Which place is cheaper, Edinburgh or Xi'an?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Xi'an or Edinburgh?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Xi'an and Edinburgh 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: Xi'an or Edinburgh?
Xi'an
Xi'an is an ancient city in the Shaanxi Province in China. Today it is most notable as the location of the Terracotta Warriors, but for visitors who choose to linger, there is so much more to see and do in the area. The city itself is more than 3,000 years old and for about one thousand years, through 13 dynasties and 73 emperors, it was the capital. Because of its rich history there are many historical ruins and a strong culture in the city. Today the city is a pleasant place to visit, although much of it's influence and power has dwindled. The city has both cosmopolitan and modern areas as well as historic and culturally rich areas. The neighborhoods are diverse and by exploring the city in depth you can learn a little more about what China really has to offer.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the moderately sized capital of Scotland. It is a medieval city that has managed to perfect the combination of Georgian architecture and medieval relics with a cosmopolitan population and avant-garde atmosphere. The city's population is quite young, in large part because of the University of Edinburgh. This youthful vibe gives this city a lot of vitality. There's a thriving nightlife, many restaurants, theatres, galleries and museums.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in China, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in China, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Edinburgh, and The Best 10-Day Tours from London.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayXi'an $94Edinburgh $178
The average daily cost (per person) in Xi'an is $94, while the average daily cost in Edinburgh is $178. 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 Xi'an and Edinburgh in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personXi'an $60Edinburgh $93
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomXi'an $120Edinburgh $186
Compare Hotels in Xi'an and Edinburgh
Looking for a hotel in Xi'an or Edinburgh? 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: Edinburgh Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Xi'an $12Edinburgh $21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Xi'an
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Xi'an:
- Xian to Xian Xianyang Airport (XIY) - Departure Private Transfer: $32
- Xian Xianyang International Airport (XIY) Private Departure Transfer: $40
- Xian Xianyang International Airport (XIY) Private Arrival Transfer: $40
- Xian Xianyang Airport (XIY) to Xian City - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $57
- Xian Xianyang Airport (XIY) to Xian - Arrival Private Transfer: $32
- Xian Terracotta Warriors and City Wall Tour with Airport Transfer: $224
- Xian Terracotta Warriors Tour with Airport Transfer: $176
- Xian Private Day Tour with Airport Transfer: Terracotta Warriors and City Wall: $186
- Xian City to Xian Xianyang Airport (XIY) - Departure Private Transfer: $28
- Xian Best Day Tour with Airport / Railway Station Transfer: $132
- Xi’an Xianyang International Airport Private Departure Transfer from City Area : $29
- Xi’an Terracotta Warriors Private Round-Trip Transfer from City Area : $69
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Edinburgh
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Edinburgh:
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Local Bus$4.52
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Edinburgh
Also for Edinburgh, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer to/from Edinburgh City, St'Andrews etc.: $113
- Airport Transfer: Airport EDI to Edinburgh by Business Car: $135
- Airport Transfer: Airport EDI to Edinburgh by Luxury Car: $163
- Airport Transfer: Airport EDI to Edinburgh by Luxury Van: $163
- Airport Transfer: Edinburgh to Airport EDI by Business Car: $135
- Airport Transfer: Edinburgh to Airport EDI by Luxury Van: $163
- Arrival Transfer Edinburgh Airport EDI to Edinburgh by Minivan: $96
- Central Edinburgh Hotels to Edinburgh Airport Transfers 1-3: $256
- Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Glasgow - Arrival Private Transfer: $60
- Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Kinbuck - Arrival Private Transfer: $103
- Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Kinbuck - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $206
- Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Lecht Ski Resort - Arrival Transfer: $76
Is it cheaper to fly into Xi'an or Edinburgh?
Prices for flights to both Edinburgh and Xi'an 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 dayXi'an $12Edinburgh $49
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Xi'an
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Xi'an.
