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

Should you visit Pingyao or Sapporo?

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 Sapporo. 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 Sapporo?

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.

Sapporo

Capital of the northern Japanese island Hokkaido, Sapporo is a city surrounded by mountains and known for its beer, skiing, and annual snow festival with stunning ice sculptures. As host to the 1972 Winter Olympics, the city limits are dotted with ski jumps, hills, and popular ski resorts still in use today.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in China, The Best 10-Day Tours in China, The Best Coach Bus Tours in Japan, and The Best Adventure Tours to Japan.


Which place is cheaper, Sapporo or Pingyao?

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 Sapporo is $106. 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 Sapporo in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Pingyao $23
    Sapporo $63
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Pingyao $46
    Sapporo $126
Compare Hotels in Pingyao and Sapporo

Looking for a hotel in Pingyao or Sapporo? 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 Sapporo


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: Sapporo Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Pingyao $13
    Sapporo $15
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Pingyao

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


  • Taxi to Train Station
    $1.38

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pingyao

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pingyao:

  • Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Wutaishan from Pingyao: $190
  • Privater Transfer from Datong to Pingyao with driver: $115
  • Private Transfer Servcie to Mianshan (Mian Mountain) from Pingyao: $60

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sapporo

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

  • Shin Chitose Airport to/from Sapporo City: Shared Transfer: $37
  • New Chitose Airport ↔ Sapporo, Best Transfer Pick up Service : $66
  • Private Transfer from Sapporo hotels to Otaru Cruise Port: $93
  • Sapporo City: Private Transfer to/from New Chitose Airport: $119
  • [Airport Transfer] Smoothly move between Sapporo and New Chitose Airport with a private car! one way: $135
  • Airport Transfer! Hotel in center of Sapporo to New Chitose Airport (CTS): $140
  • Private Transfer from Sapporo City Hotels to Muroran Cruise Port: $143
  • Horseback-Riding in a Country Side in Sapporo - Private Transfer is Included: $154
  • Private Transfer from Sapporo hotels to Muroran Cruise Port: $158
  • SkyExpress Private Transfer: Sapporo to Otaru (8 Passengers): $289
  • Private Transfer: between Sapporo and Upopoy: $467

Is it cheaper to fly into Pingyao or Sapporo?

Prices for flights to both Sapporo 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 $19
    Sapporo $30
Typical Food Prices in Pingyao

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


  • Casual Lunch (for 2)
    $4.97
  • Mango Juice
    $0.69

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sapporo

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

  • Private Market Tour, Cooking Class and Lunch with a Local in Sapporo: $82
  • Sapporo Bar Hopping Food Tour: $82
  • Japanese Cooking Lesson and Meal with a Local Professional in her Lovely Home: $88

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Pingyao $18
    Sapporo $16
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)
    $2.76
  • Temple Entrance Fee (for 2)
    $6.90
  • 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 Sapporo

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Sapporo.

  • JR Tower Observatory Admission Ticket: $4.04
  • Hand-rolled sushi experience tour at Sapporo Nijo Market: $44
  • Sapporo Morning Walking Tour: $46
  • Nopporo Forest Mountain Bike Tour from Sapporo, presenting a retro Cycle cap: $50
  • Sapporo Afternoon Walking Tour 2h 30mins: $53
  • Experience traditional Japanese cuisine, making soba noodles in Sapporo, in a fun and casual way.: $53
  • Japanese buckwheat noodle making experience in Sapporo,japan: $57
  • Popular No.1! Soba Making Experience and Tempura Plan: $60
  • Mondo's most popular plan! Experience making soba noodles and the king of Japanese cuisine, tempura, in Sapporo!: $62
  • Mountain Bike Tour from Sapporo Including Hoheikyo Onsen and Lunch: $68
  • Personalized Experience with a Local: $69
  • in Sapporo! Hand-made soba experience and shabu-shabu experience plan of Yezo deer meat (Gibier meat) from Hokkaido: $69

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Pingyao $13
    Sapporo $7.98


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


Which is Bigger, Pingyao or Sapporo?

Sapporo has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Pingyao. When comparing the sizes of Pingyao and Sapporo, 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.