A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Zhangjiajie vs. Cromwell for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Zhangjiajie or Cromwell?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Zhangjiajie and Cromwell. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Zhangjiajie or Cromwell?

Zhangjiajie

Zhangjiajie, China is a picturesque city located in the northwest of the Hunan Province. This ancient city, which dates all the way back to the Stone Age, is famous for being home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Wulingyuan Scenic Area. Zhangjiajie is also known for being a popular filming location and and overall great place to escape the bustling Chinese cities. Zhangjiajie has its own dialect, which is a branch of the Hunan and Southern dialects, so Mandarin does not always translate when trying to speak to locals here.

Cromwell

Cromwell is a town in the Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand. It is situated between two of the main highways on the South Island and is close to Queenstown and Wanaka. Luckily, the town is surrounded by Lake Dunstan, which is good for those who love being near water as Cromwell is the furthest point from the sea in the entire country.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in China, The Best 10-Day Tours in China, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand, and The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Cromwell or Zhangjiajie?

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 Zhangjiajie is $79, while the average daily cost in Cromwell is $100. 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 Zhangjiajie and Cromwell in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Zhangjiajie $30
    Cromwell $39
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Zhangjiajie $60
    Cromwell $78
Compare Hotels in Zhangjiajie and Cromwell

Looking for a hotel in Zhangjiajie or Cromwell? 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 Zhangjiajie


Hotels in Cromwell


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: Cromwell Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Zhangjiajie $15
    Cromwell $25

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zhangjiajie

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

  • 4-Day Private Tour with Airport Transfers: $710
  • Private Transfer: Yichang hotel from/to Zhangjiajie Hotel: $322
  • Private Transfer from Zhangjiajie to Guilin or Yangshuo: $256
  • Private transfer from Zhangjiajie(Wulingyuan) to Changsha area: $213
  • 1 Day Fenghuang and Furong Town Day Tour with Hotel Transfers: $192
  • Private Transfer from Zhangjiajie to Fenghuang and stops at Furong old town: $187
  • Private Transfer: Zhangjiajie from/to Fenghuang: $168
  • Private Car Transfer From WLY to Glass Bridge (Round Trip ): $105
  • Fox Fairy Show VIP Ticket with Private Transfer in ZJJ City: $52
  • Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport private transfer service: $20
  • Zhangjiajie airport/city pick up transfer to hotel or Vice Versa: $15

Is it cheaper to fly into Zhangjiajie or Cromwell?

Prices for flights to both Cromwell and Zhangjiajie 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
    Zhangjiajie $36
    Cromwell $45

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Zhangjiajie

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

  • 1 Day Zhangjiajie Private Tour Visit Avatar Mount and Tianzi Mount with Dinner: $196

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Zhangjiajie $23
    Cromwell $16

Tours and Activities in Zhangjiajie

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Zhangjiajie.

  • 2-Day Private Combo Tour: Avatar Mountain & Tianmen Mountain: $251
  • 2-Days Private tour to Avatar mount & Have's Gate & Glass bridge: $250
  • (Private Day Tour) Zhangjiajie National Park + Tianzi Mountain: $195
  • 1 Day Dragon Sitting Gorge & Red Stone Forest Geo-park TOUR!: $272
  • 1 Day Private Expedition Tour to Binlang Valley: $142
  • 1 Day VIP Tour: Avatar Mountain&72 Odd Towers (Free Ticket): $203
  • 1 day tour Avatar Mountain and Grand Canyon & Glass Bridge: $239
  • 1-Day Private Tour to Glass Bridge & Yellow Dragon Cave: $102
  • 1-Day Private Tour to Tianmen Mountain & Glass Walk & Night Light: $146
  • 1-Day Private Tour to ZJJ National Forest Park & Avatar Mountain: $98
  • 1-Day Private Tour to Zhangjiajie Forest Park & AVATAR Mountain: $98
  • 1-Day Private Tour to Zhangjiajie Forest Park & Avatar Mountain: $195

Tours and Activities in Cromwell

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Cromwell.

  • Queenstown to Middlemarch Small-Group Guided Tour (One-Way): $92
  • Queenstown: Mount Cook Premium Guided Day Tour: $161

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Zhangjiajie $16
    Cromwell $9.10


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

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