A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Sapa vs. Taipei for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Sapa or Taipei?

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

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Sapa and Taipei can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Sapa or Taipei?

Sapa

Sapa is a beautiful town in the northern mountains of Vietnam by the border with China. Many travelers pass through the area on their way from China into Hanoi. Alternatively, some travelers head north from Hanoi to spend a few days in the beautiful mountains where tribal cultures are still alive and well. There are a good number of ethnic minorities that populate the area. The eight populations in the area include H'mong, Dao, Tay, Giay, Muong, Thai, Hoa, and Xa Pho, but the vast majority in the area are H'mong. Within the town of Sapa itself, there are about 7,000 people. The rest of the population lives in the surrounding countryside and are peasant farmers.

Taipei

Few cities in the world are full of more diverse opportunities than the cultural crosshairs city of Taipei. As the capital of Taiwan, this 300-year-old city is the financial, cultural and governmental center of Taiwan. Located in the northern part of the island between the Yangming Mountains and Central Mountains, this city of 2.6 million people is always ready to welcome more visitors.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Coach Bus Tours in Vietnam, The Best Adventure Tours to Vietnam, The Best Cultural Tours in Taiwan, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Taiwan.


Which place is cheaper, Taipei or Sapa?

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 Sapa is $45, while the average daily cost in Taipei is $206. 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 Sapa and Taipei in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Sapa $11
    Taipei $155
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Sapa $22
    Taipei $310
Compare Hotels in Sapa and Taipei

Looking for a hotel in Sapa or Taipei? 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 Sapa


Hotels in Taipei


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: Sapa Hotel Prices and Taipei Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Sapa $8.93
    Taipei $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Sapa

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Sapa are as follows:


  • Short Motorbike Ride
    $1.14

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Taipei

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Taipei:


  • Easycard
    $2.15
  • Easycard
    $9.92

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Taipei

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

  • Bruns 9 seater, charter tour, business transfer, airport transfer, round-the-island charter tour: $299
  • Private Transfer from Taipei Taoyuan Airport TPE to Hualien Port: $280
  • Keelung(Taipei) Cruise Port to Taipei-Round-Trip Private Transfer: $208
  • Taipei Taoyuan Airport (TPE) to Taian Township -Arrival Transfer: $192
  • Beito to Taipei Taoyuan Airport (TPE)-Departure Transfer: $192
  • Private Transfer from Taipei Taoyuan Airport to Taichung Port: $147
  • Keelung Cruise Port to Taiwan Taoyuan Airport (TPE) - Departure Private Transfer: $144
  • Luxury Chartered Private Transfer Taoyuan Airport to Taipei City: $140
  • Luxury Chartered Private Transfer from Taipei to Taoyuan Airport: $139
  • Private Transfer from Keelung Port to Taiwan Taoyuan Airport(TPE): $133
  • Taipei City to Keelung (Taipei) Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $104
  • Keelung (Taipei) Cruise Port to Taipei city - Arrival Private Transfer : $104

Is it cheaper to fly into Sapa or Taipei?

Prices for flights to both Taipei and Sapa 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
    Sapa $27
    Taipei $29
Typical Food Prices in Sapa

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Sapa:


  • Casual Dinner (for One)
    $2.58
  • Quick Breakfast (for Two)
    $2.08
  • Coffee (for Two)
    $2.27
  • Western Dinner (for Two)
    $7.55
  • Pho Soup
    $0.57

Typical Food Prices in Taipei

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


  • EasyCard
    $17
  • Lunch at The Can
    $7.28
  • EasyCard
    $33
  • Lunch
    $3.14
  • Lunch
    $1.98
  • Dinner
    $6.62
  • Lunch
    $3.80
  • Lunch
    $4.96
  • Louisa coffee
    $3.14

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Taipei

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

  • Taipei Food Tour Taiwan Traditional Breakfast and Market and Tea: $45
  • Food Tours w/ Top 10 Taiwan Food (Breakfast/Dinner): $45
  • Taipei Food Tour: Night Market & Convenience Store(Food Included): $45
  • Taipei Walking Food Tour in Ningxia Night Market(10 Foods Incl.): $45
  • Local Favorites: Taiwan Night Market Food Tour in 2 hours: $49
  • Street Food & Hidden Eats Night Market Food Tour: $55
  • Taipei Hidden Eats, Market & Street Food Tour with 8+ Tastings: $55
  • Xiao long bao, Pork thick soup, Bubble milk tea. (Taiwan Cooking Class)-B : $65
  • Private Walking Food Tour in Ningxia Night Market(10 Foods Incl.): $70
  • Xiao Long Bao, Chicken vermicelli with mushroom and sesame oil, Tofu strips salad, Bubble milk tea. Taiwan Traditional Delicacies Experience-A (Taipei Cooking Class): $77
  • Iconic Food Tour: Local Street Food, Drinks & Sites: $82
  • Private Street Food Tour of Taipei with a Local Guide: $84

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Sapa $5.82
    Taipei $18
Typical Entertainment Prices in Sapa

For Sapa, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • CatCat Village Tax
    $1.52
  • Ta Phin Village Tax
    $0.76
  • Walking Stick
    $0.19
  • Paddle Boat Rental on Sapa Lake (1 Hr)
    $3.03

Tours and Activities in Taipei

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

  • 9 Hour Northeast Coast Bay View Tour in Yilan : $61
  • Yamingshan Volcano, Beitou Thermal Valley, Danshui Private Tour: $173
  • 2 Days Sun Moon Lake & Lukang Historic Area Tour: $232
  • 2 days Yeliou (or Pingxi sky lantern) & Sun Moon Lake tour (Taichung city end) : $200
  • 2-Hour Private Dadaocheng Walking Tour: $35
  • 2-Hour Private Walking Tour in Beitou, Taiwan: $55
  • 4 Days Private Tour Taipei, Jiufen, Sun Moon Lake & Taichung: $1,079
  • 4 Hour Afternoon Cycling City Tour North with Snack: $83
  • 4-Hour Morning Cycling City Tour (incl. breakfast): $83
  • 5 Hours Sightseeing and Bar Tour in Taipei: $72
  • 8-hour Northern Taiwan Tour with an English-Speaking Licensed Guide & Driver: $240
  • 9 Hour Tamsui Historic Site and Beitou Hot Spring Culture Tour: $57

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Sapa $7.76
    Taipei $19
Typical Alcohol Prices in Sapa

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Sapa are as follows:


  • Two Beers
    $0.95

Sample the Local Flavors in Taipei

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Taipei:

  • Taipei Nightlife: Taipei Pub Crawls (2 Different Routes): $27
  • Private Tour to Yilan Kavalan Whisky Distillery: $145


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

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


Which is Bigger, Sapa or Taipei?

Taipei has a larger population, and is about 60 times larger than the population of Sapa. When comparing the sizes of Sapa and Taipei, 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.