Which place is cheaper, Nagoya or Pingyao?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Pingyao or Nagoya?
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 Nagoya. 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 Nagoya?
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.
Nagoya
Nagoya is Japan's fourth-largest city after Tokyo, Yokohama, and Osaka, as well as one of the nation's major economic centers, being the home of auto giants like Toyota, Honda, and Mitsubishi Motors. With a history that dates back to samurai and ninja, Nagoya has evolved over the years into a trade center and hub for automobile and aircraft manufacturing. And it's also home to the Legoland resort!
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in China, The Best 10-Day Tours in China, The Best Luxury Tours to Japan, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Japan.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPingyao $54Nagoya $89
The average daily cost (per person) in Pingyao is $54, while the average daily cost in Nagoya 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 Nagoya in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPingyao $23Nagoya $46
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPingyao $46Nagoya $92
Compare Hotels in Pingyao and Nagoya
Looking for a hotel in Pingyao or Nagoya? 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: Nagoya Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Pingyao $13Nagoya $11
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$1.38
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pingyao
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pingyao:
- Privater Transfer from Datong to Pingyao with driver: $115
- Private Transfer Servcie to Mianshan (Mian Mountain) from Pingyao: $60
- Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Wutaishan from Pingyao: $190
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nagoya
Also for Nagoya, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Nagoya City Hotels to Nagoya Cruise Port: $59
- Private Transfer from Nagoya Cruise Port to Nagoya hotels: $66
- Private Transfer from Nagoya hotels to Nagoya Cruise Port: $66
- Private Transfer - Nagoya Cruise Port to Nagoya Int Airport (NGO): $94
- Private Transfer from Nagoya city hotels to Kanazawa Cruise Port : $131
- Chubu Itn Airport to/from Nagoya City private transfer: $136
- Private Transfer from Nagoya City Hotels to Kanazawa Cruise Port: $144
- Chubu Airport (NGO) to/from Nagoya Private Transfer: $157
- Nagoya airport to/from LEGOLAND Private transfer: $187
- Private One-Way Transfers to/from Suzuka Circuit: $276
- Private Transfer between Chubu Centrair Int'l Airport and Nagoya: $283
- Chubu Airport (NGO) to/from Kyoto Private Transfer: $441
Is it cheaper to fly into Pingyao or Nagoya?
Prices for flights to both Nagoya 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 $19Nagoya $27
Typical Food Prices in Pingyao
Some typical examples of dining costs in Pingyao are as follows:
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Casual Lunch (for 2)$4.97
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Mango Juice$0.69
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nagoya
For Nagoya, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Grandma’s Traditional Cooking Class: $65
- Nagoya Special Food Tour: $66
- Market Tour and Authentic Nagoya Cuisine Cooking Class With a Local in Her Home: $92
- Specialties of Nagoya Food Tour: $174
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Pingyao $18Nagoya $13
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)$2.76
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Temple Entrance Fee (for 2)$6.90
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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 Nagoya
For Nagoya, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Shirakawa-go from Nagoya One Day Bus ticket Oneway/Roundway: $22
- Shirakawa-go From Nagoya One day Bus Self-guided Tour: $23
- Hida Takayama from Nagoya Bus ticket Oneway/Raundway: $25
- Shirakawa-go from nagoya 1D Bus ticket with Hida Beef Lunch: $49
- Tie-Dye Activity and Traditional Town Walking Tour in NAGOYA: $52
- From Gujo, Hida Takayama, and Shirakawa-go Day Tour: $60
- From Ise Grand Shrine Day Tour: $60
- Private Tea Ceremony Experience in a Shopping Arcade Tea Room: $65
- Private Tour to Famous Places in Nagoya: $71
- Customized Private Tour: $72
- Mitsui Outlet Park, Light-Up Festival, & Onsen Tour: $76
- Hida Takayama & World Heritage Shirakawa-go Day Tour: $81
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPingyao $13Nagoya $12
Sample the Local Flavors in Nagoya
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Nagoya:
- Pub Crawl in Nagoya: $38
- Restaurant and Bar Crawl in Nagoya Japan: $40
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pingyao and Nagoya, we can see that Nagoya 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 Nagoya would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Nagoya 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 Nagoya Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Pingyao or Nagoya?
Nagoya has a larger population, and is about 50 times larger than the population of Pingyao. When comparing the sizes of Pingyao and Nagoya, 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.