A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Taiyuan vs. Milford Sound for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Taiyuan or Milford Sound?

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 Milford Sound. 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 Milford Sound?

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!

Milford Sound

Milford Sound is a fjord in Fiordland that was created by a glacier. The area is known for rain, but if you end up here on a rainy, know that you are seeing the waterfalls at their fullest.

People go to Milford Sound for the natural beauty. It is unlike any other place on earth. If you're the adventurous type, get yourself a kayak to explore the area. Also, if you have the chance, take a cruise to Milford Deep Underwater Observatory.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to China, The Best Tours for Seniors to China, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in New Zealand, and The Best Luxury Tours to New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Milford Sound or Taiyuan?

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 Taiyuan is $106, while the average daily cost in Milford Sound is $141. 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 Milford Sound in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Taiyuan $43
    Milford Sound $67
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Taiyuan $86
    Milford Sound $134
Compare Hotels in Taiyuan and Milford Sound

Looking for a hotel in Taiyuan or Milford Sound? 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 Taiyuan


Hotels in Milford Sound


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Taiyuan $48
    Milford Sound $14

Is it cheaper to fly into Taiyuan or Milford Sound?

Prices for flights to both Milford Sound 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Taiyuan $36
    Milford Sound $58

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Taiyuan $15
    Milford Sound $38

Tours and Activities in Milford Sound

For Milford Sound, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Milford Sound Heli-Cruise-Heli + Earnslaw Burn Landing | 5hr: $974

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Taiyuan $6.41
    Milford Sound $13


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Taiyuan and Milford Sound, we can see that Milford Sound 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 Milford Sound 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 Milford Sound would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Milford Sound 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 Milford Sound Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Taiyuan or Milford Sound?

Taiyuan has a larger population, and is about 6260 times larger than the population of Milford Sound. When comparing the sizes of Taiyuan and Milford Sound, 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.

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