Should you visit Shanxi or Fujian?
Should I visit Shanxi or Fujian? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Shanxi
Sometimes your vacation can be your link to ancient history. Any visit to the Shanxi Province of China lets you wander through this region's long and cultured history. This area was once the cradle of Chinese civilization – which becomes obvious by simply taking a look around the old temples, traditional Qing-dynasty architecture and the caves of Lijia-Shan. They are still inhabited to this day!
Fujian
The Fujian Province, China is a southeastern province on the South China Sea coast. The province has a wealth of history and natural beauty, ranging from stunning mountain ranges to ancient temples, and even has roots in the Silk Road. Many of the coastal towns tend to be very culturally diverse due to its popularity as a maritime trade route, although Mandarin is more widely spoken than any other language. You'll find some English spoken, or written, in the larger cities, but expect various dialects of Mandarin when traveling to rural areas.
Which city is cheaper, Fujian or Shanxi?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Shanxi is $58, while the average daily cost in Fujian is $72. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Shanxi and Fujian in more detail.
Accommodation
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $27. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Shanxi the cost is $54 on average.
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $64 in Fujian For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
On average, meal and food prices in Shanxi cost around $18 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $7.20.
The price of a meal in Fujian can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $20 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $8.00 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
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Food
Meals for one day
Shanxi $18
Fujian $20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Shanxi
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Shanxi.
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Chengdu Private Food Tour (With Visit to Kuanzhai Alley and Hotpot Experience):
$32
-
Chengdu Jinsha Site Museum and Sanxingdui Museum Private Day Tour with Hotpot Dinner:
$76
-
Dim Sum Cooking Class and Wet Market Visit in Shanghai:
$78
-
Beijing Hutong Evening Food Tour by Tuk Tuk:
$80
-
Chengdu Panda Base Private Day Tour and Sichuan Cooking Class:
$83
-
Beijing Food Culture & Cooking Class:
$137
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Fujian
For Fujian, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Chengdu Private Food Tour (With Visit to Kuanzhai Alley and Hotpot Experience):
$32
-
Chengdu Jinsha Site Museum and Sanxingdui Museum Private Day Tour with Hotpot Dinner:
$76
-
Dim Sum Cooking Class and Wet Market Visit in Shanghai:
$78
-
Beijing Hutong Evening Food Tour by Tuk Tuk:
$80
-
Chengdu Panda Base Private Day Tour and Sichuan Cooking Class:
$83
-
Beijing Food Culture & Cooking Class:
$137
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Shanxi is $17 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Fujian than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $6.94 on transportation in Fujian on average per day.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Shanxi
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Shanxi:
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[Up to 20% Off] Private City Transfers for Mutianyu Great Wall in Beijing :
$23
-
[Up to 15% Off for Round Trip Transfers] Private Beijing Capital Airport Transfers (PEK) for Beijing :
$37
-
Yangshuo and Li River Highlights Day Tour with Transfers:
$111
-
Shared Shenzhen Airport (SZX) Coach Transfers for Hong Kong (Trans-Island):
$12
-
Shared Hong Kong International Airport Transfers (HKG) for Shenzhen:
$15
-
Shared Coach Transfers between Shunde and Hong Kong:
$14
-
Shared Coach Transfers between Shenzhen Bay Port and Hong Kong (Trans-island):
$6.45
-
Shared Coach Transfers between Panyu and Hong Kong by Eternal East Bus:
$11
-
Shared Coach Transfers between Hong Kong and Huadu by Eternal East Bus:
$13
-
Shared Coach Transfers between Foshan and Hong Kong by Eternal East Bus:
$13
-
Shared Coach Transfers between Foshan and Hong Kong:
$14
-
Shared Coach Transfers Between Hong Kong and Zhaoqing by EE Bus:
$12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Fujian
Also for Fujian, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Shared Coach Transfers between Shenzhen Bay Port and Hong Kong (Trans-island):
$6.45
-
Shared Coach Transfers between Panyu and Hong Kong by Eternal East Bus:
$11
-
Shared Shenzhen Airport (SZX) Coach Transfers for Hong Kong (Trans-Island):
$12
-
Shared Coach Transfers Between Hong Kong and Zhaoqing by EE Bus:
$12
-
Shared Coach Transfers between Foshan and Hong Kong by Eternal East Bus:
$13
-
Shared Coach Transfers between Hong Kong and Huadu by Eternal East Bus:
$13
-
Shared Coach Transfers between Shunde and Hong Kong:
$14
-
Shared Coach Transfers Between Guangzhou and Hong Kong:
$14
-
Shared Coach Transfers between Foshan and Hong Kong:
$14
-
Shared Coach Transfers Between Heyuan and Hong Kong by EE Bus:
$15
-
Shared Hong Kong International Airport Transfers (HKG) for Shenzhen:
$15
-
Private Harbin Railway Station Transfer for Harbin:
$20
Is it cheaper to fly into Shanxi or Fujian?
Prices for flights to both Fujian and Shanxi 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.
Entertainment
Shanxi's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $18 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Sightseeing expenses in Fujian, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $11 per day, per person.
Tours and Activities in Shanxi
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Shanxi are as follows:
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Lionsgate Entertainment World Ticket in Henqin Zhuhai :
$31
-
2 Days Shanghai Private Tour:
$178
-
2D1N Mount Emei Monastery Cultural Tour:
$51
-
2D1N Mount Emei Tour from Chengdu:
$199
-
2D1N Mount Emei and the Leshan Giant Buddha Tour from Chengdu:
$216
-
3 Day Essential Hangzhou Private Tour:
$297
-
3 Day Guilin Highlights & Rice Terraces Private Tour:
$222
-
4 Day Guilin and Yangshuo Private Tour:
$348
-
Anchang Ancient Town and Yangshan Stone Quarry Day Private Tour from Hangzhou:
$61
-
Baofeng Lake Admission Ticket in Zhangjiajie (with Boat Ride) :
$16
-
Barca Experience Ticket in Haikou:
$20
-
Beijing Alleys, Beihai Park, and Prince Gong's Mansion Private Day Tour:
$76
Tours and Activities in Fujian
For Fujian, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
-
Hupao Park Ticket in Hangzhou (For Mainland China ID Holders):
$2.35
-
China Red Sandalwood Museum Ticket in Beijing :
$2.79
-
Simatai Great Wall Admission with Cable Car Ticket in Beijing:
$3.09
-
Giant Panda Breeding Research Base Ticket Chengdu - ID Card Direct Entry:
$4.19
-
Evergreen Resort Ticket in Shenzhen:
$6.19
-
Jinxi Ancient Town Attractions Combo Ticket:
$6.99
-
Gulangyu Seashell Museum Ticket:
$7.45
-
Ferry Round Trip Ticket between Xiamen City and Gulangyu Sanqiutian Pier:
$8.55
-
Wuyishan Xiamei Ancient Village Admission Ticket:
$8.55
-
Ferry Round Trip Ticket between Xiamen City and Gulangyu Neicuoao Pier:
$8.55
-
Shanghai Joy City Rooftop Ferris Wheel - Sky Ring Ticket:
$9.29
-
Beijing Palace Museum Ticket (The Forbidden City):
$9.29
Alcohol
The average person spends about $10 on alcoholic beverages in Shanxi per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typically, people visiting Fujian spend on average $11 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Shanxi and Fujian, we can see that Fujian is more expensive. And not only is Shanxi much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Shanxi would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Shanxi 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 Fujian would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Fujian than you might in Shanxi.
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