Which place is cheaper, Guangzhou 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 Guangzhou?
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 Guangzhou. 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 Guangzhou?
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.
Guangzhou
With a population of more than 12 million, Guangzhou is the third largest city in China after Beijing and Shanghai. Though it has a long history, founded in 214 BC, the city has also many modern attractions, a mix of the old and new with temples and parks as well as skyscrapers and shopping centers. Its location on the Pearl River has contributed to this growth, making Guangzhou a major port and commercial hub.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in Taiwan, The Best Tours for Seniors to Taiwan, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in China, and The Best 2-Week Tours in China.
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Taipei Prices
Taiwan PricesGuangzhou Prices
China Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTaipei $197Guangzhou $110
The average daily cost (per person) in Taipei is $197, while the average daily cost in Guangzhou is $110. 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 Guangzhou in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTaipei $148Guangzhou $61
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTaipei $296Guangzhou $122
Compare Hotels in Taipei and Guangzhou
Looking for a hotel in Taipei or Guangzhou? 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 $10Guangzhou $15
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Taipei
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Taipei:
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Easycard$2.05
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Easycard$9.46
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Train$1.10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Taipei
Also for Taipei, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Beito to Taipei Taoyuan Airport (TPE)-Departure Transfer: $187
- Jiufen: one-way private transfer to or from Taipei City: $42
- Keelung(Taipei) Cruise Port to Taipei-Round-Trip Private Transfer: $203
- Keelung: one-way private transfer to or from Taipei City: $42
- Luxury Chartered Private Transfer Taoyuan Airport to Taipei City: $140
- One-way Private Transfer between Jiufen and Taipei: $47
- Private Airport Transfer: Taipei Hotel → Taipei Aiport (TPE): $46
- Private Airport Transfer: Taipei Hotel → Taipei Aiport (TSA): $32
- Private Transfer from Keelung (Taipei) Cruise Port to Taipei City: $75
- Private Transfer from TPE-Taoyuan int. Airport to Taipei City: $60
- Private Transfer from Taipei Taoyuan Airport to Taichung Port: $143
- Private Transfer from Taipei city hotels to Hualien Cruise Port: $273
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guangzhou
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Guangzhou:
- [Airport transfer] Guangzhou Airport - Guangzhou city transfer service with a good reputation! <Private charter: $27
- Private transfer from Guangzhou Baiyun Airport to hotel: $33
- Private Transfer in Guangzhou with Fluent English Speaking Driver: $90
- Private Transfer from Guangzhou hotels to Shekou Cruise Port: $189
- Private Transfer from Guangzhou city hotels to Shekou Cruise Port: $171
- Private Transfer from Guangzhou Int Airport (CAN) to Shekou Port: $189
- Private Transfer from Guangzhou Baiyun Airport to Guangzhou Hotel: $90
- Private Transfer from Guangzhou Baiyun Airport to Guangzhou Hotel: $45
- Private Transfer between Guangzhou Chimelong Safari Park and City Center: $38
- Private Transfer between Guangzhou Baiyun Mountain and City Area: $44
- Private Round-Trip Airport Transfers in English-speaking Services: $197
- Private Baiyun Airport Arrival Transfer to Guangzhou South Railway Station: $53
Is it cheaper to fly into Taipei or Guangzhou?
Prices for flights to both Guangzhou 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 $28Guangzhou $36
Typical Food Prices in Taipei
For Taipei, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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EasyCard$16
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Lunch at The Can$6.94
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EasyCard$32
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Lunch$3.00
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Lunch$1.89
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Dinner$6.31
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Lunch$3.63
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Lunch$4.73
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Louisa coffee$3.00
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Lunch$5.99
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Lunch$3.63
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Taipei
For Taipei, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Food Tours w/ Top 10 Taiwan Food (Breakfast/Dinner): $45
- Taipei Food Tour: Night Market & Convenience Store(Food Included): $45
- Street Food & Hidden Eats Night Market Food Tour: $55
- Taipei Hidden Eats, Market & Street Food Tour with 8+ Tastings: $55
- Taipei Food Tours Local Market with 12+ tasters & Drinks Included: $57
- Xiao long bao, Pork thick soup, Bubble milk tea. (Taiwan Cooking Class)-B: $65
- Turnip cake, Pork thick soup, Tofu pudding. Taiwan Traditional Light Meals Experience-C (Taipei Cooking Class): $65
- Backstreet Food Tour: Food, Culture, and Fun: $75
- Private Walking Food Tour in Ningxia Night Market(10 Foods Incl.): $76
- 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
- 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
- Xiao Long Bao & Boba Tea Cooking Class in Taipei: $79
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guangzhou
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Guangzhou.
