A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Yogyakarta vs. Zhangye for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Yogyakarta or Zhangye?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Yogyakarta or Zhangye? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Yogyakarta or Zhangye?

Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta, also called Yogya, Jogja, and Jogjakarta, is Java's hub of culture and art, and is the top-visited destination on the island. While Jakarta is the most populated and industrially-developed city in Indonesia, Yogya has managed to progress without losing its cultural charm, as illustrated in its well-kept traditional Indonesian architecture.

Zhangye

Zhangye, China is a city in the Gansu Province in the central north part of the country, close to Mongolia. This ancient city has often been used as a military strong hold, having been the headquarters of General Huo among many others. Zhangye is a fabulous day trip city to visit when staying in larger nearby cities.

Zhangye is privy to beautiful summer weather, with lots of sunshine and temperatures in the high 70's Fahrenheit. The best times to visit are between July and September, when temperatures and sunshine are at their highest. Autumn, Winter, and Spring tend to be a little chillier and rainier.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Indonesia, The Best Eco Tours in Indonesia, The Best Historical Tours in China, and The Best 10-Day Tours in China.


Which place is cheaper, Zhangye or Yogyakarta?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Yogyakarta is $64, while the average daily cost in Zhangye is $105. 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 Yogyakarta and Zhangye in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Yogyakarta $35
    Zhangye $39
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Yogyakarta $70
    Zhangye $78
Compare Hotels in Yogyakarta and Zhangye

Looking for a hotel in Yogyakarta or Zhangye? 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.

Hotels in Yogyakarta


Hotels in Zhangye


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: Yogyakarta Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Yogyakarta $1.28
    Zhangye $39

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Yogyakarta

Also for Yogyakarta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer Airport Yogyakarta (JOG) to All City Destination: $7.00
  • Yogyakarta Airport: Private Transfer To/ From The Hotels: $12
  • YIA Airport Private Transfer: $12
  • Indonesia: Yogyakarta Airport Transfer: $14
  • From Roundtrip Transfer to Borobudur Temple: $15
  • Private Airport Transfer YIA: $22
  • Jomblang and Pindul Cave Small Group Tour With Transfer and Lunch: $25
  • Private Transfer Airport Jogyakarta ( Adisucipto ): $25
  • Borobudur 5-hour Tour with Climb-up & Transfers: $25
  • Borobudur ClimbUP Afternoon Guided and transfer: $26
  • Yogyakarta Airport Transfer (For 1-4 person): $27
  • Yogyakarta Airport Transfer ( Private Service ): $28

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zhangye

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zhangye:

  • Private Airport Transfer: Zhangye Hotel to Zhangye Airport (YZY): $59
  • Private Airport Transfer: Zhangye Airport (YZY) to Zhangye Hotel: $59

Is it cheaper to fly into Yogyakarta or Zhangye?

Prices for flights to both Zhangye and Yogyakarta 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Yogyakarta $19
    Zhangye $45

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Yogyakarta

For Yogyakarta, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Ramayana Show with Transfer, Entry Fee & Dinner: $13
  • Night Walking & Street Food Tour: $21
  • Guided City Walk and Food Tour: $23
  • Morning Walk and Food Tour: $23
  • Kotagede Night Food Tour: $27
  • Ramayana Ballet Performance with Optional Dinner: $28
  • Yogyakarta Historical Walking and Food Tour: $29
  • Yogyakarta Evening Walking and Food Tour: $30
  • Nighttime Walk and Food Tour: $32
  • Cooking Class with Market Visit and Hotel Pickup: $33
  • Prawirotaman Night Food Tour: $35
  • 3-hour Cooking Class with Market Tour: $35

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Yogyakarta $15
    Zhangye $11

Tours and Activities in Yogyakarta

For Yogyakarta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Chicken Church at Karangrejo Village Admission Ticket: $1.85
  • Obelix Hills Entry Ticket: $2.18
  • Java Puppets Museum Admission Ticket: $2.50
  • YOGYAKARTA CITY TOUR,SULTAN PALACE,WATER CASTLE AND CRAFTS.: $6.23
  • Half Day Keraton and Taman Sari Tour: $10
  • Prambanan Temple Afternoon Tour: $12
  • Prambanan Temple: Half-Day Guided Tour From Yogyakarta: $14
  • Borobudur(Guarantee Climb up) Shared Guide Tour: $15
  • Jomblang Cave & Pindul Cave Adventur Tour: $15
  • Jomblang Cave and Pindul Cave Tour with Lunch: $15
  • Yogayakarta : Jomblang Cave and Pindul Cave Tour: $15
  • Borobudur and Prambanan Temple Tour: $16

Tours and Activities in Zhangye

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Zhangye are as follows:

  • Private day tour to Zhangye Danxia Landform the Rainbow Mountain: $150
  • From 6-Day Private Photography Tour to Dunhuang: $1,099
  • Private Day Tour: Horse Hoof Temple Grottoes and Zhangye Danxia Landform: $299
  • Private Hiking Tour: Binggou Danxia and Zhangye Danxia Geopark from Zhangye: $299
  • Private Hiking Tour: Pingshanhu Grand Canyon and the Horse Hoof Temple Grottoes: $235
  • Private day tour to Zhangye Mati temple & Giant Buddha Temple start from Zhangye: $155
  • Zhangye Danxia Half Day tour: $195
  • Zhangye One Day City Tour: $77
  • Zhangye Rainbow Danxia Private Day Tour: $214
  • Danxia Geopark & Giant Buddha Private Day Tour: $246
  • Mati Temple Grottoes & Giant Buddha Temple Tour: $257

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Yogyakarta $4.74
    Zhangye $7.01


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Yogyakarta and Zhangye, we can see that Zhangye is more expensive. And not only is Yogyakarta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Yogyakarta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Yogyakarta 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 Zhangye would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Zhangye than you might in Yogyakarta.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Yogyakarta Expensive? and Is Zhangye Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Yogyakarta or Zhangye?

Yogyakarta has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Zhangye. When comparing the sizes of Yogyakarta and Zhangye, 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.