Which place is cheaper, Guilin or Xiamen?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Xiamen or Guilin?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Xiamen and Guilin can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Xiamen or Guilin?
Xiamen
Xiamen is a coastal city in the Fujian Province of China and has been a major port city and gateway to China for centuries. This vibrant and modern city was named the most livable city in the world in 2002 and one of the first cities to be named a Special Economic Zone. Xiamen is best known for being home to Gulangyu Island, a beautiful island full of historic colonial buildings and lovely walking paths.
Guilin
Guilin is a city in Southern China situated on the west bank of the Li River with Hunan to the north. Its name means, "Forest of Sweet Osmanthus," owing to the large number of fragrant Sweet Osmanthus trees located in the city. Products like tea, sugar, and wine, can be made from the tree and are found in many shops throughout Guilin. A popular tourist destination, the city is renowned for its scenery of karst topography with unique mountains jutting out of the urban landscape.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in China, The Best Historical Tours in China, The Best 10-Day Tours in China, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in China.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayXiamen $64Guilin $67
The average daily cost (per person) in Xiamen is $64, while the average daily cost in Guilin is $67. 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 Xiamen and Guilin in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personXiamen $31Guilin $34
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomXiamen $62Guilin $68
Compare Hotels in Xiamen and Guilin
Looking for a hotel in Xiamen or Guilin? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Xiamen $5.99Guilin $5.77
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Xiamen
Also for Xiamen, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer Service between Xiamen City and Yongding Hakka Tulou : $115
- Private Arrival Transfer from Gaoqi Airport to Xiamen City Hotel: $10
- Private Departure Transfer to North Railway Station from Downtown Xiamen: $15
- Private Transfer Between Xiamen City and HongKeng Hakka Tulou Cluster: $89
- Private Transfer Between Xiamen City and Yun Shui Yao Ancient Town: $89
- Private Transfer Service between Xiamen City and Nanjing Tulou : $115
- Private Transfer Service between Xiamen and Anxi : $89
- Private Transfer between Xiamen City and Hua’an Earth Building: $89
- Private Transfer from Railway Station to Xiamen City: $10
- Private Transfer to Gaobei Tulou and Hongkeng Tulou from Xiamen City: $98
- Private Transfer to Gaobei Tulou and Yunshuiyao Village from Xiamen City: $98
- Private Transfer to Hongkeng Tulou and Yunshuiyao Village from Xiamen City: $98
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Guilin
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Guilin are as follows:
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Taxi$2.76
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guilin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Guilin:
- Transfer from Guilin Liangjiang Airport to Guilin City Center: $41
- Private Transfer: Guilin to/from Zhangjiajie/Fenghuang: $256
- Private Transfer from Yangshuo/Guilin to Sanjiang and stops Longji Rice Terraces: $160
- Private Transfer from Guilin to Fenghuang and stops at Longji rice terraces area: $267
- Private Transfer from Guilin hotel to Yangshuo hotel: $37
- Private Transfer from Guilin hotel to Xingping hotel: $64
- Private Guilin Airport Transfer to Yangshuo: $42
- Private Departure Transfer: Downtown Guilin Hotel to Airport (KWL): $25
- Private Departure Transfer from Hotel to Guilin Train Stations: $17
- Private Arrival Transfer: Guilin Train Stations to Yangshuo: $49
- Private Arrival Transfer: Guilin Train Stations to Downtown Hotel: $17
- Private Arrival Transfer: Guilin International Airport (KWL) to Downtown Hotel: $25
Is it cheaper to fly into Xiamen or Guilin?
Prices for flights to both Guilin and Xiamen 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 dayXiamen $26Guilin $22
Typical Food Prices in Guilin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Guilin:
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Fresh Coconut Drink$1.38
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guilin
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Guilin.
