Should you visit Taiyuan or Zhangjiajie?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Taiyuan and Zhangjiajie. 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!
Zhangjiajie
Zhangjiajie, China is a picturesque city located in the northwest of the Hunan Province. This ancient city, which dates all the way back to the Stone Age, is famous for being home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Wulingyuan Scenic Area. Zhangjiajie is also known for being a popular filming location and and overall great place to escape the bustling Chinese cities. Zhangjiajie has its own dialect, which is a branch of the Hunan and Southern dialects, so Mandarin does not always translate when trying to speak to locals here.
Which city is cheaper, Zhangjiajie 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 Zhangjiajie is $56. 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 Zhangjiajie 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.
For a normal double-occupancy room in Zhangjiajie, $54 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Zhangjiajie, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is $27, such as in a hostel.
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.
Zhangjiajie food costs typically run travelers around $18 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
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Food
Meals for one day
Taiyuan $18
Zhangjiajie $18
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Zhangjiajie
For Zhangjiajie, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Full-Day Private Discovery Tour to Tianmen Mountain National Park with Dinner:
$175
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1 Day Zhangjiajie Private Tour Visit Avatar Mount and Tianzi Mount with Dinner:
$186
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.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Zhangjiajie than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $13 on transportation in Zhangjiajie on average per day.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Taiyuan
Also for Taiyuan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Transfer Service to Wutaishan from Taiyuan:
$148
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Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Pingyao Ancient Town from Taiyuan:
$92
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Private One Way Transfer Service to Pingyao from Taiyuan:
$68
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Taiyuan Wusu Airport Chauffeur Service , Taiyuan Airport Transfer,Pickup:
$64
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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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Private Arrival Transfer: From Taiyuan Wusu Airport to Pingyao Hotel:
$41
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Taiyuan Wusu Airport Chauffeur Service , Taiyuan Airport Transfer,Pickup:
$31
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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:
$27
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Taiyuan Railway Station Private Departure Transfer from City Hotels:
$24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zhangjiajie
Also for Zhangjiajie, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Zhangjiajie 3-day Private Tour Package including Airport Transfer:
$687
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Private Transfer from Zhangjiajie to Guilin or Yangshuo:
$240
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Private Transfer From Zhangjiajie to Fenghuang Ancient Town (Phoenix Town):
$233
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Private transfer from Zhangjiajie(Wulingyuan) to Changsha area:
$200
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Private Transfer from Zhangjiajie to Fenghuang and stops at Furong old town:
$175
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Private Transfer from Zhangjiajie to Fenghuang and stops at Aizhai bridge area:
$175
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Private Transfer from Zhangjiajie to Fenghuang:
$140
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Private Transfer from Zhangjiajie Train Station to Fenghuang hotel:
$140
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Private Transfer from Zhangjiajie Hotel to Fenghuang hotel:
$140
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Zhangjiajie Tianmen Fox Lady Out-Door Show With Private Transfer:
$69
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Tianmen Fox Fairy Show with Private Transfer:
$63
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Private Departure Transfer from Wulingyuan Area to Zhangjiajie Airport:
$55
Is it cheaper to fly into Taiyuan or Zhangjiajie?
Prices for flights to both Zhangjiajie 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.
Sightseeing expenses in Zhangjiajie, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $20 per day, per person.
Tours and Activities in Taiyuan
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Taiyuan.
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All Inclusive Private Day Tour to Hanging Temple from Taiyuan:
$278
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All Inclusive Taiyuan Private Day Tour to Hanging Temple and Yungang Grottoes:
$328
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All Inclusive Taiyuan Private Day Tour to Jinci Temple and Pingyao Ancient Town:
$228
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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 Day Tour to Discover Wutaishan from Taiyuan:
$288
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Private Day Tour to Qiao Family Compound and Pingyao Old Town from Taiyuan:
$219
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Private Day Tour to Yingxian Wooden Pagoda and Hanging Monastery from Taiyuan:
$229
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Private Day Tour to Yungang Caves, Wooden Pagoda, Hanging Temple from Taiyuan:
$289
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Private Full Day Tour to Qikou Ancient Town and Yellow River from Taiyuan:
$218
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Romantic Tour in Taiyuan:
$498
Tours and Activities in Zhangjiajie
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Zhangjiajie.
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1 Day Dragon Sitting Gorge & Red Stone Geo-park TOUR！:
$272
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1 Day Private Expedition Tour to Binlang Valley:
$135
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1 Day Private Expedition Tour to Jiutian Cave and Visit Marshal Helong Memorial:
$170
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1 Day Tianmen Mountain Tour:
$192
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1 Day Xikou Bazaar & Red Rock Climbing Tour:
$223
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1 Day Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon and Glass Bridge Skywalk Tour:
$263
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1 Day Zhangjiajie National Forest Park Tour:
$263
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1 Day Zhangjiajie Tianmen Mountain and Glass Skywalk Tour:
$250
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1 Days Zhangjiajie Natural Beauty Tour with Baofeng Lake:
$216
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1-Day Zhangjiajie Avatar World Nature Hiking Private Tour:
$170
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1-Day Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon(Glass Bridge) & Baofeng Lake Tour:
$240
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1-Day Zhangjiajie National Forest Park(Avatar) and Tianmen Mountain Private Tour:
$300
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.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Zhangjiajie, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $14.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Taiyuan and Zhangjiajie, we can see that Taiyuan is more expensive. And not only is Zhangjiajie much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Zhangjiajie would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Zhangjiajie 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 Zhangjiajie.
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