A Travel Price Comparison for China Zhangye vs. Datong for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Zhangye or Datong?

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 Zhangye and Datong. 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: Zhangye or Datong?

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.

Datong

If you're looking for an old world city, with a renovated feel, you might want to spend some time in Datong, China. This city was once walled-in and the newest initiative is to rebuild their great wall to maintain their old world charm. Datong is definitely done a lot to make itself a contender in the world of vacation destinations.

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 China, and The Best 2-Week Tours in China.


Which place is cheaper, Datong or Zhangye?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Zhangye is $86, while the average daily cost in Datong is $56. 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 Zhangye and Datong in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Zhangye $38
    Datong $23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Zhangye $76
    Datong $46
Compare Hotels in Zhangye and Datong

Looking for a hotel in Zhangye or Datong? 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 Zhangye


Hotels in Datong


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.


Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Zhangye $39
    Datong $12

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

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Datong

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

  • Datong Yungang Airport Chauffeur Service , to Datong Transfer: $12
  • Private Transfer Service from Yungang Airport to Datong Hotel: $29
  • Transfer from Datong Railway Stations to Hotels in City Center: $35
  • Datong Hanging Temple Private Transfer from Hotel or Station: $69
  • Private Round-Trip Transfer to Hanging Temple: $98
  • Dunhuang Private Round Trip Transfer to Jiayuguan and Xuanbi Great Wall : $100
  • Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Hanging Temple and Hengshan from Datong: $118
  • Private One Way Transfer from Datong to Beijing : $211

Is it cheaper to fly into Zhangye or Datong?

Prices for flights to both Datong and Zhangye 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
    Zhangye $26
    Datong $20

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Zhangye $10
    Datong $25

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
  • 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

Tours and Activities in Datong

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

  • Yungang Grottoes Entrance Ticket with Optional Guided Service: $22
  • Datong Private Self-guided Tour with Chartered Car: $26
  • YungangGrottoe HangingTemple Private Self-guided Tour by Car: $79
  • Datong Hanging Temple Wooden Pagoda Self-guided Tour by Car: $95
  • 4-8 hours Private Datong Great Wall Tour: $99
  • Private Datong Day Tour Arranged by Local Tour Guide Nancy: $129
  • Temples and Grottoes Private Full–Day Tour: $149
  • Private city tour Datong Yungang grottoes and Huayan Monastery: $160
  • Private Custom Tour: Datong City in One Day: $180
  • Datong Private Day Tour to Deshengbu and Zhenchuankou Great Wall with Lunch: $190
  • Datong Day Tour to Yungang Grottoes and Hanging Temple: $203
  • All-Inclusive Private Day Tour to Wooden Pagoda and Hanging Temple from Datong: $220

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Zhangye $6.95
    Datong $12


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Zhangye and Datong, we can see that Zhangye is more expensive. And not only is Datong much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Datong would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Datong 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 Datong.

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


Which is Bigger, Zhangye or Datong?

Datong has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Zhangye. When comparing the sizes of Zhangye and Datong, 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.

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