A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Pyeongchang vs. Nelson for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Pyeongchang or Nelson?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Pyeongchang or Nelson, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Pyeongchang or Nelson?

Pyeongchang

Pyeongchang is a county of South Korea situated in the Taebaek Mountains in Gangwon Province. A popular location for winter sports, it was chosen as the host city for the 2018 Winter Olympics. Other attractions include Buddhist temples, parks, villages, and natural scenery.

Nelson

Nelson is a city that sits on Tasman Bay on the South Island of New Zealand. Travelers, especially ones that are heading to explore Abel Tasman National Park, frequently visit this town. Nelson has a population of about 46,000 people and, geographically speaking, it is the center of New Zealand as a whole.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Seoul, The Best 10-Day Tours from Seoul, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to New Zealand, and The Best Wildlife Tours to New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Nelson or Pyeongchang?

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 Pyeongchang is $133, while the average daily cost in Nelson is $114. 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 Pyeongchang and Nelson in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Pyeongchang $61
    Nelson $41
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Pyeongchang $122
    Nelson $82
Compare Hotels in Pyeongchang and Nelson

Looking for a hotel in Pyeongchang or Nelson? 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 Pyeongchang


Hotels in Nelson


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: Pyeongchang Hotel Prices and Nelson Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Pyeongchang $24
    Nelson $28

Is it cheaper to fly into Pyeongchang or Nelson?

Prices for flights to both Nelson and Pyeongchang 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
    Pyeongchang $47
    Nelson $47

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Pyeongchang $50
    Nelson $23

Tours and Activities in Pyeongchang

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

  • Balwangsan Cable Car & Samyang Ranch One Day Tour: $78
  • Alpensia 2D1N Ski Lift Tour: $141

Tours and Activities in Nelson

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

  • Abel Tasman National Park: Cruise and Hike Full-Day Tour: $347
  • Abel Tasman National Park: Cruise, Kayak, & Hike Tour: $405
  • Abel Tasman National Park: Waka & Walk Tour: $405
  • Abel Tasman Vista Cruise: $62
  • Cable Bay Adventure Park: E-bike hire: $55
  • Cruise Abel Tasman to Golden Bay: $296
  • Cruise, Walk, and Sail in Abel Tasman National Park: $122
  • Full-Day Sailing Adventure in the Abel Tasman National Park: $160
  • Great Taste Beer Tour by Bicycle (Self-guided): $77
  • Half Day Guided Mountain Biking Adventure in Nelson: $74
  • Half Day Nelson Electric Mountain Bike Rental Adventure: $82
  • Magical Mapua Charms in off-summer Season Selfguided Cycle Tour: $74

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Pyeongchang $8.69
    Nelson $13

Sample the Local Flavors in Nelson

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Nelson:

  • Self-guided E-bike cycle tour with private wine tasting : $116
  • Wine Tour with Tastings and Lunch: $231


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pyeongchang and Nelson, we can see that Pyeongchang is more expensive. And not only is Nelson much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Pyeongchang is in Asia and Nelson 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 Nelson would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Nelson 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 Pyeongchang would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Pyeongchang than you might in Nelson.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Pyeongchang Expensive? and Is Nelson Expensive?.