A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Sukhothai vs. Zhangye for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Sukhothai or Zhangye?

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 Sukhothai and Zhangye can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Sukhothai or Zhangye?

Sukhothai

If you are the kind of wandering traveler looking to find calm and inner peace, you will want to add Sukhothai to your list. Also known as "the dawn of happiness," this area is best known for the ruins of the ancient city of Sukhothai – the capital of Thailand during the 13th century. As the first capital of Siam, the area's temples and monuments are restored and ready for visitors from around the world.

Zhangye

Zhangye, China is a city in the Gansu Province in the central north part of the country, close to Mongolia. This ancient city has often been used as a military strong hold, having been the headquarters of General Huo among many others. Zhangye is a fabulous day trip city to visit when staying in larger nearby cities.

Zhangye is privy to beautiful summer weather, with lots of sunshine and temperatures in the high 70's Fahrenheit. The best times to visit are between July and September, when temperatures and sunshine are at their highest. Autumn, Winter, and Spring tend to be a little chillier and rainier.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Thailand, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Thailand, The Best Historical Tours in China, and The Best 10-Day Tours in China.


Which place is cheaper, Zhangye or Sukhothai?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Sukhothai is $59, while the average daily cost in Zhangye is $85. 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 Sukhothai and Zhangye in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Sukhothai $23
    Zhangye $38
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Sukhothai $46
    Zhangye $76
Compare Hotels in Sukhothai and Zhangye

Looking for a hotel in Sukhothai or Zhangye? 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 Sukhothai


Hotels in Zhangye


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: Sukhothai Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Sukhothai $17
    Zhangye $38

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sukhothai

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

  • Sukhothai airport: Transfer to Sukhothai Historical Park: $78
  • Sukhothai : private car transfer to/from Chiang Mai: $138
  • Sukhothai Hotel Transfer: to/from Chiang Mai Hotel Transfer: $159
  • One -Way Private Transfer to Chiang Mai: $187
  • Private Transfer to Bangkok City: $268
  • Private Transfer to Bangkok City: $322

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zhangye

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zhangye:

  • Private Airport Transfer: Zhangye Hotel to Zhangye Airport (YZY): $59
  • Private Airport Transfer: Zhangye Airport (YZY) to Zhangye Hotel: $59

Is it cheaper to fly into Sukhothai or Zhangye?

Prices for flights to both Zhangye and Sukhothai 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
    Sukhothai $19
    Zhangye $25

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Sukhothai $33
    Zhangye $10

Tours and Activities in Sukhothai

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

  • 2.5-Hours Guided Countryside Sunset Bike Tour: $18
  • Half-Day Countryside Bike Tour: $26
  • Cycling Sukhothai Full Day Countryside Tour: $32
  • Historical Park & Countryside Cycling Tour: $42
  • Full-Day Historical Park Cycling Tour with Lunch: $42

Tours and Activities in Zhangye

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

  • Private day tour to Zhangye Danxia Landform the Rainbow Mountain: $150
  • Private Day Tour: Horse Hoof Temple Grottoes and Zhangye Danxia Landform: $299
  • Private Hiking Tour: Binggou Danxia and Zhangye Danxia Geopark from Zhangye: $299
  • Private Hiking Tour: Pingshanhu Grand Canyon and the Horse Hoof Temple Grottoes: $235
  • Private day tour to Zhangye Mati temple & Giant Buddha Temple start from Zhangye: $155
  • Zhangye Danxia Half Day tour: $195
  • Zhangye One Day City Tour: $77
  • Zhangye Rainbow Danxia Private Day Tour: $214

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Sukhothai $12
    Zhangye $6.90


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

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


Which is Bigger, Sukhothai or Zhangye?

Zhangye has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Sukhothai. When comparing the sizes of Sukhothai and Zhangye, 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.

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