- Skip the Line: Xi'an Tang Dynasty Show Ticket & Dumpling Dinner or Royal Banquet: $32
- Dinner and Show of Tang Dynasty Palace in Xian: $40
- Private Home Cooking Class:Dumpling Cooking Class Tour in Xi'an: $50
- Xi'an Twilight Sightseeing and Food Tour: $51
- Tang Dynasty Dinner Show: $55
- Xi'an Vegetarian Food Tour: $60
- Xi'an Food Tour by Tuk Tuk: $62
- Private Xi'an Food Tour: $65
- Private Xi’an Night & Food Tour by Tuk Tuk and Public Transportation: $67
- Xi'an Evening Food Tour by TukTuk: $69
- 4 Hours Food Tours in Xi'an: $72
- 3-Hour Biang Biang Noodles Cooking Class in Xi'an: $75
Typical Food Prices in Edinburgh
For Edinburgh, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Breakfast$11
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Dinner at Filling Station$13
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Lunch for Two$19
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Sandwich$2.32
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Cheese & bread$9.07
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Thai Restaurant Dinner (for 2)$31
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2 Coffees and Scones$7.28
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Turkish Delight$1.76
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Soup at the Pub$7.40
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Edinburgh
For Edinburgh, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hard Rock Cafe with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $31
- Hard Rock Cafe Edinburgh with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $33
- Scottish Dinner and Folk Music Experience: $88
- Edinburgh Delicious Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $90
- Edinburgh Holiday Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $90
- Edinburgh Food Tour: $100
- 'Scotland meets Sardinia' - 8-course Dinner in Leith, Edinburgh: $110
- 3-Hour Guided Secret Food Tour: $116
- Edinburgh Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $121
- The 10 Tastings of Edinburgh With Locals: Private Food Tour: $162
- Edinburgh Food Tour with a Local Foodie Custom & Private: $188
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Xi'an $35Edinburgh $25
Tours and Activities in Xi'an
Here are a few actual costs in Xi'an for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Group Tour to the Terra-cotta Warriors Museum & Lunch : $65
- Private Half Day Tour to See The Big Wild Goose Pagoda&City Wall:: $185
- Xi'an Morning Food & Market Tour by TukTuk: $55
- #1 Bestselling Private Terracotta Army Tours + Customized Xian Tours: $109
- 1 Day Xian City Highlights Private Tour: $148
- 1 Day Xian Group Tour: Terracotta Warriors & City Wall: $138
- 1 day The Terracotta Army+Xi'an City Wall+Yongxing Square Mini Group Tour: $106
- 1 day Xi'an Culture and History Discovery Mini Group tour: $112
- 1 day private tour to Xi'an Terra Cotta Warriors by Metro/Subway: $110
- 1-Day Xi'an City Highlights and Hanyangling Museum Private Tour: $100
- 1-Day Xi'an Terracotta Warriors Museum and Banpo Neolithic Village Museum Tour: $100
- 1-Day Xi'an Terracotta Warriors,Wild Goose Pagoda and Banpo Village Museum Tour: $100
Typical Entertainment Prices in Edinburgh
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Edinburgh's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Show Tickets$40
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Movie Tickets for Two$15
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Donation for Storytellers$7.53
Tours and Activities in Edinburgh
For Edinburgh, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Escape Game and Tour: $3.77
- Edinburgh Stand Up Comedy Ticket Show in Scotland: $5.08
- Audio Tour Royal Mile: del Castillo hasta "The Tron Kirk": $5.37
- Edinbourgh, Royal mile: walking tour with audio guide: $5.38
- Edinburgh Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & City Tour: $5.60
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.45
- Audio Tour through History of Crime: $7.00
- Edinburgh Royal mile: Self-guided walking tour: $7.20
- Must-See In App Audio Tour: $7.61
- Harry Potter’s A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
- Edinburgh Royal Mile (New Self Guided Tour) : $8.02
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayXi'an $7.23Edinburgh $19
Typical Alcohol Prices in Edinburgh
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Edinburgh from other travelers:
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Beer & Wine$18
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Half Pint at Tollbooth Tavern$2.07
Sample the Local Flavors in Edinburgh
Also in Edinburgh, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Pub Crawl with Free Shots & Discounts: $11
- Edinburgh Bar Crawl: 5+ Venues, Free Shots, Free Club Entry: $19
- Pub Crawl in Edinburgh: $19
- Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour with "Real-Actors": $25
- East Lothian: Glenkinchie Whisky Distillery Tour & Tasting: $26
- Guided Gin Tasting at 56 North Distillery: $28
- Pub Crawl 7 Bars with 6 Shots: $31
- Whisky Tasting and Tales at Summerhall Distillery: $31
- Lind & Lime Gin Distillery Tour & Tasting: $31
- Pickering's Gin Jolly Distillery Tasting Tour: $31
- Visit a Working South Loch Gin Distillery: $32
- The Original Edinburgh Pub Crawl: $32
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Xi'an and Edinburgh, we can see that Edinburgh is more expensive. And not only is Xi'an much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Xi'an is in Asia and Edinburgh is in Europe, 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 Xi'an would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Xi'an 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 Edinburgh would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Edinburgh than you might in Xi'an.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Xi'an Expensive? and Is Edinburgh Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Xi'an or Edinburgh?
Xi'an has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Edinburgh. When comparing the sizes of Xi'an and Edinburgh, 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.