- Half day Yangshuo Cooking lesson Small Group Tour: $62
- Full-Day Li-River with the 4 Star Luxury Boat VIP Room and Yangshuo Cooking Tour: $286
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Xiamen $16Guilin $28
Tours and Activities in Xiamen
For Xiamen, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Xiamen Private English Tour Guide Service: $93
- Xiamen Private Half Day Tour of Gulangyu Island and Shuzhuang Garden: $97
- Private Xiamen Half Day Tour to Gulangyu Island and the Hi Heaven Villa: $97
- A Night Tour to Xiamen Gulang Island: $100
- Flexible Xiamen Private Half Day Tour with Meal Option: $109
- Flexible Private Half-Day Tour to Visit the Top Attraction Xiamen Yuanbo Garden: $110
- Day Tour to Admire the Panorama of Gulangyu Island and Visit the Precious Birds: $110
- 4-hour Xiamen Private Flexible Tour in Your Way: $113
- Xiamen Half-Day Private Tour include Gulang Yu Island and Garden : $119
- 4-Hour Xiamen Private Shore Excursion Tour in Your Way: $121
- Shanghai Metro Tour: $127
- Xiamen Layover Day Tour-Gulangyu,Shuzhuang Garden And Piano Museum: $132
Typical Entertainment Prices in Guilin
Here are a few typical costs in Guilin for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Entrance to the Caves$17
Tours and Activities in Guilin
Here are a few actual costs in Guilin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2-Day Self-Guided Guilin Tour with 4 Star Boat, Yangshuo and Longji Terraces : $200
- Full-Day Guilin Li-River Cruise with 4 star boat and Reed Flute Cave Tour: $262
- Full-Day Yangshuo Sunrise and Li-River cruise with the 4 Star Boat Private Tour: $272
- Longji Rice Terraces Day Tour with the Ping'an and Dazhai Village: $209
- 1 Day Guilin to Yangshuo with top scenery & culture private tour : $79
- 1 Day Private Tour: Li River Cruise from Guilin & Yangshuo Biking: $169
- 1 Day Relaxing Li River Cruise With The 4 Star Luxury Boat lower Deck Seating: $225
- 1 Day Yangshuo Countryside Cycling and Yulong bamboo boat Private Tour: $94
- 1 Day Yangshuo Countryside Hiking along the Yulong river Private Tour: $103
- 1 Day Yangshuo private Day Tour with the Scooter: $105
- 1 day Guilin Li River Cruise and Yangshuo Countryside with Scooter Private Tour: $204
- 1 day Li River cruise & Yangshuo countryside private day tour : $120
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayXiamen $17Guilin $5.73
When comparing the travel costs between Xiamen and Guilin, we can see that Guilin is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Xiamen Expensive? and Is Guilin Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Xiamen or Guilin?
Guilin has a larger population, and is about 12% larger than the population of Xiamen. When comparing the sizes of Xiamen and Guilin, 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.
When is the best time to visit Xiamen or Guilin?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Xiamen or Guilin in the Summer?
Both Guilin and Xiamen during the summer are popular places to visit.
In the summer, Xiamen is around the same temperature as Guilin. Typically, the summer temperatures in Xiamen in July average around 30°C (86°F), and Guilin averages at about 30°C (86°F).
Guilin gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Xiamen. Xiamen usually gets less rain in July than Guilin. Xiamen gets 140 mm (5.5 in) of rain, while Guilin receives 206 mm (8.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyXiamen 30°C (86°F)Guilin 30°C (86°F)
Should I visit Xiamen or Guilin in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Xiamen and Guilin.
In October, Xiamen is generally around the same temperature as Guilin. Daily temperatures in Xiamen average around 25°C (77°F), and Guilin fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).
In October, Xiamen usually receives less rain than Guilin. Xiamen gets 29 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Guilin receives 93 mm (3.7 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberXiamen 25°C (77°F)Guilin 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit Xiamen or Guilin in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Xiamen as well as Guilin.
Xiamen is a little warmer than Guilin in the winter. The daily temperature in Xiamen averages around 14°C (58°F) in January, and Guilin fluctuates around 10°C (49°F).
Xiamen usually gets less rain in January than Guilin. Xiamen gets 37 mm (1.4 in) of rain, while Guilin receives 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryXiamen 14°C (58°F)Guilin 10°C (49°F)
Should I visit Xiamen or Guilin in the Spring?
Both Guilin and Xiamen are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities.
In the spring, Xiamen is around the same temperature as Guilin. Typically, the spring temperatures in Xiamen in April average around 20°C (69°F), and Guilin averages at about 20°C (68°F).
It rains a lot this time of the year in Guilin. It's quite rainy in Xiamen. In April, Xiamen usually receives less rain than Guilin. Xiamen gets 147 mm (5.8 in) of rain, while Guilin receives 263 mm (10.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilXiamen 20°C (69°F)Guilin 20°C (68°F)
Typical Weather for Guilin and Xiamen
| Xiamen | Guilin | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 14°C (58°F) | 37 mm (1.4 in) | 10°C (49°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) |
| Feb | 14°C (57°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) |
| Mar | 16°C (61°F) | 99 mm (3.9 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 129 mm (5.1 in) |
| Apr | 20°C (69°F) | 147 mm (5.8 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 263 mm (10.3 in) |
| May | 24°C (76°F) | 152 mm (6 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 334 mm (13.2 in) |
| Jun | 27°C (81°F) | 197 mm (7.7 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 320 mm (12.6 in) |
| Jul | 30°C (86°F) | 140 mm (5.5 in) | 30°C (86°F) | 206 mm (8.1 in) |
| Aug | 30°C (85°F) | 149 mm (5.9 in) | 30°C (86°F) | 168 mm (6.6 in) |
| Sep | 28°C (83°F) | 116 mm (4.6 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) |
| Oct | 25°C (77°F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
| Nov | 21°C (69°F) | 37 mm (1.4 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
| Dec | 16°C (61°F) | 25 mm (1 in) | 12°C (53°F) | 47 mm (1.9 in) |
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.