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

Should you visit Qingdao or Yaeyama Islands?

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

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

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.

Yaeyama Islands

The Yaeyama Islands is a cluster of islands located in the southwestern part of Japan, close to Taiwan. There are nine different islands, varying from small islets to large holiday resort islands. The Yaeyama Islands are one of the most popular destination in Japan due to their beautiful beaches and underwater ruins. Yaeyama is also known for having their own language and writing system. For the most part, everyone on the Islands speak Japanese, but you'll often find the Yaeyama writing on T-shirts in souvenir shops or scattered around Yaeyama.

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 from Tokyo, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Tokyo.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Qingdao and Yaeyama Islands, we can see that Yaeyama Islands is more expensive. And not only is Qingdao much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Yaeyama Islands would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Yaeyama Islands 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 Yaeyama Islands Expensive?.

When is the best time to visit Qingdao or Yaeyama Islands?

Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Qingdao or Yaeyama Islands in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Qingdao as well as Yaeyama Islands. Additionally, many visitors come to Yaeyama Islands in the summer for the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences.

In the summer, Qingdao is cooler than Yaeyama Islands. Typically, the summer temperatures in Qingdao in July average around 25°C (77°F), and Yaeyama Islands averages at about 29°C (85°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Yaeyama Islands. In the summer, Qingdao often gets less sunshine than Yaeyama Islands. Qingdao gets 183 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Yaeyama Islands receives 279 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Yaeyama Islands. Qingdao receives a lot of rain in the summer. Qingdao usually gets more rain in July than Yaeyama Islands. Qingdao gets 211 mm (8.3 in) of rain, while Yaeyama Islands receives 179 mm (7 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Qingdao or Yaeyama Islands in the Autumn?

Both Yaeyama Islands and Qingdao are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Also, most visitors come to Yaeyama Islands for the hiking trails and the natural beauty of the area during these months.

In October, Qingdao is generally much colder than Yaeyama Islands. Daily temperatures in Qingdao average around 17°C (62°F), and Yaeyama Islands fluctuates around 26°C (78°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Qingdao. Qingdao usually receives more sunshine than Yaeyama Islands during autumn. Qingdao gets 220 hours of sunny skies, while Yaeyama Islands receives 177 hours of full sun in the autumn.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Yaeyama Islands. In October, Qingdao usually receives less rain than Yaeyama Islands. Qingdao gets 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Yaeyama Islands receives 173 mm (6.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Qingdao or Yaeyama Islands in the Winter?

Both Yaeyama Islands and Qingdao during the winter are popular places to visit. Also, the winter months attract visitors to Yaeyama Islands because of the museums and the cuisine.

Qingdao can be very cold during winter. Qingdao is much colder than Yaeyama Islands in the winter. The daily temperature in Qingdao averages around -0°C (32°F) in January, and Yaeyama Islands fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).

In the winter, Qingdao often gets more sunshine than Yaeyama Islands. Qingdao gets 185 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Yaeyama Islands receives 97 hours of full sun.

Yaeyama Islands gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Qingdao usually gets less rain in January than Yaeyama Islands. Qingdao gets 11 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Yaeyama Islands receives 120 mm (4.7 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Qingdao or Yaeyama Islands in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Qingdao and Yaeyama Islands. Also, the beaches and the natural beauty are the main draw to Yaeyama Islands this time of year.

In the spring, Qingdao is much colder than Yaeyama Islands. Typically, the spring temperatures in Qingdao in April average around 12°C (53°F), and Yaeyama Islands averages at about 23°C (74°F).

In Qingdao, it's very sunny this time of the year. Qingdao usually receives more sunshine than Yaeyama Islands during spring. Qingdao gets 224 hours of sunny skies, while Yaeyama Islands receives 154 hours of full sun in the spring.

Yaeyama Islands receives a lot of rain in the spring. In April, Qingdao usually receives less rain than Yaeyama Islands. Qingdao gets 37 mm (1.5 in) of rain, while Yaeyama Islands receives 147 mm (5.8 in) of rain each month for the spring. Also, May to June is the rainy season in Yaeyama Islands.

Typical Weather for Yaeyama Islands and Qingdao