Which place is cheaper, Kao-hsiung or Taipei?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Taipei or Kao-hsiung?
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 Kao-hsiung. 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 Kao-hsiung?
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.
Kao-hsiung
Kaohsiung is the second-most populated city and also the largest port city in the country, located in the south of Taiwan. Compared to Taipei, the lifestyle in Kaohsiung is laid-back and noticeably slower, populated with friendly locals. However, with Taipei in the spotlight, Kaohsiung is often overlooked, though it offers so much in the way of art and culture, history, and delicious food.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in Taiwan, The Best Tours for Seniors to Taiwan, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Taiwan, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Taipei.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTaipei $182Kao-hsiung $102
The average daily cost (per person) in Taipei is $182, while the average daily cost in Kao-hsiung is $102. 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 Kao-hsiung in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTaipei $145Kao-hsiung $56
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTaipei $290Kao-hsiung $112
Compare Hotels in Taipei and Kao-hsiung
Looking for a hotel in Taipei or Kao-hsiung? 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 and Kao-hsiung Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Taipei $10Kao-hsiung $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Taipei
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Taipei:
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Easycard$2.01
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Easycard$9.29
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Taipei
Also for Taipei, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Taoyuan Airport (TPE) Return Bus Transfer: $8.61
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Taipei APT-HTL (TSA): $28
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Taipei HTL-APT (TSA): $28
- Private Transfer from Taipei city to Keelung (Taipei) Cruise Port: $38
- Taiwan Taoyuan Airport (TPE) to Taoyuan/Taipei hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $38
- Private Transfer：Taoyuan International Airport to Hotel: $40
- Bicycle transfer (Taipei - Hualien) 4 persons: $40
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in Taipei HTL- APT (TPE): $41
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in Taipei APT- HTL (TPE): $41
- Private Transfer from Taoyuan airport Taiwan to Taipei: $52
- [Chinese driver charter sedan] 1 to 4 people ☆ Taoyuan Airport ⇔ Taipei City Hotel Airport Transfer [one way]: $53
- Taipei Arrival Private Transfer: Taoyuan International Airport to Hotel: $55
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kao-hsiung
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kao-hsiung:
- Private Transfer from Kaohsiung Port to Kaohsiung Airport (KHH): $70
- Private Transfer from Kaohsiung Port to Kaohsiung Airport (KHH): $78
- Private Transfer from Kaohsiung Airport (KHH) to Kaohsiung Port : $70
- Private Transfer from Kaohsiung Airport (KHH) to Kaohsiung Port: $78
- Private Kaohsiung Airport to Taitung Resorts Arrival Transfer: $76
- Kaohsiung International Airport and Kaohsiung City Transfer: $41
- Kaohsiung Airport -> Kaohsiung Hotel Private Transfer (Large room for luggage) : $35
- Kaohsiung Airport (KHH) to Taitung Resorts - Round-Trip Transfer: $153
- Kaohsiung Airport (KHH) to Guanziling Resorts-Round-Trip Transfer: $98
- Kaohsiung Airport (KHH) to Guanziling Resorts - Arrival Transfer: $49
- Guanziling Resorts to Kaohsiung Airport KHH Departure Transfer: $49
- Explore Kaohsiung - 8 Hours Private Transfers - Best of Kaohsiung Sites: $179
Is it cheaper to fly into Taipei or Kao-hsiung?
Prices for flights to both Kao-hsiung 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 $16Kao-hsiung $32
Typical Food Prices in Taipei
For Taipei, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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EasyCard$15
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Lunch at The Can$6.81
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EasyCard$31
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Lunch$2.94
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Lunch$1.86
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Dinner$6.19
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Lunch$3.56
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Lunch$4.64
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Louisa coffee$2.94
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Taipei
For Taipei, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Historic Night Market Food Tour with Tastings: $45
- Ximending Vegan Food Tour Snack, Dessert & Main!: $46
- Local Favorites: Taiwan Night Market Food Tour in 2 hours: $49
- Taipei Food Tour: Yongkang Street for Foodies: $58
- Taipei Food Tour: $58
- Yansan Night Market Food Tour: $62
- Turnip cake, Pork thick soup, Tofu pudding. Taiwan Traditional Light Meals Experience-C (Taipei Cooking Class): $65
- Taipei Food Tour and Colorful Bubble Tea Making: $65
- Taipei Food Tour and Colorful Bubble Tea Making: $70
- Private Food Tour – 10 Tastings with Locals: $74
- 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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Taipei $17Kao-hsiung $20
Tours and Activities in Taipei
For Taipei, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Taipei Old Town - Taiwan Introduction Walking Tour: $1.00
- Old Town Walking Tour: $1.00
- Taipei's Origin & Longshan Temple - Taiwan Cultural Walking Tour: $1.00
- Taipei's Origin & Longshan Temple - Taiwan Cultural Tour: $1.00
- Chiang Kai-Shek Shilin Residence Ticket: $3.07
- Miramar Ferris Wheel Ticket: $6.15
- Scavenger Hunt and City Exploration Self-Guided Tour: $8.78
- Taipei Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $8.98
- Taipei Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- Taipei Makong Cable Car: Ticket & Combos: $10
- National Palace Museum E-Ticket: $11
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
Tours and Activities in Kao-hsiung
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Kao-hsiung are as follows:
- 1 day tour - Kaohsiung: $160
- Day Tour to Qigu Salt Mountain, Chikan Tower and Anping Castle : $87
- Food and Culture Walking Tour in Tainan: $78
- Half-day tour Kaohsiung: $103
- Kaohsiung /Pingtung Day Tour : $150
- Kaohsiung Like a Local: Customized Private Tour: $48
- Kaohsiung Suburbs Full-Day Tour: $150
- Kaohsiung Walking Day Tour: $130
- Kaohsiung: Experience the Riverside : $159
- Private Classic Kaohsiung Day Tour: $75
- Private Custom Kaohsiung Day Tour: $100
- Private Tour Alishan Culture and Ecology from Kaohsiung: $155
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTaipei $18Kao-hsiung $10
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): $30
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Taipei and Kao-hsiung, we can see that Taipei is more expensive. And not only is Kao-hsiung much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Kao-hsiung would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Kao-hsiung 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 Kao-hsiung.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Taipei Expensive? and Is Kao-hsiung Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Taipei or Kao-hsiung?
Taipei has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Kao-hsiung. When comparing the sizes of Taipei and Kao-hsiung, 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.