A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Qingdao vs. Milford Sound for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Qingdao or Milford Sound?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Qingdao or Milford Sound, 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: Qingdao or Milford Sound?

Qingdao

Qingdao, China, located in the Shandong Province, is a very large city right on the Yellow Sea coast. The city, whose name means "The Green Island" due to it's gorgeous landscapes and interesting geography, was named China's most livable city in 2012. The city is rich in history, having almost become a German territory in 1897 and being occupied by the Japanese during WWI. Evidence of these occupiers is present in much of the architecture around the city, which includes a few Catholic and Protestant churches.

Milford Sound

Milford Sound is a fjord in Fiordland that was created by a glacier. The area is known for rain, but if you end up here on a rainy, know that you are seeing the waterfalls at their fullest.

People go to Milford Sound for the natural beauty. It is unlike any other place on earth. If you're the adventurous type, get yourself a kayak to explore the area. Also, if you have the chance, take a cruise to Milford Deep Underwater Observatory.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in China, The Best Luxury Tours to China, The Best 10-Day Tours in New Zealand, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Milford Sound or Qingdao?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Qingdao is $58, while the average daily cost in Milford Sound is $117. 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 Qingdao and Milford Sound in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Qingdao $26
    Milford Sound $67
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Qingdao $52
    Milford Sound $134
Compare Hotels in Qingdao and Milford Sound

Looking for a hotel in Qingdao or Milford Sound? 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 Qingdao


Hotels in Milford Sound


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Qingdao $12
    Milford Sound $14

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Qingdao

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

  • Qingdao Railway Station Depature Transfer from City Hotels: $36
  • Qingdao Railway Station Arrival Transfer to City Hotel: $36
  • Qingdao Private Transfer from Qingdao central to Qingdao Airport (TAO): $83
  • Qingdao Private Transfer from Qingdao Airport (TAO) to central Qingdao: $83
  • Qingdao Northern Railway Station Arrival Private One-Way Transfer: $42
  • Qingdao Liuting Airport Transfer Service by Minivan: $86
  • Qingdao Cruise Port Departure Transfer from City Hotels: $36
  • Private Departure Transfer: City Hotel to Qingdao Railway Station : $36

Is it cheaper to fly into Qingdao or Milford Sound?

Prices for flights to both Milford Sound and Qingdao 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
    Qingdao $20
    Milford Sound $34

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Qingdao $20
    Milford Sound $38

Tours and Activities in Qingdao

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

  • Private Qingdao Essentials Tour: City Highlights and Beer Museum: $216
  • All-Inclusive Private Day Tour: Qingdao Highlights with Lunch: $285
  • Laoshan Mountain Full Day Private Activity Tour: $224
  • Private Qingdao City tour with Lunch and Qingdao beer: $175
  • Private Qingdao Historic architectural day tour with Tsingdao beer during Lunch: $190
  • Private Qingdao Laoshan day tour with lunch& round way cable car: $240
  • Private Qingdao Laoshan half day tour with one bottle of Tsingdao beer as gift: $199
  • Qingdao Discover Tour to the Mount Laoshan and Tasting Famous Local Beer: $248
  • Qingdao Private Day Tour to Laoshan Mountain with Lunch and Cable Car: $238
  • Qingdao Private Tour: City Highlights and Laoshan Mountain with Lunch+Cable Car: $268
  • Qingdao Shore Excursion: Private Full Day Laoshan Mountain Sightseeing Tour: $207
  • Qingdao private half day tour with Tsingdao Beer Lunch : $202

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Qingdao $14
    Milford Sound $13


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

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


Which is Bigger, Qingdao or Milford Sound?

Qingdao has a larger population, and is about 3780 times larger than the population of Milford Sound. When comparing the sizes of Qingdao and Milford Sound, 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.