- Old Town Guided Food Tour with Tastings: $79
- Half Day Cantonese Cooking Class for Chinese Culinary Experience: $80
- Guangzhou Night Walking and Food Tour: Led by Local Cantonese: $82
- Food Tour - Eat Like Local + Rice Roll Workshop: $96
- Tanxiu Banquet Immersive Drama and Dinner Experience in Foshan: $98
- Private Guangzhou Night Tour Pearl River Cruise & Dim-Sum Dinner: $110
- Private Guangzhou Evening Food Tour with Pearl River Night Cruise: $140
- Private Guangzhou Night Tour VIP Cruise and Dim-Sum Dinner Option: $146
- 3-Hour Guangzhou Private Cooking Class with Local Market Visit: $165
- Private Guangzhou Night Tour with Canton Tower and Dim-Sum Dinner: $176
- Private Guangzhou Food Tour Michelin Restaurant&Local Food Market: $180
- Private Guangzhou Food Tour Yumcha and Local Food Market Explore: $180
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Taipei $18Guangzhou $19
Tours and Activities in Taipei
For Taipei, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Taipei's Origin & Longshan Temple - Taiwan Cultural Tour: $0.50
- Old Town Walking Tour: $0.55
- Vintage Taipei - Best of Taiwan and Sunset Walking Tour: $1.20
- Chiang Kai-Shek Shilin Residence Ticket: $3.28
- Zoo Entrance Ticket: $4.33
- Taipei's Origin & Longshan Temple - Taiwan Cultural Walking Tour: $5.00
- Taipei Historic Shared Walking Tour (Tip-based): $5.00
- Vintage Taipei - Best of Taiwan & Sunset Walking Tour (Tip-based): $5.00
- Taipei Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $5.10
- Self Guided Walking Tour of Tamsui with Audio Guide: $5.83
- Miramar Ferris Wheel Ticket: $6.57
- Taiwan Museum, MOCA Taipei & Miniatures Museum Entry Tickets: $8.53
Tours and Activities in Guangzhou
Here are a few actual costs in Guangzhou for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1 Day Relaxing Exploring Tour in Guangzhou: $156
- 3-Hour Private Tour to Museum of Nanyue King Tomb in Guangzhou: $91
- 4-Hour Private Flexible Guangzhou City Tour with Dim-Sum Option: $100
- 5-Hour Private Guangzhou Yumcha Tasting with Local Food Market Experience: $118
- 6-Day Guangzhou to Guilin Scenic Tour: $1,598
- Ancient Foshan Day Tour from Guangzhou: $201
- Ancient Water Village Folk Houses and Wine Museum Private Tour: $220
- Baiyun Mountain Canton Tower Iconic City Landmarks Private Tour: $180
- Bruce Lee Hometown Martial Art Culture Lion Dance Private Tour: $220
- Canton Tower and Pearl River Cruise Guangzhou Private Night Tour: $140
- Customised Private Guangzhou City Tour with Flexible Itinerary: $180
- Customized Guangzhou City Tour with Local Insights: $250
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTaipei $18Guangzhou $15
Sample the Local Flavors in Taipei
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Taipei:
- Taipei Authentic Night Sober-Friendly Pub Crawl: $20
- Taipei Nightlife: Taipei Pub Crawls (2 Different Routes): $27
- Yilan Kavalan Whisky Distillery,Jim&Dad's Brewing, Shenkeng Tour: $95
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Taipei and Guangzhou, we can see that Taipei is more expensive. And not only is Guangzhou much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Guangzhou would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Guangzhou 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 Guangzhou.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Taipei Expensive? and Is Guangzhou Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Taipei or Guangzhou?
Taipei has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Guangzhou. When comparing the sizes of Taipei and Guangzhou, 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.
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.