Should you visit Taiyuan or Macao?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Taiyuan and Macao. 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. So, let's dig into it.
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!
Macao
Located in China, Macau is a Special Administrative Region and one of the world's most densely populated regions. Until 1999 it remained an overseas territory of Portugal. It sits across from Hong Kong, along the Pearl River Estuary. Because it was so recently relinquished as a colony, it still has a significant amount of visible colonial history. The old city still looks very European, which you can see during a walking tour. Despite this architectural influence, the majority of the city's population is native Chinese.
Which city is cheaper, Macao or Taiyuan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Taiyuan is $81, while the average daily cost in Macao is $114. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Taiyuan and Macao in more detail.
Accommodation
For a normal double-occupancy room in Taiyuan, $76 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Taiyuan, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is $38, such as in a hostel.
A hotel room in Macao is about $182 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
Food
On average, meal and food prices in Taiyuan cost around $18 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $7.20.
While meal prices in Macao can vary, the average travelers spends about $17 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Macao should cost around $6.80 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Macao is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
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Food
Meals for one day
Taiyuan $18
Macao $17
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Taiyuan
For Taiyuan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Chengdu Private Food Tour (With Visit to Kuanzhai Alley and Hotpot Experience):
$32
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Chengdu Jinsha Site Museum and Sanxingdui Museum Private Day Tour with Hotpot Dinner:
$76
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Dim Sum Cooking Class and Wet Market Visit in Shanghai:
$78
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Beijing Hutong Evening Food Tour by Tuk Tuk:
$80
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Chengdu Panda Base Private Day Tour and Sichuan Cooking Class:
$83
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Beijing Food Culture & Cooking Class:
$137
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Macao
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Macao.
Local Transportation
To get around in Taiyuan, the average visitor spends $42 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
The average price of local transportation around Macao is $0.47 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Taiyuan
Also for Taiyuan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Airport Transfers (SHA/PVG) for Shanghai (Multiple Car Models):
$38
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Badaling Great Wall in Beijing Private Transfer:
$43
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Longji Rice Terraced Fields and Minority Villages Tour with Transfer from Guilin or Yangshuo:
$108
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Luxury Private Shanghai Pudong International Airport Transfers (PVG) for Downtown Shanghai:
$118
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Luxury private Baiyun International Airport Transfers (CAN) for Guangzhou :
$74
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Luxury private Bao'an International Airport Transfers (SZX) for Downtown Shenzhen:
$67
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Luxury private Beijing Capital International Airport Transfers (PEK) for Downtown Beijing:
$74
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Luxury private Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport Transfers (SHA) for Downtown Shanghai:
$59
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One Way Private Transfer between Shanghai City and Xitang Scenic Area:
$119
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One Way Private Transfer between Shanghai and Zhujiajiao Scenic Area :
$94
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One Way Private Transfers between Shanghai and Zhouzhuang Scenic Area:
$94
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Private 7-seater SHA/PVG Airport Transfers for Shanghai:
$34
Typical Local Transportation prices in Macao
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Macao:
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Local Bus (for Two)
$1.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Macao
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Macao:
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Private transfer: Macau Airport (MFM) to Macau:
$622
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2 Days Macau Sightseeing Tour with Macau Airport Private Transfer:
$362
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Macau Day Tour with 2-Way Ferry Transfer from Shenzhen:
$247
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Hong Kong Disneyland Tour with Round-Trip Ferry Transfer from Macau:
$201
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Macau Private Arrival Transfer: Airport to Hotel:
$120
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Private Macau Transfer: Port to Hotel:
$78
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Private Airport Transfer: Macau International Airport (MFM) to Macao:
$32
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Private Airport Transfer: from Macao to Macau International Airport (MFM):
$32
Is it cheaper to fly into Taiyuan or Macao?
Prices for flights to both Macao 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.
Entertainment
In Taiyuan, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $14 per person, per day.
Macao's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $8.96 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Tours and Activities in Taiyuan
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Taiyuan.
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Hupao Park Ticket in Hangzhou (For Mainland China ID Holders):
$2.35
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China Red Sandalwood Museum Ticket in Beijing :
$2.79
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Simatai Great Wall Admission with Cable Car Ticket in Beijing:
$3.09
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Giant Panda Breeding Research Base Ticket Chengdu - ID Card Direct Entry:
$4.19
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Evergreen Resort Ticket in Shenzhen:
$6.19
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Jinxi Ancient Town Attractions Combo Ticket:
$6.99
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Gulangyu Seashell Museum Ticket:
$7.45
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Wuyishan Xiamei Ancient Village Admission Ticket:
$8.55
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Ferry Round Trip Ticket between Xiamen City and Gulangyu Neicuoao Pier:
$8.55
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Ferry Round Trip Ticket between Xiamen City and Gulangyu Sanqiutian Pier:
$8.55
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Beijing Palace Museum Ticket (The Forbidden City):
$9.29
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Shanghai Joy City Rooftop Ferris Wheel - Sky Ring Ticket:
$9.29
Typical Entertainment prices in Macao
Here are a few typical costs in Macao for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
Tours and Activities in Macao
Here are a few actual costs in Macao for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Cultural and Heritage Tour of Cotai:
$76
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Macau Beer Tour (3 Bars + 10 Landmarks):
$52
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Macau Heritage & Gambling Tour History:
$47
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Macau Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$47
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Macau Sightseeing tour including Buffet Lunch on Macau Tower and pickup in Macau:
$116
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Private Tour: Discover Macau:
$264
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Savour Macau Half Day Tour by Award Winning Operator:
$40
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Sightseeing Coach Tour of Macau from Shenzhen with Ferry:
$176
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Taipa Biking Tour Ride:
$54
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Taiyuan, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $5.68.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Taiyuan and Macao, we can see that Macao is more expensive. And not only is Taiyuan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Taiyuan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Taiyuan 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 Macao would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Macao than you might in Taiyuan.
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