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

Should you visit Qingdao or Tauranga?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Qingdao or Tauranga, 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 Tauranga?

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.

Tauranga

Tauranga is a city on the North Island of New Zealand. It is situated on the western side of the Bay of Plenty, which is on the east coast of the island. Its population of 130,000 makes it the fifth largest city in the country. Tauranga is a Maori word translated roughly to 'a sheltered anchorage'. This makes sense as the town is located near a very large harbor and protected by Matakana Island. Mount Maunganui is at the headland of the town and regarded as a suburb of Tauranga. The beach at Mt Maunganui is a surfing hot spot. The climate is mostly warm and dry because of the town's sheltered position.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in China, The Best Luxury Tours to China, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in New Zealand, and The Best 2-Week Tours in New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Tauranga 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 Tauranga is $103. 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 Tauranga in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Qingdao $26
    Tauranga $74
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Qingdao $52
    Tauranga $148
Compare Hotels in Qingdao and Tauranga

Looking for a hotel in Qingdao or Tauranga? 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 Tauranga


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: Tauranga Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Qingdao $12
    Tauranga $6.78

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Qingdao

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

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

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tauranga

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tauranga:

  • Roundtrip Transfer from Port of Tauranga Omanu Golf Club: $73

Is it cheaper to fly into Qingdao or Tauranga?

Prices for flights to both Tauranga 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
    Tauranga $22

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Qingdao $20
    Tauranga $10

Tours and Activities in Qingdao

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

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

Tours and Activities in Tauranga

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

  • 2-Hour Tauranga & Mount Maunganui City & Scenic Local Tour: $45
  • 3hr Tauranga Sun-downer History Tour COMPLIMENTARY Wine or Beer: $54
  • 4hr Shore Excursion - History and Tasting Tour FREE Kiwifruit Tasting: $57
  • 4hr Tauranga Scenic History and Tasting Tour FREE Kiwifruit Tasting: $57
  • 6hr Hobbiton Movie Set Tour - Departs Tauranga: $142
  • 6hr Rotorua Geothermal Wonderland Tour - Departs Tauranga: $139
  • 7hr Waimangu Geothermal Valley & Lake Rotomahana Tour - Departs Tauranga: $131
  • Boutique tour , Mt Maunganui, NZ farm, Rotorua lakes/geothermal : $138
  • Evening Glow Worm Kayak Tour in Tauranga: $136
  • From Dolphin and Wildlife Cruise: $101
  • From Half-Day Swimming with Dolphins Tour: $89
  • Half Day Dolphin & Wildlife Cruise - Tauranga: $106

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Qingdao $14
    Tauranga $10


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


Which is Bigger, Qingdao or Tauranga?

Qingdao has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Tauranga. When comparing the sizes of Qingdao and Tauranga, 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.