Which place is cheaper, San Diego or Xi'an?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Xi'an or San Diego?
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 San Diego 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 San Diego?
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.
San Diego
For many visitors and locals alike, San Diego is a paradise. Located in southern California, not far from Los Angeles, it has the perfect climate, wonderful beaches, and a culturally rich environment. It's surrounded by beautiful landscape and has a strong focus on wildlife conservation and eco-friendly living. Home to about 1.3 million residents, it is California's second largest city. It also has many universities, a large tech industry, and a thriving economy. Despite its size, many people perceive San Diego as a slower, more relaxed city with a pleasant vibe away from the chaos of a large city.
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 Tours for Seniors to United States of America, and The Best Contiki Tours to United States of America.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayXi'an $94San Diego $202
The average daily cost (per person) in Xi'an is $94, while the average daily cost in San Diego is $202. 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 San Diego in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personXi'an $60San Diego $115
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomXi'an $120San Diego $230
Compare Hotels in Xi'an and San Diego
Looking for a hotel in Xi'an or San Diego? 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: San Diego Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Xi'an $12San Diego $24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Xi'an
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Xi'an:
- Xi'an Airport to Hotel: Private Transfer for up to 40 pax: $300
- Private Round-trip Airport Transfer to Terracotta Army & City Wall with A Guide: $259
- Xi'an Airport to Hotel: Private Transfer for up to 15 pax: $200
- Private Guided Transfer to Terracotta Warriors, City Wall, Small Wild Pagoda: $189
- Xian Terracotta Warriors Museum Tour with Airport Transfer: $184
- Xian Terracotta Warriors Tour with Airport Transfer: $176
- Terracotta Warriors Museum Ticket With Private Transfer Service: $172
- Terracotta Warriors Tour with Airport Train Station or Hotel Transfer: $170
- Terracotta Warriors Museum Tour with Airport Pickup or Drop-off Transfer: $162
- Xian Best Day Tour with Airport / Railway Station Transfer: $132
- Xi'an Private Round Trip Transfer to Mount Huashan: $115
- Round Way Xian Airport Transfer with Tour Guide: $92
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Diego
Also for San Diego, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- San Diego Airport (SAN) to Carlsbad, CA - Arrival Private Transfer: $74
- Arrival Private Transfer San Diego Airport SAN to San Diego City by Business Car: $111
- Arrival Private Transfer San Diego Airport SAN to San Diego by Executive SUV: $134
- Arrival Private Transfer: San Diego Airport SAN to San Diego in Business Car: $103
- Arrival Private Transfer: San Diego Airport SAN to San Diego in Luxury SUV: $115
- Departure Private Transfer San Diego to San Diego Airport SAN in Business Car: $92
- Departure Private Transfer: San Diego to San Diego Airport SAN in Business Car: $103
- Departure Private Transfer: San Diego to San Diego Airport SAN in Luxury SUV: $115
- Private Arrival Transfer - from San Diego Airport (SAN) by SUV: $82
- Private Arrival Transfer from San Diego Airport SAN: $56
- Private Departure Transfer to San Diego Airport SAN: $50
- Private Transfer Airport Tijuana/Valle de Guadalupe (Ensenada) or back.: $178
Is it cheaper to fly into Xi'an or San Diego?
Prices for flights to both San Diego 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 $12San Diego $45
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 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
- Private Old Xi'an Authentic Local Beer Dinner Tour: $68
- 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
- Authentic Old Xi'an Back Street Food Tour : $75
Typical Food Prices in San Diego
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to San Diego:
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Mexican Lunch for Two$27
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Breakfast at Starbucks$20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Diego
For San Diego, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Pizza and Gelato Tour in San Diego: $80
- Old Town Tequila and Tacos Walking Food Tour: $85
- San Diego Vegan Food Tour: $85
- Gaslamp Quarter Food Tour: $89
- Gaslamp Quarter Downtown San Diego Food Tour: $89
- San Diego Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $95
- San Diego, Seaport Village: Waterfront Walking Food Tour: $99
- Seaport Village Food Tour in San Diego : $99
- Guided Secret Food Tour: $103
- Scenic Buffet Dinner Cruise: $108
- San Diego Dinner Cruise: $116
- Gourmet Dinner Cruise: $118
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Xi'an $35San Diego $48
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
- #1 Bestselling Private Terracotta Army Tours + Customized Xian Tours: $109
- 1 Day Xian Group Tour: Terracotta Warriors & City Wall: $138
- 1-Day Private Tour: Mount Huashan With the Lunch from Xi'an: $190
- 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
- 1-Day Xi'an Tour with Wild Goose Pagoda, Shaanxi History Museum and City Wall : $100
- 1-Day Xi'an Tour with the Terracotta Warriors, Cave Dwelling and City Wall : $236
- 2 Days Beijing Xian Tour by Bullet Train with Hotel: $287
- 2-Day Classic Xi'an Tour Combo Package: Terracotta Warriors and Downtown Sightseeing: $234
- 2-Day Highlights Xi'an Private Tour Combo Package: Terracotta Warriors and City Sightseeing: $240
- 2-day Most Flexible Private Xian Complete Tour: $296
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Diego
For San Diego, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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San Diego Zoo$15
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Sea World Parking$12
Tours and Activities in San Diego
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Diego.
- Pies & Pickaxes: A Historic Walking Tour of Julian, CA: $4.49
- Waterfront Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $7.31
- Sights of San Diego Harbor: a Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $7.99
- A Seaside Stroll: La Jolla's Hidden Treasures Self-Guided Tour: $9.99
- Historical Walking Tour of San Diego: $10
- Beaches & Bluffs San Diego's Ultimate Coastal Driving Tour: $12
- San Diego Natural History Museum Ticket: $12
- Haunted Historic Whaley House - Self-Guided Tour: $14
- Apple Pies & Desert Skies: A Self-Guided Driving Tour: $15
- Explore Balboa in a Private Tour of San Diego Hidden Gems: $20
- San Diego's Historic Treasures and Old Town Tour: $20
- Private Walking Tour and Gaslamp Adventure in San Diego: $20
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayXi'an $7.23San Diego $21
Sample the Local Flavors in San Diego
Also in San Diego, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- San Diego Bar Hunt: Slammin' San Diego Bar Crawl: $13
- History Tour Pub Crawl of Famous Gaslamp Quarter: $30
- Brewery Tour with Tastings and Food Pairings: $85
- Vino! Vino! Little Italy Wine Tasting Walking Tour: $125
- Little Italy Wine Tasting Walking Tour: $125
- Private Wine Tasting Tour in Valle de Guadalupe: $133
- Cruise & Booze Brewery tours : $149
- Baja Tour Guide wine tour: $169
- Sidecar Wine Tasting Tour: $199
- Brewery and Tap Room Sidecar Tour: $199
- California Sunset Brewery Tour: $199
- Brewery and Beer Tasting Tour in San Diego: $215
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Xi'an and San Diego, we can see that San Diego 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 San Diego is in North America, 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 San Diego would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Diego 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 San Diego Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Xi'an or San Diego?
Xi'an has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of San Diego. When comparing the sizes of Xi'an and San Diego, 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.