Which place is cheaper, Nanjing or Pingyao?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Pingyao or Nanjing?
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 Nanjing. 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 Nanjing?
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.
Nanjing
Nanjing is the capital city of the Jiangsu Province on the central eastern coast of China, just north of Shanghai. This historically and culturally rich city lies at the lower end of the Yangtze river, resulting in lush and scenic landscapes. Nanjing is well-known for having many popular historical sites, some of which have been listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in China, The Best 10-Day Tours in China, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in China, and The Best 2-Week Tours in China.
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Pingyao Prices
China PricesNanjing Prices
China Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPingyao $72Nanjing $124
The average daily cost (per person) in Pingyao is $72, while the average daily cost in Nanjing is $124. 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 Nanjing in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPingyao $24Nanjing $49
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPingyao $48Nanjing $98
Compare Hotels in Pingyao and Nanjing
Looking for a hotel in Pingyao or Nanjing? 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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Pingyao $14Nanjing $41
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$1.48
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pingyao
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pingyao:
- Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Wutaishan from Pingyao: $190
- Private Transfer Servcie to Mianshan (Mian Mountain) from Pingyao: $60
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nanjing
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Nanjing:
- Huangshan Tunxi International Airport Private Arrival Transfer to City Area: $20
- Nanjing Lukou Airport Chauffeur Service, Nanjing Airport Transfer, Pickup: $30
- Private Arrival Transfer to Nanjing City from Railway Station: $32
- Private Transfer to Nanjing Railway Station from City Hotels: $33
- Private Transfer between Nanjing Olympic Stadium and City Hotel: $33
- Tangshan Hot Spring Resorts Private Transfer from Nanjing Railway Station: $44
- Nanjing to Nanjing Airport (NKG) - Departure Private Transfer: $44
- Nanjing Airport (NKG) to Nanjing - Arrival Private Transfer: $44
- Private Transfer to Nanjing Railway Station from Lukou Airport: $45
- Private Departure Transfer from Nanjing City Center to Lukou Int'l Airport: $45
- Nanjing Lukou International Airport Private Arrival Transfer to City Center: $45
- Private NKG Airport Transfer to Nanjing Railway Station: $45
Is it cheaper to fly into Pingyao or Nanjing?
Prices for flights to both Nanjing 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 $36Nanjing $52
Typical Food Prices in Pingyao
Some typical examples of dining costs in Pingyao are as follows:
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Casual Lunch (for 2)$5.32
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Mango Juice$0.74
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nanjing
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Nanjing.
- 3-Hour Nanjing Authentic Local Food Tour by Public Transportation: $93
- Flexible Private Nanjing City Night Tour with Dinner Option: $112
- Nanjing City Private Night Tour with Qinghuai River Cruise and Dinner Option: $114
- Nanjing Private Tour: Ming Mausoleum, Night View & Local Dinner: $198
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Pingyao $20Nanjing $9.92
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)$2.96
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Temple Entrance Fee (for 2)$7.39
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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 Private 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
- Day tour to Wang Family Compound shuanglin temple &zhangbi castle: $210
Tours and Activities in Nanjing
Here are a few actual costs in Nanjing for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Qixia Mountain Ticket for Adult: $20
- Night Cruise on Outer Qinhuai River for Adults: $20
- Flexible Private Nanjing Independent Tour: $63
- Nanjing Self-Guided Day Tour with Private Car and Driver Service: $72
- Nanjing Private English Tour Guide Service: $75
- Nanjing Professional English Tour Guide Service: $91
- 3-Hour Local Food Tasting Tour: $93
- Half-Day Nanjing City Private Flexible Tour: $109
- 4-Hour Nanjing City Private Tailor-Made Tour in Your Way: $109
- Nanjing Private Flexible Day Tour with Ancient and Modern History: $119
- Half-Day Private Customized Nanjing City Tour: $122
- 4-Hour Nanjing Private Tour with Xiaoling Tomb and Sun Yatsen Mausoleum: $124
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPingyao $14Nanjing $10
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pingyao and Nanjing, we can see that Nanjing 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 Nanjing would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Nanjing 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 Nanjing Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Pingyao or Nanjing?
Nanjing has a larger population, and is about 70 times larger than the population of Pingyao. When comparing the sizes of Pingyao and Nanjing, 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.