A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Wuyuan vs. Aoraki Mount Cook for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Wuyuan or Aoraki Mount Cook?

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

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Wuyuan and Aoraki Mount Cook can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Wuyuan or Aoraki Mount Cook?

Wuyuan

Wuyuan, China is a small city in the Jiangxi Province in the south central area of the country. The city acts as a transport hub for the province, with many main bus routes running through it. Wuyuan also acts as the main thoroughfare when traveling to local remote villages in the area. It is best to know some Mandarin as this region does not see many non-Mandarin speaking tourists, which also means you should expect some very friendly attention!

Aoraki Mount Cook

Aoraki Mount Cook National Park is located on the South Island of New Zealand. It was declared a national park in 1953 to protect and preserve the landscape. The park is home to the country's highest peak, Aoraki/Mount Cook. In Maori, Aoraki means, "cloud piercer", and the English name, Mt Cook, refers to the navigator James Cook, who discovered New Zealand in the 18th century. Mt Cook was the training location for Sir Edmund Hillary, who was the first person to summit Everest in 1953. Other peaks in the park include Mount Tasman, Mount Sefton, and Mount Hicks. Not only can you find lush greenery all over the park, but also, glaciers cover 40% of the parks area.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Shanghai, The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand, and The Best Eco Tours in New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Aoraki Mount Cook or Wuyuan?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Wuyuan is $57, while the average daily cost in Aoraki Mount Cook is $105. 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 Wuyuan and Aoraki Mount Cook in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Wuyuan $26
    Aoraki Mount Cook $59
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Wuyuan $52
    Aoraki Mount Cook $118
Compare Hotels in Wuyuan and Aoraki Mount Cook

Looking for a hotel in Wuyuan or Aoraki Mount Cook? 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 Wuyuan


Hotels in Aoraki Mount Cook


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.
    Wuyuan $13
    Aoraki Mount Cook $27

Is it cheaper to fly into Wuyuan or Aoraki Mount Cook?

Prices for flights to both Aoraki Mount Cook and Wuyuan 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
    Wuyuan $20
    Aoraki Mount Cook $26
Typical Food Prices in Wuyuan

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Wuyuan:


  • Gummy Candy
    $0.28
  • Cookies
    $0.69

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Wuyuan $19
    Aoraki Mount Cook $23

Tours and Activities in Aoraki Mount Cook

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Aoraki Mount Cook.

  • (MT) Mount Cook & Lake Tekapo Day Tour from Christchurch: $178
  • 45-Minute Mount Cook Ski Plane and Helicopter Combo Tour: $289
  • Day Tours from Mount Cook: $151
  • Fox Glacier Nature Tour: $54
  • Franz Josef Nature Tour: $54
  • From Christchurch: Mount Cook One-Way Discovery Tour: $118
  • From Queenstown: Mount Cook Private Day Tour: $1,188
  • Gold Hunting Adventures: $223
  • Mount Cook to Queenstown Day Tour: $148
  • Mt Cook & Hooker Valley Hike Small Group Tour from Queenstown: $151
  • Mt Cook Small Group Tour from Queenstown with Optional Activities : $151
  • Mt Cook Tour: Return to Christchurch, Queenstown or Dunedin: $772

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Wuyuan $14
    Aoraki Mount Cook $20

Sample the Local Flavors in Aoraki Mount Cook

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Aoraki Mount Cook:

  • Kinross Winery: Classic Central Otago Wine Tasting Experience: $15
  • Kinross Winery: Valli Wine Tasting Experience: $27
  • Kinross Winery: Premium Central Otago Wine Tasting Experience: $45


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

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Wuyuan Expensive? and Is Aoraki Mount Cook Expensive?.