Which place is cheaper, Macao or Pingyao?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Pingyao and Macao. 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.
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.
Located in China, Macau is a Special Administrative Region and one of the world's most densely populated regions. Until 1999 it remained an overseas territory of Portugal. It sits across from Hong Kong, along the Pearl River Estuary. Because it was so recently relinquished as a colony, it still has a significant amount of visible colonial history. The old city still looks very European, which you can see during a walking tour. Despite this architectural influence, the majority of the city's population is native Chinese.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in China, and The Best 10-Day Tours in China.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Pingyao is $54, while the average daily cost in Macao is $143. 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 Macao in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Pingyao or Macao? 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.
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Pingyao:
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pingyao:
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Macao:
Prices for flights to both Macao 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.
Some typical examples of dining costs in Pingyao are as follows:
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Pingyao are as follows:
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Pingyao are as follows:
Here are a few typical costs in Macao for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pingyao and Macao, we can see that Macao 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 Macao would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Macao 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 Macao Expensive?.
Macao has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Pingyao. When comparing the sizes of Pingyao and Macao, 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.