Which place is cheaper, Melbourne or Taiyuan?
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 Taiyuan or Melbourne?
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 Melbourne. 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 Melbourne?
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!
Melbourne
Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia, after Sydney. It is also the capital city of the state of Victoria, in southeastern Australia. Melbourne is arguably the best city to experience culture and the arts in Australia. There is a friendly rivalry between Melbourne and Sydney over livability and popularity and Melbourne is definitely the city to visit for its parks, shopping, restaurants, galleries and theaters. Like Sydney, it is situated on the water, at the head of Port Phillip Bay. It's a beautiful city, and although it lacks the major sights that you'll find in Sydney such as the Sydney Opera House or the Harbour Bridge, you will never find yourself lacking for entertainment. It is also a wonderful base for exploring many of the nearby highlights, including Grampians National Park, The Great Ocean Road, and Phillip Island where you can view the penguin parade.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to China, The Best Tours for Seniors to China, The Best Scuba Diving Tours in Australia, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Australia.
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Taiyuan Prices
China PricesMelbourne Prices
Australia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTaiyuan $106Melbourne $195
The average daily cost (per person) in Taiyuan is $106, while the average daily cost in Melbourne is $195. 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 Melbourne in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTaiyuan $43Melbourne $119
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTaiyuan $86Melbourne $238
Compare Hotels in Taiyuan and Melbourne
Looking for a hotel in Taiyuan or Melbourne? 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: Melbourne Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Taiyuan $48Melbourne $20
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Melbourne
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Melbourne:
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Airport Bus$10
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Tram Ride$2.49
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Melbourne
Also for Melbourne, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Yarra Valley: Hot Air Balloon with Breakfast & CBD Transfers: $377
- Mornington Peninsula - Melbourne Airport Transfers: $201
- MEL Airport Transfer to Melbourne CBD Private Van Hire: $201
- Melbourne Private Transfer to Melbourne Airport MEL in Luxury Car: $196
- Melbourne Airport MEL Private Transfer to Melbourne in Luxury Car: $196
- Melbourne CBD Transfer to MEL Airport Private Van Hire: $195
- Ballarat - Melbourne Airport Transfers: $178
- Airport Private Van Transfer to City: $172
- Melbourne Airport MEL Private Transfer to Melbourne by Luxury Van: $168
- Avalon Airport Transfers: $168
- CBD to Melbourne Airport Private Transfer - 11 traveler's: $129
- Private Airport Transfer from Melbourne Airport to City Center: $129
Is it cheaper to fly into Taiyuan or Melbourne?
Prices for flights to both Melbourne 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 $36Melbourne $53
Typical Food Prices in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Coffee$2.62
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Pizza$4.58
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Melbourne Flavors: Queen Victoria Market Food Tour: $40
- Multicultural Markets Food Tour – Melbourne’s Global Tastes: $51
- Queen Victoria Market: 'Flavours of Australia' Food Tour: $52
- Queen Victoria Market Early Access Food Tour: $53
- Eynesbury Homestead Dinner and Ghost Tour: $54
- Inner North Street Food Tour: $72
- Sunset Kayak Tour with Dinner: $79
- Melbourne Sunset Kayaking Experience with Dinner: $81
- Melbourne Private Multicultural Markets Food Tour: $86
- Best of Little Italy Dinner Tour: $92
- Carlton a Little Italy Dinner Tour: $93
- Chinese Dumpling Cooking Class with a Drink: $99
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Taiyuan $15Melbourne $27
Tours and Activities in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- English Melbourne Walking Tour: $17
- Experience Yarra Valley: A Tailored private Wine Journey: $269
- Melbourne Laneways and Galleries Impressionist Art Walking Tour: $84
- Wilsons Promontory Hiking Day Tour - 8 Person Max Small Group : $147
- 1 day Lake mountain snow tour : $73
- 1 day Puffing Billy Steam Train and Wildlife Tour from Melbourne: $147
- 1.5Hr Yarra River Crown Flames and City Lights Cruise: $317
- 12 Apostles Great Ocean Road Private Smal Group Tour FREE entries: $83
- 12 Apostles, Otways & Great Ocean Road Day Tour - 8 person max: $147
- 2 Day Great Ocean Road Small Group Tour: $843
- 4 Hours Sightseeing Small Group Tour in Melbourne City: $60
- 4D3N Best Bits Victoria Sightseeing Tour: $992
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTaiyuan $6.41Melbourne $17
Typical Alcohol Prices in Melbourne
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Melbourne from other travelers:
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Bottle of Wine$5.07
Sample the Local Flavors in Melbourne
Also in Melbourne, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Melbourne Christmas Bar Crawl: $15
- Melbourne Pub Crawl (Batmania Tours): $19
- Weekly Bar Crawl: 5 Free shots, Club Entry: $20
- Melbourne Halloween Bar Crawl: $24
- Spirits and Ales Haunted Pub Walking Tour: $26
- MELBOURNE Spirits and Ales Haunted Pub Tour: $26
- Melbourne Music Venue Pub Crawl with History + 2 Free Drinks: $26
- Laid back, Yarra Valley Wine Tour: Wine, Cider, Gin, Beer + Choc: $87
- New Chocolate and wine tasting tour in the Yarra Valley: $89
- Cruise Ship Friendly Yarra Valley Wine Tour with Port Pickup: $114
- Yarra Valley: Bus Wine Tour with Lunch and a Glass of Wine: $116
- Yarra Valley Wine Tour & Lunch & Gin/Beer Option: $129
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Taiyuan and Melbourne, we can see that Melbourne is more expensive. And not only is Taiyuan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Taiyuan is in Asia and Melbourne is in Pacific, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. 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 Melbourne would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Melbourne than you might in Taiyuan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Taiyuan Expensive? and Is Melbourne Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Taiyuan or Melbourne?
Melbourne has a larger population, and is about 37% larger than the population of Taiyuan. When comparing the sizes of Taiyuan and Melbourne, 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.