Which place is cheaper, Te Anau or Zhangjiajie?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Zhangjiajie or Te Anau?
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 Te Anau. 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 Te Anau?
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.
Te Anau
Te Anau is a town on the South Island of New Zealand, best-known as a gateway to Fiordland National Park and Milford Sound. The region is a major destination for ecotourism as it is home to rare species like the endangered flightless takahe bird and natural features like caves, waterfalls, forests, lakes, glacial valleys, and mountains.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in China, The Best 10-Day Tours in 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 dayZhangjiajie $63Te Anau $98
The average daily cost (per person) in Zhangjiajie is $63, while the average daily cost in Te Anau is $98. 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 Te Anau in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personZhangjiajie $30Te Anau $44
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomZhangjiajie $60Te Anau $88
Compare Hotels in Zhangjiajie and Te Anau
Looking for a hotel in Zhangjiajie or Te Anau? 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: Te Anau Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Zhangjiajie $14Te Anau $27
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 Transfer from Zhangjiajie to Fenghuang and stops at Furong old town: $187
- Private Transfer from Zhangjiajie Train Station to Fenghuang hotel: $149
- Private Car Transfer From WLY to Glass Bridge (Round Trip ): $105
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Te Anau
Also for Te Anau, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Kepler Water Taxi Transfer across Lake Te Anau: $15
Is it cheaper to fly into Zhangjiajie or Te Anau?
Prices for flights to both Te Anau 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
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Food Meals for one dayZhangjiajie $20Te Anau $27
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Zhangjiajie $23Te Anau $47
Tours and Activities in Zhangjiajie
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Zhangjiajie.
- Half-Day Self-Guided Fenghuang Night Tour from Zhangjiajie: $200
- (Private Day Tour) Zhangjiajie National Park + Tianzi Mountain: $195
- 1 Day Dragon Sitting Gorge & Red Stone Forest Geo-park TOUR！: $272
- 1 Day Tianmen Mountain Tour: $139
- 1 Day Zhangjiajie Tianmen Mountain and Glass Skywalk Tour: $154
- 1 Days Zhangjiajie Natural Beauty Tour with Baofeng Lake: $132
- 1-Day Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon(Glass Bridge) & Baofeng Lake Tour: $240
- 1-Day Zhangjiajie Tianmen Mountain Tour: $146
- 2-Day “Best Of Zhangjiajie”-Avatar World & Tianmen Mountain Tour: $260
- 2-Day Zhangjiajie Happy Foodie&Sightseeing Tour: $300
- 2-Day Zhangjiajie Tour Including Yuanjiajie Mountains: $550
- 2-Full Days Zhangjiajie National Forest Park Tour : $284
Tours and Activities in Te Anau
For Te Anau, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Afternoon Te Anau Cruise on Historic Motor Yacht: $87
- Champagne Sightseeing Cruise on Lake Te Anau: $87
- Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise from Te Anau: $211
- Doubtful Sound Wilderness Day Cruise from Manapouri: $229
- Fiordland: Jet Boat & Nature Walk Experience from Te Anau: $106
- From 1-Day Milford Sound Coach & Cruise: $136
- From Milford Sound Coach Tour and Cruise: $110
- From Milford Sound Coach, Cruise, and Walks: $146
- From Milford Sound Cruise and Coach Day Trip: $122
- From Milford Sound Tour with Cruise and Lunch: $154
- From Premium Doubtful Sound Coach & Cruise: $237
- Full-Day Milford Sound Extraordinaire Tour from Te Anau: $151
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayZhangjiajie $16Te Anau $14
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Zhangjiajie and Te Anau, we can see that Te Anau 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 Te Anau 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 Te Anau would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Te Anau 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 Te Anau Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Zhangjiajie or Te Anau?
Zhangjiajie has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Te Anau. When comparing the sizes of Zhangjiajie and Te Anau, 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.