Which place is cheaper, Guilin or Taiyuan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Taiyuan or Guilin?
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 Taiyuan and Guilin. 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: Taiyuan or Guilin?
Taiyuan
With sleek architectural designs and blossoming businesses, this metropolis is simply brimming with invigorating excitement and once-in-a-lifetime entertainment. Despite its glimmering skyscrapers and gorgeous fountains, Taiyuan, China has an extensive history of nearly 2,500 years. During ancient China, Taiyuan, or the "Dragon City," was a major military town. Presently, this city is now one of China's most important industrial cities, producing more than half of the national coal mining output. Taiyuan is both the capital and largest city of the Shanxi province of North China. It is bounded by mountains on three of its sides, allowing this great city to be surrounded by fantastic views of its landscape. Besides its economic significance, Taiyuan also achieves tourist significance due to its plethora of landmarks and sights. Some of these attractions include Jinci Temple, Forest Park, Mengshan Giant Buddha, and Shanxi Museum. Taiyuan is also celebrated internationally for holding their annual Shanxi Taiyuan International Folk Arts Festival, a celebration held in September that hosts exhibition of fine arts, painting, paper-cutting, sculpture, drama, acrobatic and the culture of costume. With such a great deal to do in such a limited window of time, it is best to make the most Taiyuan while you visit!
Guilin
Guilin is a city in Southern China situated on the west bank of the Li River with Hunan to the north. Its name means, "Forest of Sweet Osmanthus," owing to the large number of fragrant Sweet Osmanthus trees located in the city. Products like tea, sugar, and wine, can be made from the tree and are found in many shops throughout Guilin. A popular tourist destination, the city is renowned for its scenery of karst topography with unique mountains jutting out of the urban landscape.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to China, The Best Tours for Seniors to China, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Beijing, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Lhasa.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTaiyuan $90Guilin $67
The average daily cost (per person) in Taiyuan is $90, while the average daily cost in Guilin is $67. 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 Taiyuan and Guilin in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTaiyuan $42Guilin $34
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTaiyuan $84Guilin $68
Compare Hotels in Taiyuan and Guilin
Looking for a hotel in Taiyuan or Guilin? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Taiyuan $47Guilin $5.77
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Guilin
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Guilin are as follows:
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Taxi$2.76
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guilin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Guilin:
- Private Transfer from Guilin to Fenghuang and stops at Longji rice terraces area: $267
- Private Transfer: Guilin to/from Zhangjiajie/Fenghuang: $256
- Private Transfer from Yangshuo/Guilin to Sanjiang and stops Longji Rice Terraces: $160
- Private Airport Transfer: Guilin Airport to Hotel in Yangshuo: $115
- Guilin Private Transfer in English-speaking Services: Airport to Hotel Roundtrip: $99
- 2-hours Yangshuo Yulong Bamboo Boat Tour with the Round-way Private Transfers: $83
- Haikou Meilan Airport Chauffeur Service, Haikou Airport Transfer, Pick up: $75
- Guangzhou Baiyun Airport Chauffeur Service , to Dongguan Transfer: $71
- Private Transfer from Guilin hotel to Xingping hotel: $64
- Guilin Transfer Services: Airport,train station & hotel: $57
- Four Lakes Night Cruise with Round-trip Transfer: $57
- Guilin liangjiang Airport Chauffeur Service,Guilin Airport Transfer: $57
Is it cheaper to fly into Taiyuan or Guilin?
Prices for flights to both Guilin and Taiyuan 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 dayTaiyuan $20Guilin $22
Typical Food Prices in Guilin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Guilin:
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Fresh Coconut Drink$1.38
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guilin
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Guilin.
- Half day Yangshuo Cooking lesson Small Group Tour: $62
- Full-Day Li-River with the 4 Star Luxury Boat VIP Room and Yangshuo Cooking Tour: $286
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Taiyuan $15Guilin $28
Typical Entertainment Prices in Guilin
Here are a few typical costs in Guilin for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Entrance to the Caves$17
Tours and Activities in Guilin
Here are a few actual costs in Guilin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2-Day Self-Guided Guilin Tour with 4 Star Boat, Yangshuo and Longji Terraces : $200
- Full-Day Guilin Li-River Cruise with 4 star boat and Reed Flute Cave Tour: $262
- Full-Day Yangshuo Sunrise and Li-River cruise with the 4 Star Boat Private Tour: $272
- Longji Rice Terraces Day Tour with the Ping'an and Dazhai Village: $209
- 1 Day Guilin to Yangshuo with top scenery & culture private tour : $79
- 1 Day Private Tour: Li River Cruise from Guilin & Yangshuo Biking: $169
- 1 Day Relaxing Li River Cruise With The 4 Star Luxury Boat lower Deck Seating: $225
- 1 Day Yangshuo Countryside Cycling and Yulong bamboo boat Private Tour: $94
- 1 Day Yangshuo Countryside Hiking along the Yulong river Private Tour: $103
- 1 Day Yangshuo private Day Tour with the Scooter: $105
- 1 day Guilin Li River Cruise and Yangshuo Countryside with Scooter Private Tour: $204
- 1 day Li River cruise & Yangshuo countryside private day tour : $120
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTaiyuan $6.32Guilin $5.73
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Taiyuan and Guilin, we can see that Taiyuan is more expensive. And not only is Guilin much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Guilin would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Guilin 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 Taiyuan would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Taiyuan than you might in Guilin.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Taiyuan Expensive? and Is Guilin Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Taiyuan or Guilin?
Taiyuan has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Guilin. When comparing the sizes of Taiyuan and Guilin, 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.