Should you visit Taiyuan or Suzhou?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Taiyuan and Suzhou. 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!
Suzhou
Suzhou is a city in Jiangsu province famed for its beautiful gardens and traditional waterside architecture, featuring elaborate canals and bridges. Located on the Yangtze Delta, the city consists largely of waterways making Suzhou a kind of 'Venice of the Orient.' It is also a hub for scholars, artists, and skilled craftsmen.
Which city is cheaper, Suzhou or Taiyuan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Taiyuan is $80, while the average daily cost in Suzhou is $91. 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 Suzhou 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.
The average price for accommodation for two people in Suzhou is $68. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
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.
The average traveler spends about $29 per day in Suzhou for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
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Food
Meals for one day
Taiyuan $18
Suzhou $29
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Suzhou
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Suzhou.
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Suzhou Alleyway Walking Food Tour With Locals:
$49
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Half-Day Private Customized Suzhou Highlights with Lunch or Dinner Option:
$123
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Private Suzhou Night Tour:Master of the Nets Garden, Ancient Canal with Dinner:
$145
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Zhouzhuang Water Town Private Tour from Suzhou with Lunch or Dinner Option:
$154
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 cost of a taxi ride in Suzhou is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $51 per person, per day, on local transportation in Suzhou.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Taiyuan
Also for Taiyuan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Taiyuan Wusu or Xiaocheng Airport Arrival Transfer to City Hotels:
$5.00
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Taiyuan Railway Station Private Departure Transfer from City Hotels:
$24
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Taiyuan Wusu Airport Chauffeur Service, Taiyuan Airport Transfer, Pickup:
$27
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Private Taiyuan Wusu or Xiaocheng Airport Departure Transfer from City Hotels:
$28
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Taiyuan Wusu Airport Chauffeur Service , Taiyuan Airport Transfer,Pickup:
$31
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Private Arrival Transfer: From Taiyuan Wusu Airport to Pingyao Hotel:
$41
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Taiyuan Private Airport Departure Transfer from City Hotels:
$56
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Taiyuan Private Arrival Transfer: Airport to Hotel:
$56
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Taiyuan Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Railway Station:
$56
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Taiyuan Wusu Airport Chauffeur Service , Taiyuan Airport Transfer,Pickup:
$64
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Private One Way Transfer Service to Pingyao from Taiyuan:
$68
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Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Pingyao Ancient Town from Taiyuan:
$92
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Suzhou
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Suzhou:
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1-way Transfer between Suzhou Downtown and Ningbo Downtown Per Vehicle Price:
$244
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Private Suzhou Garden and Water Town Highlight Trip with Hotel or Railway Station Transfer:
$240
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Shanghai Pudong Airport to Suzhou Chauffeur Service, Shanghai Airport Transfer:
$240
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Shanghai Hongqiao Airport to Suzhou Chauffeur Service, Shanghai Airport Transfer:
$240
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Full-Day Suzhou Gardens Exploration with Hotel or Railway Station Transfer:
$227
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Private Day Tour: Suzhou Highlights with Hotel or Railway Station Transfer:
$227
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Private Day Tour: Gardens and Old Street in Suzhou with Hotel or Railway Station Transfer:
$214
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Suzhou to Beijing Bullet Train Ticket with Local Private Transfer:
$178
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Round-trip Transfer to Shanghai Disneyland from Suzhou Per Vehicle Price:
$173
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Transfer from Suzhou Downtown to Yangzhou Downtown Per Vehicle Price:
$166
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Transfer from Suzhou Downtown to Shanghai Pudong Airport Per Vehicle Price:
$149
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Hangzhou Private Transfer from Suzhou with Stop-over at Xitang Water Town:
$138
Is it cheaper to fly into Taiyuan or Suzhou?
Prices for flights to both Suzhou 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 $13 per person, per day.
Entertainment and activities in Suzhou typically cost an average of $8.34 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Tours and Activities in Taiyuan
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Taiyuan.
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All Inclusive Taiyuan Private Tour to Jinci Temple and Mengshan Buddha:
$168
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Private Day Tour from Qiao Family and Pingyao Ancient City:
$198
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Private Day Tour in Jinci, Mengshan Buddha, Tianlong Mount:
$199
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Private Full Day Tour to Qikou Ancient Town and Yellow River from Taiyuan:
$218
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Taiyuan Private Day Tour to Pingyao Ancient City and Shuanglin Temple:
$218
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Private Day Tour to Qiao Family Compound and Pingyao Old Town from Taiyuan:
$219
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All Inclusive Taiyuan Private Day Tour to Jinci Temple and Pingyao Ancient Town:
$228
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Taiyuan Private Day Tour to Qiao Family Compound and Pingyao Ancient City:
$228
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Private Day Tour to Yingxian Wooden Pagoda and Hanging Monastery from Taiyuan:
$229
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All Inclusive Private Day Tour to Hanging Temple from Taiyuan:
$278
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Private Day Tour to Discover Wutaishan from Taiyuan:
$288
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Private Day Tour to Yungang Caves, Wooden Pagoda, Hanging Temple from Taiyuan:
$289
Tours and Activities in Suzhou
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Suzhou are as follows:
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1-day private tour to Suzhou (Departure from Shanghai):
$214
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2-Day Customized Suzhou Sightseeing Tour with Tongli Water Town:
$295
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3-Day Private Tibet Tour from Lhasa, Yamdrok Lake and Khampa La Pass:
$925
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4-Hour Flexible Suzhou City Highlights Private Tour:
$114
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4-Hour Suzhou City Private Tailor-Made Tour:
$67
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4-Hour Suzhou Private Flexible Tour with Garden and Boat Ride Option:
$67
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4-Hour Suzhou Private Tour: Humble Administrator’s Garden,Tiger Hill and Canal:
$125
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4-Hour Tongli Water Town Private Tour from Suzhou with Boat Ride:
$89
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4-Hour Zhouzhuang Water Town Private Tour from Suzhou with Boat Ride:
$115
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6-Day Private China Highlights Tour from Beijing, Xi'an and Guilin:
$2,058
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All Inclusive Suzhou Highlight Tour with Boat Ride and Lunch:
$179
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All Inclusive Suzhou Private City Tour with Garden Exploration:
$118
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 $5.64.
The average person spends about $5.72 on alcoholic beverages in Suzhou per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
When comparing the travel costs between Taiyuan and Suzhou, we can see that Suzhou is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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