churches and colonial architecture remain today. There are also large slum areas that highlight the poverty that exists in the city. The city and its surrounding metropolitan area have a population of about 8.5 million people, many of whom came from the Andes Mountains in search of work. Unfortunately the work opportunities are limited and the poverty is obvious as you arrive in Lima.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in China, The Best 10-Day Tours in China, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Peru, and The Best Adventure Tours to Peru.


Which place is cheaper, Lima or Pingyao?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Pingyao is $73, while the average daily cost in Lima 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 Lima in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Pingyao $24
    Lima $54
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Pingyao $48
    Lima $108
Compare Hotels in Pingyao and Lima

Looking for a hotel in Pingyao or Lima? 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.

Hotels in Pingyao


Hotels in Lima


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: Lima Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Pingyao $14
    Lima $6.25
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Pingyao

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Pingyao:


  • Taxi to Train Station
    $1.48

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pingyao

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pingyao:

  • Private Transfer Servcie to Mianshan (Mian Mountain) from Pingyao: $60
  • Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Wutaishan from Pingyao: $190

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lima

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Lima are as follows:


  • Taxi Ride
    $5.92
  • Taxi Ride
    $5.92
  • Short Taxi Ride
    $4.44

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lima

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lima:

  • QuickLlama: Transfer from Miraflores Kennedy Park to Lima Airport: $5.95
  • Mc transfer Peru: $7.50
  • SHARED AIRPORT TRANSFER - From or To Lima Airport: $11
  • Private Transfer from Jorge Chavez Airport to Hotels in Lima: $16
  • Private Transfer from Callao Cruise Port to Lima City hotels: $16
  • Private Transfer from Callao Port to Lima Airport (LIM): $16
  • Private Transfer from Lima City Hotels to Callao Cruise Port: $16
  • Private Transfer from Lima Airport (LIM): $17
  • Private Airport Transfer to Miraflores San Isidro and Barranco: $18
  • Private Transfer from Callao Cruise Port to Lima city hotels: $18
  • Private Transfer from Lima hotels to Callao Cruise Port: $18
  • Private Transfer from Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM) to Callao Port: $18

Is it cheaper to fly into Pingyao or Lima?

Prices for flights to both Lima 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 day
    Pingyao $36
    Lima $33
Typical Food Prices in Pingyao

Some typical examples of dining costs in Pingyao are as follows:


  • Casual Lunch (for 2)
    $5.34
  • Mango Juice
    $0.74

Typical Food Prices in Lima

Some typical examples of dining costs in Lima are as follows:


  • Lunch for Two
    $4.74
  • Ice cream
    $3.85
  • Coffee
    $3.26
  • Donut
    $1.04

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lima

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Lima.

  • Food Tours on the Forbidden Side of Lima with Elite DRONE FOOTAGE: $2.50
  • Local Food Tour at an Iconic Market!!: $24
  • Private Churros Cooking Class, Miraflores & Hotel Pickup: $43
  • Lima Street Food Tour: Taste Authentic Peruvian Delights: $45
  • Miraflores Cooking Class Ceviche, Tartar & Pisco Sour: $45
  • Dinner with Folkloric Show at Casa Tambo Restaurant: $46
  • #1 Rated Lima Cooking Class: Make Ceviche, Causa & Pisco Sours!: $49
  • Lima Street Food Tour : Try the best Peruvian street food: $49
  • Lima Food Tour & Market Experience: 13 Peruvian Bites: $50
  • Food Tour and Market Experience: 12 Peruvian Snacks: $50
  • Andean Breads Cooking Class in Lima: $55
  • Limeno Bites Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $55

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Pingyao $20
    Lima $9.44
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)
    $2.96
  • Temple Entrance Fee (for 2)
    $7.41
  • 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 Family Mansion and Zhangbi Ancient Castle: $171
  • 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

Typical Entertainment Prices in Lima

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Lima are as follows:


  • Entrance to Museo Larco (for 2)
    $18
  • Movie Tickets
    $2.52

Tours and Activities in Lima

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lima are as follows:

  • Adventure at the Airport of Peru: $10
  • Lima Cathedral Museum Entrance Ticket: $10
  • TOP Lima : Private Guided Tour with your mobile: $12
  • Walking Tour to Miraflores and Barranco with a beer: $15
  • Miraflores Guided Walking Tour and Surquillo Market Experience: $15
  • Private Beach Guided Bike Tour in Lima: $19
  • Miraflores and Barranco Private Bike Tour: $19
  • Historic Lima & Catacombs Tour with Optional Pickup: $19
  • GABRIEL | Peruvian Coffee Tasting Experience in Lima: $20
  • Colorful Barranco Tour and Street Art: $20
  • A Journey Through Time: Lima's Historic Center & Catacombs Tour: $20
  • Skip the Line: Larco Museum Admission Ticket: $21

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Pingyao $14
    Lima $6.14

Typical Alcohol Prices in Lima

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Lima are as follows:


  • Bottle of Wine
    $7.96
  • Beer
    $4.44
  • Cocktail
    $3.55

Sample the Local Flavors in Lima

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Lima:

  • Free Pub Crawl: $5.00
  • Discover Barranco's Nightlife with Bar Crawl Lima: $20
  • Discover Miraflores nightlife with Bar Crawl Lima: $24
  • Gin and Rum Distillery Tour: $24
  • Lima Nightlife Tour & Society – Cultural Pub Crawl: $50


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pingyao and Lima, we can see that Lima 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 Lima is in South America, 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 Lima would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lima 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 Lima Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Pingyao or Lima?

Lima has a larger population, and is about 180 times larger than the population of Pingyao. When comparing the sizes of Pingyao and Lima, 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.