A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Vientiane vs. Fiordland National Park for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Vientiane or Fiordland National Park?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Vientiane or Fiordland National Park, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Vientiane or Fiordland National Park?

Vientiane

You wouldn't expect the capital city to have such a relaxing environment, but in Vientiane, Laos you can sit back and take in the beautiful scenery without feeling pressure to see every little thing. With Vientiane, what you see is what you get.

While picturesque temples and markets line the streets, the city is still experiencing a successful building boom. Even the Presidential Palace has undergone some hefty renovations.

Fiordland National Park

One of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites, Fiordland National Park is New Zealand's largest park, as well as one of the largest in the world. Although it may be the largest, it is the least explored park in the country. The park takes up the southwest region of the south island. The Department of Conservation manages the park (like all of the other parks in the country) and they try to keep development minimal in efforts to protect the environment and manage human activity. When visiting the park, prepare for rain as the park as over 200 days of rain per year.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Laos, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Laos, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to New Zealand, and The Best Wildlife Tours to New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Fiordland National Park or Vientiane?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Vientiane is $15, while the average daily cost in Fiordland National Park is $97. 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 Vientiane and Fiordland National Park in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Vientiane $6.01
    Fiordland National Park $48
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Vientiane $12
    Fiordland National Park $96
Compare Hotels in Vientiane and Fiordland National Park

Looking for a hotel in Vientiane or Fiordland National Park? 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 Vientiane


Hotels in Fiordland National Park


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: Vientiane Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Vientiane $2.08
    Fiordland National Park $42
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vientiane

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Vientiane are as follows:


  • Tuk Tuk Ride
    $4.24

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vientiane

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Vientiane:

  • Wattay Airport (VTE): Private Transfer to/from Vientiane: $29
  • Vientiane Private Airport and Hotel Transfers: $9.00
  • Vientiane Airport Transfer: Wattay airport to hotel - Private transfer: $15
  • Vientiane - Hanoi Sleeping Bus Transfer : $63
  • Vientian Private Airport Transfer - Wattay Airport: $15
  • Private Transfer in Laos: $5.00

Is it cheaper to fly into Vientiane or Fiordland National Park?

Prices for flights to both Fiordland National Park and Vientiane 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
    Vientiane $6.32
    Fiordland National Park $23

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vientiane

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Vientiane.

  • Private Evening Food Tour of Laos: $70

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Vientiane $3.54
    Fiordland National Park $20

Tours and Activities in Vientiane

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Vientiane are as follows:

  • 2 Days Private Tour in Vientiane and Vang Vieng: $90
  • Explore Vientiane and Local Villages Biking Tour: $184
  • From Hue: Hue to Vientiane Bus tickets: $62
  • Full Day Private Tour in Vientiane with Pickup: $142
  • Guided Vientiane City and Buddha Park Full-Day Tour: $81
  • Half Day Private Tour in City Highlights: $120
  • Half-Day Vientiane City Bike Tour: $67
  • Private Custom Tour with a Local Guide in Vientiane: $82
  • Private Tour: Full-day Cycling The City Streets Vientiane with Buddha Park: $174
  • Private Tour: Full-day Vientiane's Must-See Sights and River Sunset with Lunch: $101
  • Private Tour: Half-day City Guided Tour of Vientiane: $113
  • Private Tour: Vientiane City Tour Full Day with Buddha Park: $145

Tours and Activities in Fiordland National Park

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

  • Te Anau: River Jet Boat and Bike Ride Tour with Local Guide: $130

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Vientiane $2.35
    Fiordland National Park $8.07


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Vientiane and Fiordland National Park, we can see that Fiordland National Park is more expensive. And not only is Vientiane much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Vientiane is in Asia and Fiordland National Park 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 Vientiane would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Vientiane 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 Fiordland National Park would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Fiordland National Park than you might in Vientiane.

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