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

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.


Which place is cheaper, Nagoya 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 $69, while the average daily cost in Nagoya is $113. 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
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Pingyao $23
    Nagoya $48
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Pingyao $46
    Nagoya $96
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.

Hotels in Pingyao


Hotels in Nagoya


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Pingyao $13
    Nagoya $12
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Pingyao

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


  • Taxi to Train Station
    $1.40

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nagoya

Also for Nagoya, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Japan Railway Station Shared Departure Transfer : Nagoya City to Nagoya Station: $71
  • Nagoya to Nagoya Int Airport NGO, Departure Private Transfer: $91
  • Shared Departure Transfer : Nagoya City to Chubu Airport: $99
  • Private Transfer from Nagoya Cruise Port to Nagoya City Hotels: $126
  • Private Transfer from Nagoya hotels to Nagoya Cruise Port: $139
  • Private Transfer from Nagoya Cruise Port to Nagoya hotels: $139
  • Nagoya to Nagoya Int Airport (NGO) - Departure Private Transfer: $151
  • Private Transfer from Nagoya Cruise Port to Nagoya Airport (NGO): $201
  • Private Transfer - Nagoya Int Airport (NGO) to Nagoya Cruise Port: $201
  • Private Departure Transfer Nagoya City to Chubu Centrair International Airport: $208
  • Private Transfer from Nagoya Airport (NGO) to Toyama Port: $235
  • Private Transfer from Nagoya Int Airport (NGO) to Nagoya Port: $285

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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Pingyao $34
    Nagoya $49
Typical Food Prices in Pingyao

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


  • Casual Lunch (for 2)
    $5.05
  • Mango Juice
    $0.70

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nagoya

For Nagoya, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Nagoya Night Bar & Food Tour with Locals 【Private Tour】: $59
  • Osu Kannon Temple & Street Food Tour in Nagoya's Osu District: $83
  • Specialties of Nagoya Food Tour: $159
  • Traditional Ukai Watching Private Tour from Nagoya With Dinner: $221

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Pingyao $19
    Nagoya $13
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)
    $2.80
  • Temple Entrance Fee (for 2)
    $7.01
  • Bike Parking Fee (for 2)
    $0.56

Tours and Activities in Pingyao

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

  • From Taiyuan: UNESCO Historic Temples & Grand Mansions Tour: $276
  • Pingyao Ancient City Full-Day Walking Tour: $145
  • Shuanglin Temple Tour or Entry Ticket Only Option: $18

Tours and Activities in Nagoya

For Nagoya, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Ramen Making Experience: $38
  • Experience Being a Shinto Priest or Shrine Maiden at NAGOYA: $45
  • English-Guided Jogging Tour of the City (2 hours): $50
  • Shirakawago and Takayama Bus Tour from Nagoya: $58
  • Hida Takayama & Shirakawa-go Bus Tour w/Optional Lunch: $59
  • Shiragawa-go, Hida Takayama UNESCO Full-Day Tour from Nagoya: $61
  • Nagoya Castle Private Guided Tour: $64
  • Gujo, Hida Takayama, and Shirakawa-go Day Tour from Nagoya: $65
  • Shirakawa-go + Hida Takayama Day Tour from Nagoya Station: $66
  • Nagoya Tour in Inuyama Castle, Ena George, Magome and Tsumagojuku: $68
  • Private Japanese Martial Arts and Samurai Experience in Gifu: $68
  • Legoland Resort ticket in Japan : $69

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Pingyao $14
    Nagoya $13

Sample the Local Flavors in Nagoya

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Nagoya:

  • The Nagoya Restaurant and Bar Crawl: $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.