A Travel Price Comparison for China Taiyuan vs. Qingdao for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Taiyuan or Qingdao?

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 Qingdao. 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 Qingdao?

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!

Qingdao

Qingdao, China, located in the Shandong Province, is a very large city right on the Yellow Sea coast. The city, whose name means "The Green Island" due to it's gorgeous landscapes and interesting geography, was named China's most livable city in 2012. The city is rich in history, having almost become a German territory in 1897 and being occupied by the Japanese during WWI. Evidence of these occupiers is present in much of the architecture around the city, which includes a few Catholic and Protestant churches.

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.


Which place is cheaper, Qingdao or Taiyuan?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Taiyuan is $91, while the average daily cost in Qingdao is $58. 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 Qingdao in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Taiyuan $43
    Qingdao $26
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Taiyuan $86
    Qingdao $52
Compare Hotels in Taiyuan and Qingdao

Looking for a hotel in Taiyuan or Qingdao? 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 Qingdao


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 $47
    Qingdao $12

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Qingdao

Also for Qingdao, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • One Way Qingdao hotel to Qingdao airport private transfer : $108
  • Qingdao Liuting Airport Transfer Service by Minivan: $86
  • Qingdao Private Transfer from Qingdao Airport (TAO) to central Qingdao: $84
  • Qingdao Private Transfer from Qingdao central to Qingdao Airport (TAO): $84
  • Qingdao Northern Railway Station Arrival Private One-Way Transfer: $42
  • Qingdao Railway Station Depature Transfer from City Hotels: $36
  • Qingdao Railway Station Arrival Transfer to City Hotel: $36
  • Qingdao Cruise Port Departure Transfer from City Hotels: $36
  • Private Departure Transfer: City Hotel to Qingdao Railway Station : $36

Is it cheaper to fly into Taiyuan or Qingdao?

Prices for flights to both Qingdao 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 $20
    Qingdao $20

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Taiyuan $15
    Qingdao $20

Tours and Activities in Qingdao

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

  • Private Qingdao Essentials Tour: City Highlights and Beer Museum: $216
  • All-Inclusive Private Day Tour: Qingdao Highlights with Lunch: $285
  • Laoshan Mountain Full Day Private Activity Tour: $224
  • Private Qingdao City tour with Lunch and Qingdao beer: $175
  • Private Qingdao Historic architectural day tour with Tsingdao beer during Lunch: $190
  • Private Qingdao Laoshan day tour with lunch& round way cable car: $240
  • Private Qingdao Laoshan half day tour with one bottle of Tsingdao beer as gift: $190
  • Qingdao Discover Tour to the Mount Laoshan and Tasting Famous Local Beer: $248
  • Qingdao Private Day Tour to Laoshan Mountain with Lunch and Cable Car: $238
  • Qingdao Private Tour: City Highlights and Laoshan Mountain with Lunch+Cable Car: $268
  • Qingdao Shore Excursion: Private Full Day Laoshan Mountain Sightseeing Tour: $207
  • Qingdao private half day tour with Tsingdao Beer Lunch : $202

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Taiyuan $6.35
    Qingdao $14


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Taiyuan and Qingdao, we can see that Taiyuan is more expensive. And not only is Qingdao much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Qingdao would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Qingdao 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 Qingdao.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Taiyuan Expensive? and Is Qingdao Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Taiyuan or Qingdao?

Taiyuan has a larger population, and is about 66% larger than the population of Qingdao. When comparing the sizes of Taiyuan and Qingdao, 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.