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

Should you visit Zhangjiajie or Tauranga?

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 Tauranga. 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 Tauranga?

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.

Tauranga

Tauranga is a city on the North Island of New Zealand. It is situated on the western side of the Bay of Plenty, which is on the east coast of the island. Its population of 130,000 makes it the fifth largest city in the country. Tauranga is a Maori word translated roughly to 'a sheltered anchorage'. This makes sense as the town is located near a very large harbor and protected by Matakana Island. Mount Maunganui is at the headland of the town and regarded as a suburb of Tauranga. The beach at Mt Maunganui is a surfing hot spot. The climate is mostly warm and dry because of the town's sheltered position.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in China, The Best 10-Day Tours in China, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in New Zealand, and The Best 2-Week Tours in New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Tauranga or Zhangjiajie?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Zhangjiajie is $63, while the average daily cost in Tauranga is $103. 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 Tauranga in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Zhangjiajie $30
    Tauranga $74
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Zhangjiajie $60
    Tauranga $148
Compare Hotels in Zhangjiajie and Tauranga

Looking for a hotel in Zhangjiajie or Tauranga? 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 Tauranga


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: Tauranga Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Zhangjiajie $14
    Tauranga $6.78

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zhangjiajie

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

  • Zhangjiajie Private Departure Transfer:City Hotel to Railway Station: $18
  • Private Car Transfer From WLY to Glass Bridge (Round Trip ): $105
  • Private Transfer from Zhangjiajie Train Station to Fenghuang hotel: $149
  • Private Transfer from Zhangjiajie to Fenghuang and stops at Furong old town: $187
  • Private Transfer from Zhangjiajie to Fenghuang and stops at Aizhai bridge area: $187
  • Private transfer from Zhangjiajie(Wulingyuan) to Changsha area: $213
  • Private Transfer from Zhangjiajie to Guilin or Yangshuo: $256

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tauranga

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tauranga:

  • Roundtrip Transfer from Port of Tauranga Omanu Golf Club: $73

Is it cheaper to fly into Zhangjiajie or Tauranga?

Prices for flights to both Tauranga 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 $20
    Tauranga $22

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Zhangjiajie

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

  • Full-Day Private Discovery Tour to Tianmen Mountain National Park with Dinner: $184
  • 1 Day Zhangjiajie Private Tour Visit Avatar Mount and Tianzi Mount with Dinner: $196

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Zhangjiajie $23
    Tauranga $10

Tours and Activities in Zhangjiajie

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

  • Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon and Glass Bridge Ticket: $57
  • Tianmen Mountain day tour: $96
  • Full-Day Private Tour of Zhangjiajie(Wulingyuan) National Forest Park: $115
  • Full-Day Private Tour of Tianmen Mountain With the Skywalk: $121
  • Full-Day Private Tour of Tianmen Mountain: $122
  • 1-day Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge Tour: $132
  • 1 Days Zhangjiajie Natural Beauty Tour with Baofeng Lake: $132
  • 1 Day Tianmen Mountain Tour: $139
  • Private Day Tour of Baofeng Lake and Yellow Dragon Cave: $140
  • 1-Day Zhangjiajie Tianmen Mountain Tour: $146
  • Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon with Glass Bridge and Baofeng Lake Private Day Tour: $147
  • Zhangjiajie Avatar Mountain Glass Bridge day tour: $150

Tours and Activities in Tauranga

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

  • 2-Hour Tauranga & Mount Maunganui City & Scenic Local Tour: $45
  • 3hr Tauranga Sun-downer History Tour COMPLIMENTARY Wine or Beer: $54
  • 4hr Shore Excursion - History and Tasting Tour FREE Kiwifruit Tasting: $57
  • 4hr Tauranga Scenic History and Tasting Tour FREE Kiwifruit Tasting: $57
  • 6hr Hobbiton Movie Set Tour - Departs Tauranga: $142
  • 6hr Rotorua Geothermal Wonderland Tour - Departs Tauranga: $139
  • 7hr Waimangu Geothermal Valley & Lake Rotomahana Tour - Departs Tauranga: $131
  • Boutique tour , Mt Maunganui, NZ farm, Rotorua lakes/geothermal : $138
  • Evening Glow Worm Kayak Tour in Tauranga: $136
  • From Dolphin and Wildlife Cruise: $101
  • From Half-Day Swimming with Dolphins Tour: $89
  • Half Day Dolphin & Wildlife Cruise - Tauranga: $106

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Zhangjiajie $16
    Tauranga $10


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Zhangjiajie and Tauranga, we can see that Tauranga 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 Tauranga 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 Tauranga would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tauranga 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 Tauranga Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Zhangjiajie or Tauranga?

Tauranga has a larger population, and is about 28% larger than the population of Zhangjiajie. When comparing the sizes of Zhangjiajie and Tauranga, 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.