Which place is cheaper, Taupo or Yangshuo?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Yangshuo or Taupo?
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 Taupo can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Yangshuo or Taupo?
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.
Taupo
Taupo is a town located in the center of the North Island, situated on the shores of Lake Taupo, which is New Zealand's largest lake. It is also the caldera of the Taupo Volcano. It has a population of 23,700 people and is visited by many people interested in fishing, boating, and other water activities. There are many hiking and biking trails that take you around the water as well.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to China, The Best Tours for Seniors to China, The Best G Adventures Tours to New Zealand, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Auckland.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayYangshuo $72Taupo $111
The average daily cost (per person) in Yangshuo is $72, while the average daily cost in Taupo is $111. 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 Taupo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personYangshuo $25Taupo $62
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomYangshuo $50Taupo $124
Compare Hotels in Yangshuo and Taupo
Looking for a hotel in Yangshuo or Taupo? 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: Taupo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Yangshuo $42Taupo $25
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Yangshuo
Also for Yangshuo, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Impression Liu Sanjie - Ticket Booking (including Round-trip Transfer): $75
- Private Departure Transfer: Yangshuo to Guilin International Airport (KWL): $49
- Private Departure Transfer: Yangshuo to Guilin Train Stations: $49
- Private Impression Sanjie Liu Evening Show with Hotel Transfer: $88
- Private Transfer from Xingping hotel to Longsheng hotel: $107
- Private Transfer from Xingping hotel to Yangshuo hotel: $21
- Private Transfer from Yangshuo Train Station to Yangshuo Hotel: $48
- Private Transfer from Yangshuo hotel to Guilin hotel: $37
- Private Transfer from Yangshuo(Xingping) Train Station to Yangshuo Hotel: $21
- Yangshuo Rock Climbing with Hotel Transfer (3 hours): $69
Is it cheaper to fly into Yangshuo or Taupo?
Prices for flights to both Taupo 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 $19Taupo $24
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 $23Taupo $35
Tours and Activities in Yangshuo
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Yangshuo.
- Tour to learn Chinese cuisine in Yangshuo group: $37
- Impression Sanjie Liu Show Ticket: $45
- Yangshuo Impression Liusanjie Show Ticket: $45
- Yangshuo Impression Liusanjie Show Ticket: $47
- Yangshuo Ruyi peak & round way cable car ticket: $55
- Yangshuo Via Ferrata Ticket: $56
- Half/Full-Day Yangshuo Countryside Moderate Cycling and Sightseeing Private Tour: $60
- Gullin: Li River Cruise with Pickup and Yangshuo: $65
- Private Half-Day Bike and Bamboo Raft Tour in Yangshuo: $80
- 1 Day - Yangshuo Bike Tour: $80
- Xingping Parasailing Experience Ticket: $89
- Yangshuo Parasailing Experience Ticket: $89
Typical Entertainment Prices in Taupo
Here are a few typical costs in Taupo for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Bungy Jumping$152
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Jet Boating$56
Tours and Activities in Taupo
Here are a few actual costs in Taupo for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 11-Day North Island Revive Small Group Tour: $1,959
- Daily Scenic Maori Rock Carving Cruise Taupo: $30
- Escape Room Experience Taupo - Cabin in the Woods: $23
- Escape Room Experience Taupo - The Candy Cottage: $22
- Escape Room Experience Taupo - The Hunting Lodge: $23
- Escape Room Experience Taupo - The Marvelous Circus: $22
- Great Lake Trail Lake Taupo 2-Day Mountain Biking Tour: $97
- Hukafalls: 30-Minute Jet Boat Experience: $83
- Lake 1.5-Hour Maori Rock Carvings 5:00 PM Cruise: $27
- Lake Maori Rock Carvings 10.30 AM 1.5-Hour Cruise: $29
- Lake Maori Rock Carvings 8.30 AM 1.5-Hour Cruise: $29
- Lake Māori Rock Carvings Scenic Boat Cruise: $29
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayYangshuo $33Taupo $13
Typical Alcohol Prices in Taupo
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Taupo from other travelers:
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Wine$5.05
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Yangshuo and Taupo, we can see that Taupo is more expensive. And not only is Yangshuo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Yangshuo is in Asia and Taupo is in Pacific, 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 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 Taupo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Taupo 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 Taupo Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Yangshuo or Taupo?
Yangshuo has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Taupo. When comparing the sizes of Yangshuo and Taupo, 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.