Which place is cheaper, Te Anau or Vang Vieng?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Vang Vieng or Te Anau?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Vang Vieng or Te Anau? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Vang Vieng or Te Anau?
Vang Vieng
Vang Vieng is a town in the Vientiane province of Laos that sits along the banks of the Nam Song River. With its beautifully carved karst topography cliffs towering over the winding river, the area has become very tourist-oriented for those seeking to explore the outdoor wonders. People from all over come to engage in the unique landscape-mountain biking, trekking, kayaking, caving, swimming, and rock climbing, amongst others.
Te Anau
Te Anau is a town on the South Island of New Zealand, best-known as a gateway to Fiordland National Park and Milford Sound. The region is a major destination for ecotourism as it is home to rare species like the endangered flightless takahe bird and natural features like caves, waterfalls, forests, lakes, glacial valleys, and mountains.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Laos, The Best Budget Tours to Laos, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand, and The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand.
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Vang Vieng Prices
Laos PricesTe Anau Prices
New Zealand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayVang Vieng $19Te Anau $118
The average daily cost (per person) in Vang Vieng is $19, while the average daily cost in Te Anau is $118. 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 Vang Vieng and Te Anau in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personVang Vieng $4.25Te Anau $44
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomVang Vieng $8.50Te Anau $88
Compare Hotels in Vang Vieng and Te Anau
Looking for a hotel in Vang Vieng or Te Anau? 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.
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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Vang Vieng Hotel Prices and Te Anau Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Vang Vieng $3.11Te Anau $27
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vang Vieng
Also for Vang Vieng, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared transfer from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang city: $20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Te Anau
Also for Te Anau, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Lake Marian Guided Hike with Transfers, Lunch & Morning Tea: $184
- Te Anau to Invercargill Small Group Transfer: $53
- Kepler Water Taxi Transfer across Lake Te Anau: $17
Is it cheaper to fly into Vang Vieng or Te Anau?
Prices for flights to both Te Anau and Vang Vieng 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
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Food Meals for one dayVang Vieng $11Te Anau $46
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Vang Vieng $4.76Te Anau $47
Tours and Activities in Vang Vieng
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Vang Vieng.
- 1 Day Guided Tour in Cave from Vang Vieng: $175
- Get Your Laos–China Train Ticket Fast – No Waiting, No Worries: $30
- Laos: Jungle Zipline and Caving Tour: $58
- Nam Xay Viewpoint Hike & Blue Lagoon 1 Tour in Vang Vieng: $180
- Nam Xay Viewpoint Hike and Blue Lagoon Tour: $79
- One Day Guided Tour: Kayaking, Zipline & Tubing In The Cave from Vang Vieng : $50
- Vang Vieng 1-Day Cave Exploration Tour with Guide: $175
- Vang Vieng Ballooning Adventures: $260
- Vang Vieng Bike Tour: $49
- Vang Vieng Day Tour - Longtail boat, Paragliding: $175
- Vang Vieng Hot Air Balloon Experience and Longtail Boat: $137
- Vang Vieng Hot Air Balloon Kayak Zipline,Blue lagoon1 Tour: $148
Tours and Activities in Te Anau
For Te Anau, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Award Winning Milford Sound Full Day Tour & Cruise from Te Anau: $128
- Champagne Sightseeing Cruise on Lake Te Anau: $98
- Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise from Te Anau: $214
- Doubtful Sound Wilderness Day Cruise from Manapouri: $201
- Epic Milford Guided Tour from Te Anau: $142
- Evening Champagne Cruise on Historic 1935 Motor Yacht.: $84
- Fiordland: Jet Boat & Nature Walk Experience from Te Anau: $119
- From Doubtful Sound Coach & Cruise: $216
- From Milford Sound Coach Tour and Cruise: $119
- From Milford Sound Coach, Cruise, and Walks: $173
- From Milford Sound Cruise & Scenic Coach Tour: $126
- From Milford Sound Cruise and Coach Day Trip: $133
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayVang Vieng $1.11Te Anau $14
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Vang Vieng and Te Anau, we can see that Te Anau is more expensive. And not only is Vang Vieng much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Vang Vieng is in Asia and Te Anau 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 Vang Vieng would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Vang Vieng 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 Te Anau would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Te Anau than you might in Vang Vieng.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Vang Vieng Expensive? and Is Te Anau Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Vang Vieng or Te Anau?
Vang Vieng has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Te Anau. When comparing the sizes of Vang Vieng and Te Anau, 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.