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

Should you visit Pingyao or Wellington?

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 Wellington. 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 Wellington?

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.

Wellington

Wellington is the capital and second largest city in New Zealand. It sits on the southwestern edge of the North Island between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range. It's a beautiful setting that is encircled by mountains giving it a beautiful backdrop. There are also many cultural sights and attractions around town. Wellington really is the perfect mix of New Zealand's natural beauty and a vibrant urban core. The film industry is also prevelant in the city. The city's production centers have helped create Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit trilogies, Avatar, Tin Tin, and District 9.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in China, The Best 10-Day Tours in China, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand, and The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Wellington 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 Wellington 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 Wellington in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Pingyao $23
    Wellington $60
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Pingyao $46
    Wellington $120
Compare Hotels in Pingyao and Wellington

Looking for a hotel in Pingyao or Wellington? 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 Wellington


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: Wellington Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Pingyao $13
    Wellington $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 Wellington

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

  • Private Transfer from Wellington Airport (WLG) to Wellington Port: $26
  • Private Transfer from Wellington Port to Wellington Airport (WLG): $26
  • Private Large SUV Airport Transfers Wellington - Executive Travel: $58
  • Wētā Workshop Guided Tour Ticket + Transfer: $58
  • Wētā Workshop Guided Transfers & Tour: $59
  • Private Airport Transfer Service Vice Versa in Wellington by SUV: $75
  • Private Transfer from Wellington hotels to Wellington Cruise Port: $106
  • Wellington Airport(WLG) to Wellington-Round-Trip Private Transfer: $156

Is it cheaper to fly into Pingyao or Wellington?

Prices for flights to both Wellington 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
    Wellington $51
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

Typical Food Prices in Wellington

For Wellington, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Dinner
    $8.87

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Wellington

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

  • 3 Hour Walking Food Tour: $126

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Pingyao $19
    Wellington $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)
    $2.80
  • 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 Wellington

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

  • Return Cable Car Ticket: $7.03
  • Museum of NZ Te Papa Tongarewa: Māori Highlights Tour: $12
  • Wellington Zoo General Entry Tickets: $15
  • Private Group Puzzle-Solving Adventure Game: Atlantis: $27
  • Private Group Puzzle-Solving Adventure Game: Temple: $27
  • Private Group Puzzle-Solving Adventure Game: Spaceship: $27
  • Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Entry Ticket: $28
  • Wētā Workshop Guided Tour Ticket: $32
  • Wētā Workshop Experiences Tour - Wellington: $33
  • Axe Throwing Lesson and Tournament: $33
  • Wētā Workshop Creative Classes Experience Ticket: $33
  • Auckland: Wētā Workshop Unleashed Creative Classes Ticket: $38

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Pingyao $14
    Wellington $12

Sample the Local Flavors in Wellington

Also in Wellington, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Wellington Craft Brewery Half-Day Guided Tour with Tastings: $100
  • From Martinborough Wine Tasting Tour: $170
  • Exclusive Martinborough Wine Tour: $210
  • Chefs Private Martinborough wine tour with Gourmet Lunch: $395


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pingyao and Wellington, we can see that Wellington is more expensive. And not only is Pingyao much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Pingyao is in Asia and Wellington is in Pacific, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. 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 Wellington would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Wellington 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 Wellington Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Pingyao or Wellington?

Wellington has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Pingyao. When comparing the sizes of Pingyao and Wellington, 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.