Should you visit Shanxi or Liaoning?
Should I visit Shanxi or Liaoning? 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!
Liaoning
The Liaoning Province, China is a fairly large province in the northeast, bordering North Korea. The area is famous for their rich history, industrial hubs, and stunning natural beauty. Liaoning's proximity to North Korea and Mongolia, combined with its history of Russian and Japanese controllers has provided this province with a unique blend of cultures.
Which city is cheaper, Liaoning 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 Liaoning is $81. 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 Liaoning in more detail.
Accommodation
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $26. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Shanxi the cost is $52 on average.
Travelers usually pay around $86 for a double occupancy room in Liaoning If you want to be in a premiere location or have high end 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.
Food in Liaoning costs travelers about $23 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
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Food
Meals for one day
Shanxi $18
Liaoning $23
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
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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
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Chengdu Panda Base Private Day Tour and Sichuan Cooking Class:
$83
-
Beijing Food Culture & Cooking Class:
$137
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Liaoning
For Liaoning, 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.
To get around in Liaoning, the average visitor spends $28 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Shanxi
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Shanxi:
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Private City Transfers between Zhongshan and Hong Kong:
$313
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Private City Transfers between Foshan and Hong Kong:
$296
-
Private City Transfers between Guangzhou and Hong Kong:
$283
-
Private City Transfers between Huizhou and Hong Kong :
$230
-
Private MPV City Transfer between Guangdong & Hong Kong:
$187
-
Private Transfers Between Xiamen City and Gaobei Tulou Cluster & Chuxi Tulou Cluster:
$186
-
Private Changsha Huanghua International Airport Transfers (CSX) for Downtown Zhangjiajie or Wulingyuan District:
$186
-
Private Transfers between Dongguan and Hong Kong :
$159
-
Private City Transfers Between Xiamen and Zhangzhou Volcanic Island Resort:
$147
-
Private Transfer Between Xiamen City and Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster & Yun Shui Yao Ancient Town:
$147
-
Private Transfers Between Xiamen City and Yongding Tulou:
$147
-
Private City Transfers between Shenzhen and Hong Kong Island, Kowloon & New Territories:
$134
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Liaoning
Also for Liaoning, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Shared Coach Transfers between Shenzhen Bay Port and Hong Kong (Trans-island):
$6.45
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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 Liaoning?
Prices for flights to both Liaoning 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.
In Liaoning, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $6.02 per person, per day.
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 Liaoning
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Liaoning.
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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
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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
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Ferry Round Trip Ticket between Xiamen City and Gulangyu Neicuoao Pier:
$8.55
-
Shanghai Joy City Rooftop Ferris Wheel - Sky Ring Ticket:
$9.29
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Beijing Palace Museum Ticket (The Forbidden City):
$9.29
Alcohol
The average person spends about $9.96 on alcoholic beverages in Shanxi per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Liaoning, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $6.00.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Shanxi and Liaoning, we can see that Liaoning 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 Liaoning would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Liaoning than you might in Shanxi.
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