Which place is cheaper, Aoraki Mount Cook or Taipei?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Taipei or Aoraki Mount Cook?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Taipei and Aoraki Mount Cook. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Taipei or Aoraki Mount Cook?
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.
Aoraki Mount Cook
Aoraki Mount Cook National Park is located on the South Island of New Zealand. It was declared a national park in 1953 to protect and preserve the landscape. The park is home to the country's highest peak, Aoraki/Mount Cook. In Maori, Aoraki means, "cloud piercer", and the English name, Mt Cook, refers to the navigator James Cook, who discovered New Zealand in the 18th century. Mt Cook was the training location for Sir Edmund Hillary, who was the first person to summit Everest in 1953. Other peaks in the park include Mount Tasman, Mount Sefton, and Mount Hicks. Not only can you find lush greenery all over the park, but also, glaciers cover 40% of the parks area.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in Taiwan, The Best Tours for Seniors to Taiwan, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in New Zealand, and The Best Luxury Tours to New Zealand.
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Taipei Prices
Taiwan PricesAoraki Mount Cook Prices
New Zealand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTaipei $206Aoraki Mount Cook $124
The average daily cost (per person) in Taipei is $206, while the average daily cost in Aoraki Mount Cook is $124. 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 Taipei and Aoraki Mount Cook in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTaipei $155Aoraki Mount Cook $59
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTaipei $310Aoraki Mount Cook $118
Compare Hotels in Taipei and Aoraki Mount Cook
Looking for a hotel in Taipei or Aoraki Mount Cook? 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.
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: Taipei Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Taipei $11Aoraki Mount Cook $27
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Taipei
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Taipei:
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Easycard$2.15
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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 Taipei or Aoraki Mount Cook?
Prices for flights to both Aoraki Mount Cook and Taipei 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
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Food Meals for one dayTaipei $29Aoraki Mount Cook $46
Typical Food Prices in Taipei
For Taipei, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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EasyCard$17
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Lunch at The Can$7.28
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EasyCard$33
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Lunch$3.14
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Lunch$1.98
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Dinner$6.62
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Lunch$3.80
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Lunch$4.96
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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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Taipei $18Aoraki Mount Cook $23
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
Tours and Activities in Aoraki Mount Cook
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Aoraki Mount Cook.
- 45-Minute Mount Cook Ski Plane and Helicopter Combo Tour: $296
- Day Tours from Mount Cook: $119
- Gibbston Valley Wines - Cave Tour : $17
- Guided Tour with Cheese & Wine Pairing: $21
- Half-Day Self-Guided Ride and Wine Bike Tour from Arrowtown: $59
- Moeraki Boulders Self Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Mt Cook & Tasman Glacier lookout Small Group Tour from Queenstown: $149
- Mt Cook Small Group Scenic Day Tour from Queenstown: $149
- Mt Cook Tour: Finish at Christchurch, Queenstown or Dunedin: $1,042
- Mt Cook Tour: Finish at Queenstown, Christchurch or Dunedin: $1,040
- Mt Cook to Christchurch One-Way Small Group Tour via Lake Tekapo: $107
- Mt Cook to Lake Tekapo Small Group Tour (one-way): $98
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTaipei $19Aoraki Mount Cook $20
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
Sample the Local Flavors in Aoraki Mount Cook
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Aoraki Mount Cook:
- Kinross Winery: Classic Central Otago Wine Tasting Experience: $15
- Gibbston Valley Wine Tour - Self-Guided Audio Tour: $24
- Kinross Winery: Premium Central Otago Wine Tasting Experience: $45
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Taipei and Aoraki Mount Cook, we can see that Taipei is more expensive. And not only is Aoraki Mount Cook much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Taipei is in Asia and Aoraki Mount Cook is in Pacific, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Aoraki Mount Cook would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Aoraki Mount Cook 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 Aoraki Mount Cook.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Taipei Expensive? and Is Aoraki Mount Cook Expensive?.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.