A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Taipei vs. Kanazawa for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Taipei or Kanazawa?

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 Kanazawa. 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 Kanazawa?

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.

Kanazawa

An important city of the Edo-period, Kanazawa is a well preserved city from a time when samurai, merchants, geisha, and lords made up the core of its culture. Though it is often overlooked by foreigners, the city is a gem of Japanese tourism with a number of preserved historic districts, temples, regional handicrafts, art museums, and some of the best food to be had in Japan.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in Taiwan, The Best Tours for Seniors to Taiwan, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Japan, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Japan.


Which place is cheaper, Kanazawa or Taipei?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Taipei is $206, while the average daily cost in Kanazawa is $131. 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 Kanazawa in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Taipei $155
    Kanazawa $66
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Taipei $310
    Kanazawa $132
Compare Hotels in Taipei and Kanazawa

Looking for a hotel in Taipei or Kanazawa? 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 Taipei


Hotels in Kanazawa


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 and Kanazawa Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Taipei $11
    Kanazawa $9.66
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Taipei

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Taipei:


  • Easycard
    $2.15
  • 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 Kanazawa?

Prices for flights to both Kanazawa 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Taipei $29
    Kanazawa $58
Typical Food Prices in Taipei

For Taipei, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • EasyCard
    $17
  • Lunch at The Can
    $7.28
  • EasyCard
    $33
  • Lunch
    $3.14
  • Lunch
    $1.98
  • Dinner
    $6.62
  • Lunch
    $3.80
  • Lunch
    $4.96
  • 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

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kanazawa

For Kanazawa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Authentic Japanese Cooking and Sushi-Making Lesson: $101
  • traditional Japanese & sushi cooking classes: $103
  • Fishing Experience with Gyotaku and Cooking: $423
  • Geisha Performance with Dinner and Drinks: $1,217

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Taipei $18
    Kanazawa $10

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 Kanazawa

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Kanazawa.

  • 1 Day Tour from Kanazawa Tedori Gorge White Road and Shirakawa Go: $212
  • 1-Day Shirakawago & Takayama Tour (Round Trip from Kanazawa): $219
  • Amaharashi Coast & Shokawa Cruise from Kanazawa: $211
  • Colors of City Tour with Kenrokuen and Kaga Yuzen: $68
  • Day Tour from Kanazawa OR Toyama: Snow Wall and Mysterious Valley: $265
  • Discover Kanazawa with a Local: Private & Custom Tour: $90
  • Exclusive Kannon in Temple Tour in Kanazawa: $138
  • Explore Kanazawa Half Day Private Tour with Local Guide : $103
  • Explore Kanazawa with Sushi Making Experience: $207
  • From Kanazawa/Toyama: Snow Wall & Mysterious Valley Day Tour: $243
  • From Kurobe Gorge & Unazuki Onsen Full-Day Tour: $239
  • From Tateyama Mountain Tour with Waterfall & Hike: $270

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Taipei $19
    Kanazawa $13

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 Kanazawa

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Kanazawa:

  • Kanazawa Historic Brewery: Fermentation Tour, Tasting, Lunch: $81


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Taipei and Kanazawa, we can see that Taipei is more expensive. And not only is Kanazawa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Kanazawa would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Kanazawa 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 Kanazawa.

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


Which is Bigger, Taipei or Kanazawa?

Taipei has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Kanazawa. When comparing the sizes of Taipei and Kanazawa, 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.