Which place is cheaper, Tokyo 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 Tokyo?
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 Tokyo. 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 Tokyo?
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.
Tokyo
Tokyo, the capital of Japan, is by far the most populous city in the world with a staggering 37 million people. As a worldwide hub for technology and business, it hosts millions of visitors annually. But Tokyo is not just a place for business trips. With its incredible mixture of historical temples and shrines, remarkably beautiful parks, endless shopping malls, and genuinely wonderful people, Tokyo is a terrific place to visit and to explore.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in China, The Best 10-Day Tours in China, The Best 2-Week Tours in Japan, and The Best Bicycle Tours in Japan.
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Pingyao Prices
China PricesTokyo Prices
Japan Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPingyao $69Tokyo $190
The average daily cost (per person) in Pingyao is $69, while the average daily cost in Tokyo is $190. 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 Tokyo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPingyao $23Tokyo $79
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPingyao $46Tokyo $158
Compare Hotels in Pingyao and Tokyo
Looking for a hotel in Pingyao or Tokyo? 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: Tokyo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Pingyao $13Tokyo $18
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$1.40
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tokyo
Also for Tokyo, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Haneda Airport to Tokyo One Way Transfer : $14
- Disneyland or Disneysea Transfer to or from Tokyo English Driver: $20
- Private Airport Transfer Haneda Airport to or from Tokyo City: $20
- Haneda Airport Private Transfer to Tokyo/Yokohama/MountFuji/Osaka: $42
- Hotel Transfer to/from Disneyland or DisneySea: $42
- Haneda Airport: 1-Way Shared Shuttle Transfer: $54
- DECKS Tokyo Beach & Odaiba 1 Way Door to Door Shared Transfer: $56
- Private transfer from Central Tokyo to Disney Resort: $62
- Tokyo City: One-Way Private Transfer to/from Yokohama City: $63
- Airport Shuttle Arrival Transfer : from Haneda Airport to Tokyo City: $65
- Shared Departure Transfer : Central Tokyo Hotel to Haneda Airport: $66
- Shared Arrival Transfer : Haneda Airport to Central Tokyo City: $66
Is it cheaper to fly into Pingyao or Tokyo?
Prices for flights to both Tokyo 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 $34Tokyo $67
Typical Food Prices in Pingyao
Some typical examples of dining costs in Pingyao are as follows:
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Casual Lunch (for 2)$5.05
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Mango Juice$0.70
Typical Food Prices in Tokyo
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Tokyo:
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Late Night Noodles$5.41
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Conveyor Belt Sushi Snack$5.41
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Meal at Airport$7.05
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tokyo
For Tokyo, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Tsukiji Food Tour Explore Markets and Temples in Tokyo: $18
- Hide's Table A Unique Dinner Gathering Every Wednesday Night: $21
- Tokyo : Vintage, Music & Food Tour in Shimokitazawa with a Local: $34
- Guided Tsukiji’s Local Food Tour : $34
- For First Time Visitor：Tsukiji Food Tour with Tokyo Travel Advice: $34
- Authentic Homestyle Japanese Cooking Class near Tokyo with Risa: $39
- Tokyo Bay Yakatabune Dinner/Day Cruise with Japan Show and Drinks: $44
- Weekend Japanese Cooking Demonstration with a Tokyo Mom, Toshiko: $49
- Japanese Sushi Cooking Class: $51
- Tokyo private hidden food tour: $55
- Mastering the Grill A Ninja Yakiniku A5 Wagyu Dinner in Nippori : $56
- Tokyo Retro Backstreet Tokyo Tour Option to Add Dinner: $56
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Pingyao $19Tokyo $71
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)$2.80
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Temple Entrance Fee (for 2)$7.01
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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:
- Pingyao Ancient City Full-Day Walking Tour: $145
- Shuanglin Temple Tour or Entry Ticket Only Option: $18
Tours and Activities in Tokyo
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Tokyo.
- Imperial Palace or Edo Castle Time Trip Learning Walking Tour: $3.42
- Tokyo 4‑Day Self‑Guided PDF Tour of Senso‑ji, Shibuya and more: $3.42
- Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre Guided Tour: $3.46
- Self-Guided Tour of Tokyo's Hidden Alleys: $3.57
- Cross Roppongi Karaoke Nightclub Ticket (For Foreign): $6.76
- Tokyo Asakusa & Senso-ji Tour with Audioguide: $8.34
- Tokyo Metro Subway Ticket: $8.85
- Horse Racing Tour with Local Fans in Tokyo: $10
- Shibuya drinking tour: $10
- Gyoda Oshi Castle Ninja Experience : $11
- Tokyo Subway Ticket : $11
- Water Bus Ticket Odaiba ↔ Asakusa: $12
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPingyao $14Tokyo $34
Typical Alcohol Prices in Tokyo
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Tokyo:
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Sake$4.06
Sample the Local Flavors in Tokyo
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Tokyo:
- Low-cost local pub & bar crawling: $34
- Tokyo Pub Crawl: Unique Japanese Drinks in Shimokitazawa: $34
- 3 Hours Pub Crawl Welcome Guided Tour in Shibuya: $35
- Tokyo Pub Crawl: Unique Japanese Drinks in Shimokitazawa: $38
- 3-Hour Tokyo Pub Crawl Weekly Welcome Guided Tour in Shibuya: $46
- Private Shinjuku Nightlife Walking Tour & Golden-Gai Bar Crawl: $114
- Tokyo's Oldest Sake Brewery and jump into historic town: $116
- Private Sake Tasting at 300 Years Old Sake Brewery in Tokyo : $132
- Sake Brewery and Spiritual Nature Tour in Okutama Tokyo: $142
- Cultural Sake Brewery Private Tour & Unlimited Tasting Near Tokyo: $172
- From Tokyo：Mt.fuji /Museum/Sake brewery/ 1DAY BUS TOUR: $201
- Private tour: Tokyo's Oldest Sake Brewery and riverside walk.: $242
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pingyao and Tokyo, we can see that Tokyo 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 Tokyo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tokyo 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 Tokyo Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Pingyao or Tokyo?
Tokyo has a larger population, and is about 200 times larger than the population of Pingyao. When comparing the sizes of Pingyao and Tokyo, 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.