Which place is cheaper, Zhangjiajie or Xiamen?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Xiamen or Zhangjiajie?
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 Zhangjiajie 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 Zhangjiajie?
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.
Zhangjiajie
Zhangjiajie, China is a picturesque city located in the northwest of the Hunan Province. This ancient city, which dates all the way back to the Stone Age, is famous for being home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Wulingyuan Scenic Area. Zhangjiajie is also known for being a popular filming location and and overall great place to escape the bustling Chinese cities. Zhangjiajie has its own dialect, which is a branch of the Hunan and Southern dialects, so Mandarin does not always translate when trying to speak to locals here.
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 $63Zhangjiajie $63
The average daily cost (per person) in Xiamen is $63, while the average daily cost in Zhangjiajie is $63. 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 Zhangjiajie in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personXiamen $30Zhangjiajie $30
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomXiamen $60Zhangjiajie $60
Compare Hotels in Xiamen and Zhangjiajie
Looking for a hotel in Xiamen or Zhangjiajie? 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 $5.96Zhangjiajie $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Xiamen
Also for Xiamen, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer between Xiamen City and Fujian Tulou: $116
- Private Transfer Service between Xiamen City and Nanjing Tulou : $115
- Round Trip Transfer Between the Most Picturesque Chuxi Tulou Cluster and Xiamen: $106
- Private Transfer to Tianluokeng Tulou and Hekeng Hakka Tulou from Xiamen City : $98
- Private Transfer to Tianluokeng Tulou and Yunshuiyao Village from Xiamen City: $93
- Private Transfer between Xiamen City and Hui'an county in Quanzhou: $89
- Private Transfer between Xiamen City and Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster : $89
- Private Transfer Between Xiamen City and Yun Shui Yao Ancient Town: $89
- Private Transfer between Xiamen City and Hua’an Earth Building: $89
- Private Transfer Service between Xiamen and Anxi : $89
- Private Transfer between Xiamen City and Gaobei Tulou Cluster: $89
- Private Transfer From Xiamen City to Quanzhou City: $79
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zhangjiajie
Also for Zhangjiajie, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Zhangjiajie airport/city pick up transfer to hotel or Vice Versa: $18
- Private Transfer: Zhangjiajie to/from Fenghuang : $149
- Private Transfer from Zhangjiajie to Guilin or Yangshuo: $256
- Private Transfer from Zhangjiajie to Fenghuang and stops at Furong old town: $187
- Private Transfer from Zhangjiajie to Fenghuang and stops at Aizhai bridge area: $187
- Private Car Transfer From WLY to Glass Bridge (Round Trip ): $105
- Fox Fairy Show VIP Ticket with Private Transfer in ZJJ City: $63
- Entrance Tickets to Grand Canyon & Glass Bridge with Private Car Transfer From Zhangjiajie city hotel (Round Trip ): $127
Is it cheaper to fly into Xiamen or Zhangjiajie?
Prices for flights to both Zhangjiajie 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 $26Zhangjiajie $20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Zhangjiajie
For Zhangjiajie, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Full-Day Private Discovery Tour to Tianmen Mountain National Park with Dinner: $184
- 1 Day Zhangjiajie Private Tour Visit Avatar Mount and Tianzi Mount with Dinner: $196
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Xiamen $15Zhangjiajie $23
Tours and Activities in Xiamen
For Xiamen, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Fujian Tulou Private Day Tour to World Heritage Site Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster: $178
- 1-Day Xiamen City Highlights and Gulangyu Island Private Tour: $244
- 1-day Xiapu Photography Tour: East Route: $273
- 4-Hour Xiamen Private Local Food Market Experience: $103
- 4-Hour Xiamen Private Shore Excursion Tour in Your Way: $121
- 4-hour Xiamen Private Flexible Tour in Your Way: $113
- A Night Tour to Xiamen Gulang Island: $100
- Day Tour to Admire the Panorama of Gulangyu Island and Visit the Precious Birds: $110
- Dongshan Island Highlights Full-Day Private Tour: $232
- Flexible Xiamen Private Half Day Tour with Meal Option: $164
- From One-Day Nanjing Tulou Private Tour: $299
- Fujian Hakka Tulou Private Day Tour of Tianluokeng and Daping Lou: $194
Tours and Activities in Zhangjiajie
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Zhangjiajie.
