Which place is cheaper, Taiyuan or Yangshuo?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Yangshuo or Taiyuan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
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 Taiyuan can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Yangshuo or Taiyuan?
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.
Taiyuan
With sleek architectural designs and blossoming businesses, this metropolis is simply brimming with invigorating excitement and once-in-a-lifetime entertainment. Despite its glimmering skyscrapers and gorgeous fountains, Taiyuan, China has an extensive history of nearly 2,500 years. During ancient China, Taiyuan, or the "Dragon City," was a major military town. Presently, this city is now one of China's most important industrial cities, producing more than half of the national coal mining output. Taiyuan is both the capital and largest city of the Shanxi province of North China. It is bounded by mountains on three of its sides, allowing this great city to be surrounded by fantastic views of its landscape. Besides its economic significance, Taiyuan also achieves tourist significance due to its plethora of landmarks and sights. Some of these attractions include Jinci Temple, Forest Park, Mengshan Giant Buddha, and Shanxi Museum. Taiyuan is also celebrated internationally for holding their annual Shanxi Taiyuan International Folk Arts Festival, a celebration held in September that hosts exhibition of fine arts, painting, paper-cutting, sculpture, drama, acrobatic and the culture of costume. With such a great deal to do in such a limited window of time, it is best to make the most Taiyuan while you visit!
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to China, The Best Tours for Seniors to China, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Beijing, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Lhasa.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayYangshuo $72Taiyuan $90
The average daily cost (per person) in Yangshuo is $72, while the average daily cost in Taiyuan is $90. 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 Yangshuo and Taiyuan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personYangshuo $25Taiyuan $42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomYangshuo $50Taiyuan $84
Compare Hotels in Yangshuo and Taiyuan
Looking for a hotel in Yangshuo or Taiyuan? 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.Yangshuo $42Taiyuan $47
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Yangshuo
Also for Yangshuo, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Xingping hotel to Longsheng hotel: $107
- Guilin Private Transfer in English-speaking Services: Between Airport & Yangshuo: $106
- Private Yangshuo Transfer from Hotel to Longji terraces Hotel: $96
- Private Impression Sanjie Liu Evening Show with Hotel Transfer: $88
- Private Transfer from Yangshuo hotel to Longsheng hotel: $85
- Impression Liu Sanjie - Ticket Booking (including Round-trip Transfer): $75
- Private Departure Transfer: Yangshuo to Guilin Train Stations: $49
- Private Transfer from Yangshuo hotel to Guilin hotel: $37
- Private Transfer from Yangshuo hotel to Xingping hotel: $21
- Private Transfer from Xingping hotel to Yangshuo hotel: $21
Is it cheaper to fly into Yangshuo or Taiyuan?
Prices for flights to both Taiyuan 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.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayYangshuo $19Taiyuan $20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Yangshuo
For Yangshuo, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- 3-Hour Yangshuo Cooking Class with Yangshuo Town Shopping: $138
- Yangshuo Full Day Tour: Cooking class, River boat, Light Show: $259
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Yangshuo $23Taiyuan $15
Tours and Activities in Yangshuo
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Yangshuo.
- Yangshuo Helicopter Tour from Yangshuo hotel: $149
- 1 Day - Yangshuo Bike Tour: $80
- 1-Day Guilin City Tour and Ends of Longji Rice Terraces from Yangshuo: $218
- 1-Day Guilin City Tour with the Daxu Town and Yao Mountain from Yangshuo: $187
- 1-Day Longji Rice Terraces hiking tour from Guilin/Yangshuo hotel: $188
- 2 Day - Longji Rice Terraces - Sunrise Hiking Tour: $280
- All Inclusive Private Hiking Tour in Yangshuo: $84
- Full-day Tour: Longji Rice Terraces & Minority Villages: $146
- Full/Half-Day Yangshuo Xianggong Hill Sunrise Private Tour: $136
- Guilin Highlight Sightseeing Private Day City Tour: $139
- Guilin Tea plantation and Longji Rice Terraces Day Tour from Xingping hotel: $181
- Guilin Yangshuo Day tour from Guangzhou by Round Way Bullet Train: $212
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayYangshuo $33Taiyuan $6.32
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Yangshuo and Taiyuan, we can see that Taiyuan is more expensive. And not only is Yangshuo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Yangshuo would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Yangshuo 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 Taiyuan would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Taiyuan than you might in Yangshuo.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Yangshuo Expensive? and Is Taiyuan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Yangshuo or Taiyuan?
Taiyuan has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Yangshuo. When comparing the sizes of Yangshuo and Taiyuan, 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.