A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Tehran vs. Qingdao for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Tehran 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 Tehran 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: Tehran or Qingdao?

Tehran

The capital of Iran, Tehran is a cosmopolitan city with great museums, art galleries, parks, restaurants, and more. It is located in the northernmost part of Central Iran at the foot of the towering Alborz mountain range. Some of the most popular attractions include the Treasury of the National Jewels, Golestan Palace, and the Tajrish Bazaar.

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 Cultural Tours in China, and The Best Luxury Tours to China.


Which place is cheaper, Qingdao or Tehran?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Tehran is $78, 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 Tehran and Qingdao in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Tehran $62
    Qingdao $26
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Tehran $124
    Qingdao $52
Compare Hotels in Tehran and Qingdao

Looking for a hotel in Tehran 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 Tehran


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.
    Tehran $0.38
    Qingdao $12

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Qingdao

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

  • Qingdao Liuting Airport Transfer Service by Minivan: $86
  • Qingdao Private Transfer from Qingdao Airport (TAO) to central Qingdao: $83
  • Qingdao Private Transfer from Qingdao central to Qingdao Airport (TAO): $83
  • 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 Tehran or Qingdao?

Prices for flights to both Qingdao and Tehran 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
    Tehran $14
    Qingdao $20

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Tehran $4.59
    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: $199
  • 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
    Tehran -
    Qingdao $14


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Tehran and Qingdao, we can see that Tehran is more expensive. And not only is Qingdao much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Tehran is in Middle East and Qingdao is in Asia, 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 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 Tehran would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tehran 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 Tehran Expensive? and Is Qingdao Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Tehran or Qingdao?

Tehran has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Qingdao. When comparing the sizes of Tehran 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.