- Zhangjiajie National Forest Park(Avatar) & Yellow Dragon Cave Private Day Tour: $189
- 1 Day Dragon Sitting Gorge & Red Stone Forest Geo-park TOUR！: $272
- 1 Day Private Expedition Tour to Binlang Valley: $142
- 1 Day Tianmen Mountain Tour: $139
- 1 Day Zhangjiajie Tianmen Mountain and Glass Skywalk Tour: $154
- 1 Days Zhangjiajie Natural Beauty Tour with Baofeng Lake: $132
- 1-Day Fenghuang Tour from Zhangjiajie(Wulingyuan) by Round-way Bullet Train: $240
- 1-Day Zhangjiajie Tour: Grand Canyon with Glass Bridge and Yellow Dragon Cave: $242
- 2 Days Classic Tour to ZJJ National Forest Park & Tianmen Mt: $402
- 2-Day “Best Of Zhangjiajie”-Avatar World & Tianmen Mountain Tour: $260
- 2-Day Classic Zhangjiajie Tour Including Tickets: $522
- 2-Day Zhangjiajie Happy Foodie&Sightseeing Tour: $300
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayXiamen $17Zhangjiajie $16
When comparing the travel costs between Xiamen and Zhangjiajie, we can see that Xiamen 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 Zhangjiajie Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Xiamen or Zhangjiajie?
Xiamen has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Zhangjiajie. When comparing the sizes of Xiamen and Zhangjiajie, 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 Zhangjiajie?
Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Xiamen or Zhangjiajie in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Xiamen and Zhangjiajie.
In July, Xiamen is generally around the same temperature as Zhangjiajie. Daily temperatures in Xiamen average around 30°C (86°F), and Zhangjiajie fluctuates around 29°C (85°F).
Zhangjiajie receives a lot of rain in the summer. Xiamen gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Xiamen usually receives more rain than Zhangjiajie. Xiamen gets 140 mm (5.5 in) of rain, while Zhangjiajie receives 125 mm (4.9 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyXiamen 30°C (86°F)Zhangjiajie 29°C (85°F)
Should I visit Xiamen or Zhangjiajie in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Xiamen as well as Zhangjiajie.
Xiamen is a little warmer than Zhangjiajie in the autumn. The daily temperature in Xiamen averages around 25°C (77°F) in October, and Zhangjiajie fluctuates around 19°C (65°F).
Xiamen usually gets less rain in October than Zhangjiajie. Xiamen gets 29 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Zhangjiajie receives 90 mm (3.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberXiamen 25°C (77°F)Zhangjiajie 19°C (65°F)
Should I visit Xiamen or Zhangjiajie in the Winter?
Both Zhangjiajie and Xiamen are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities.
In the winter, Xiamen is much warmer than Zhangjiajie. Typically, the winter temperatures in Xiamen in January average around 14°C (58°F), and Zhangjiajie averages at about 5°C (42°F).
In January, Xiamen usually receives less rain than Zhangjiajie. Xiamen gets 37 mm (1.4 in) of rain, while Zhangjiajie receives 44 mm (1.7 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryXiamen 14°C (58°F)Zhangjiajie 5°C (42°F)
Should I visit Xiamen or Zhangjiajie in the Spring?
Both Zhangjiajie and Xiamen during the spring are popular places to visit.
In April, Xiamen is generally a little warmer than Zhangjiajie. Daily temperatures in Xiamen average around 20°C (69°F), and Zhangjiajie fluctuates around 17°C (63°F).
Zhangjiajie 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 April than Zhangjiajie. Xiamen gets 147 mm (5.8 in) of rain, while Zhangjiajie receives 166 mm (6.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilXiamen 20°C (69°F)Zhangjiajie 17°C (63°F)
Typical Weather for Zhangjiajie and Xiamen
| Xiamen | Zhangjiajie | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 14°C (58°F) | 37 mm (1.4 in) | 5°C (42°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) |
| Feb | 14°C (57°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) | 6°C (44°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) |
| Mar | 16°C (61°F) | 99 mm (3.9 in) | 11°C (52°F) | 112 mm (4.4 in) |
| Apr | 20°C (69°F) | 147 mm (5.8 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 166 mm (6.5 in) |
| May | 24°C (76°F) | 152 mm (6 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 179 mm (7 in) |
| Jun | 27°C (81°F) | 197 mm (7.7 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 199 mm (7.8 in) |
| Jul | 30°C (86°F) | 140 mm (5.5 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 125 mm (4.9 in) |
| Aug | 30°C (85°F) | 149 mm (5.9 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 149 mm (5.9 in) |
| Sep | 28°C (83°F) | 116 mm (4.6 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) |
| Oct | 25°C (77°F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) | 19°C (65°F) | 90 mm (3.6 in) |
| Nov | 21°C (69°F) | 37 mm (1.4 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 70 mm (2.7 in) |
| Dec | 16°C (61°F) | 25 mm (1 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 44 mm (1.7 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.