Should you visit Yangshuo or Dali?
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 Yangshuo and Dali can help you decide which place is right for you.
Yangshuo
A county of the city, Guilin, Yangshuo is located in a region famous for its karst topography. Surrounded by jagged mountain peaks and bordered on one side by the Li River, Yangshuo has become a popular home base for tourists looking to explore the region's natural wonders. Backpackers and tourists, both foreign and domestic, come to Yangshuo every year making it a city of many cultures. Most locals are even able to speak English, which is fairly uncommon for Chinese cities.
Dali
Dali is a city in southern China with a long and glorious history dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The Xiaguan neighborhood of the city is the modern industrial center where most public transportation arrives; however, the Old Town of Dali is the place that draws the most visitors. Being one of China's ancient cities, Dali is said to have been a gateway to the Silk Road, and still attracts attention with its traditional architecture, beautiful scenery, ethnic cultures, and nightlife.
Which city is cheaper, Dali or Yangshuo?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Yangshuo is $65, while the average daily cost in Dali is $44. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Yangshuo and Dali in more detail.
Accommodation
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $46 in Yangshuo For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $30 in Dali For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
On average, meal and food prices in Yangshuo cost around $17 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $6.80.
The average traveler spends about $16 per day in Dali for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
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Food
Meals for one day
Yangshuo $17
Dali $16
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Yangshuo
For Yangshuo, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Chengdu Private Food Tour (With Visit to Kuanzhai Alley and Hotpot Experience):
$32
-
Chengdu Jinsha Site Museum and Sanxingdui Museum Private Day Tour with Hotpot Dinner:
$76
-
Dim Sum Cooking Class and Wet Market Visit in Shanghai:
$78
-
Beijing Hutong Evening Food Tour by Tuk Tuk:
$80
-
Chengdu Panda Base Private Day Tour and Sichuan Cooking Class:
$83
-
Beijing Food Culture & Cooking Class:
$137
Typical Food prices in Dali
For Dali, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
-
Lunch
$5.01
-
Breakfast
$3.92
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dali
For Dali, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Chengdu Private Food Tour (With Visit to Kuanzhai Alley and Hotpot Experience):
$32
-
Chengdu Jinsha Site Museum and Sanxingdui Museum Private Day Tour with Hotpot Dinner:
$76
-
Dim Sum Cooking Class and Wet Market Visit in Shanghai:
$78
-
Beijing Hutong Evening Food Tour by Tuk Tuk:
$80
-
Chengdu Panda Base Private Day Tour and Sichuan Cooking Class:
$83
-
Beijing Food Culture & Cooking Class:
$137
-
1-Day Dali Baba Cooking and Cruise Tour:
$150
Local Transportation
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Yangshuo than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $38 on transportation in Yangshuo on average per day.
Dali's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend $8.35 per person, per day on transportation in Dali.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Yangshuo
Also for Yangshuo, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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[Up to 20% Off] Private City Transfers for Mutianyu Great Wall in Beijing :
$23
-
[Up to 15% Off for Round Trip Transfers] Private Beijing Capital Airport Transfers (PEK) for Beijing :
$37
-
Yangshuo and Li River Highlights Day Tour with Transfers:
$111
-
Shared Shenzhen Airport (SZX) Coach Transfers for Hong Kong (Trans-Island):
$12
-
Shared Hong Kong International Airport Transfers (HKG) for Shenzhen:
$15
-
Shared Coach Transfers between Shunde and Hong Kong:
$14
-
Shared Coach Transfers between Shenzhen Bay Port and Hong Kong (Trans-island):
$6.45
-
Shared Coach Transfers between Panyu and Hong Kong by Eternal East Bus:
$11
-
Shared Coach Transfers between Hong Kong and Huadu by Eternal East Bus:
$13
-
Shared Coach Transfers between Foshan and Hong Kong by Eternal East Bus:
$13
-
Shared Coach Transfers between Foshan and Hong Kong:
$14
-
Shared Coach Transfers Between Hong Kong and Zhaoqing by EE Bus:
$12
Typical Local Transportation prices in Dali
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Dali:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dali
Also for Dali, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Private City Transfers between Zhongshan and Hong Kong:
$313
-
Private City Transfers between Foshan and Hong Kong:
$296
-
Private City Transfers between Guangzhou and Hong Kong:
$283
-
Private City Transfers between Huizhou and Hong Kong :
$230
-
Private MPV City Transfer between Guangdong & Hong Kong:
$187
-
Private Transfers Between Xiamen City and Gaobei Tulou Cluster & Chuxi Tulou Cluster:
$186
-
Private Changsha Huanghua International Airport Transfers (CSX) for Downtown Zhangjiajie or Wulingyuan District:
$186
-
Private Transfers between Dongguan and Hong Kong :
$159
-
Private Transfer from Dali to Lijiang/Shuhe hotel and Stops at Shaxi Old Town:
$150
-
Private Transfer Between Xiamen City and Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster & Yun Shui Yao Ancient Town:
$147
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Private Transfers Between Xiamen City and Yongding Tulou:
$147
-
Private City Transfers Between Xiamen and Zhangzhou Volcanic Island Resort:
$147
Is it cheaper to fly into Yangshuo or Dali?
Prices for flights to both Dali and Yangshuo 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.
Entertainment
Sightseeing expenses in Yangshuo, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $21 per day, per person.
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Dali can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $16 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Tours and Activities in Yangshuo
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Yangshuo.
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Lionsgate Entertainment World Ticket in Henqin Zhuhai :
$31
-
2 Days Shanghai Private Tour:
$178
-
2D1N Mount Emei Monastery Cultural Tour:
$51
-
2D1N Mount Emei Tour from Chengdu:
$199
-
2D1N Mount Emei and the Leshan Giant Buddha Tour from Chengdu:
$216
-
3 Day Essential Hangzhou Private Tour:
$297
-
3 Day Guilin Highlights & Rice Terraces Private Tour:
$222
-
4 Day Guilin and Yangshuo Private Tour:
$348
-
Anchang Ancient Town and Yangshan Stone Quarry Day Private Tour from Hangzhou:
$61
-
Baofeng Lake Admission Ticket in Zhangjiajie (with Boat Ride) :
$16
-
Barca Experience Ticket in Haikou:
$20
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Beijing Alleys, Beihai Park, and Prince Gong's Mansion Private Day Tour:
$76
Tours and Activities in Dali
For Dali, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
-
Lionsgate Entertainment World Ticket in Henqin Zhuhai :
$31
-
1 Day Dali Tour to Weishan Old Town and Weibaoshan Mountain:
$200
-
1 Day Dali-Shaxi Ancient Town Tour:
$253
-
1 Day Golf Tour at Dali Stone Mountain Golf Club with Sightseeing:
$345
-
1 Day Weishan Old Town Tour:
$195
-
1-Day Dali Cuisine and Cruise Tour:
$203
-
1-Day Dali Mountain and Cuisine Tour:
$150
-
1-Day Dali tour with the Daili old town, Xizhou Village and Three Pagodas:
$195
-
1-Day Electric Bike Tour in Dali:
$160
-
1-Day Erhai Sightseeing in Dali:
$129
-
1-Day Liming Tour in Lijiang:
$252
-
1-Day Tie Dye Experience Tour in Dali:
$160
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Yangshuo, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $30.
Typically, people visiting Dali spend on average $10 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Yangshuo and Dali, we can see that Yangshuo is more expensive. And not only is Dali much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Dali would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Dali 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 Yangshuo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Yangshuo than you might in Dali.
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