Which place is cheaper, Guilin or Zhangye?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Zhangye or Guilin?
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 Guilin. 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 Guilin?
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.
Guilin
Guilin is a city in Southern China situated on the west bank of the Li River with Hunan to the north. Its name means, "Forest of Sweet Osmanthus," owing to the large number of fragrant Sweet Osmanthus trees located in the city. Products like tea, sugar, and wine, can be made from the tree and are found in many shops throughout Guilin. A popular tourist destination, the city is renowned for its scenery of karst topography with unique mountains jutting out of the urban landscape.
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.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayZhangye $87Guilin $69
The average daily cost (per person) in Zhangye is $87, while the average daily cost in Guilin is $69. 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 Guilin in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personZhangye $39Guilin $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomZhangye $78Guilin $70
Compare Hotels in Zhangye and Guilin
Looking for a hotel in Zhangye or Guilin? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Zhangye $39Guilin $5.92
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zhangye
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zhangye:
- Private Airport Transfer: Zhangye Airport (YZY) to Zhangye Hotel: $59
- Private Airport Transfer: Zhangye Hotel to Zhangye Airport (YZY): $59
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Guilin
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Guilin are as follows:
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Taxi$2.84
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guilin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Guilin:
- Private Departure Transfer from Hotel to Guilin Train Stations: $17
- [Airport Transfer] Haikou Airport ⇔ Haikou City Transfer ☆ High reputation for service! <Charter charter> *: $23
- Private Arrival Transfer: Guilin International Airport (KWL) to Downtown Hotel: $25
- Private Departure Transfer: Downtown Guilin Hotel to Airport (KWL): $25
- Private Airport Transfer:Guilin Hotel to Guilin Liangjiang International Airport: $35
- Private Transfer from Guilin hotel to Yangshuo hotel: $37
- Transfer from Guilin Hotels to Yangshuo Town: $37
- Guilin Railway stations Transfer Service: $37
- Transfer from Guilin Liangjiang Airport to Guilin City Center: $41
- Private Guilin Airport Transfer to Yangshuo: $42
- Private Airport Transfer: Guilin Liangjiang Airport to Yangshuo Hotel: $45
- Private Arrival Transfer: Guilin International Airport (KWL) to Yangshuo: $49
Is it cheaper to fly into Zhangye or Guilin?
Prices for flights to both Guilin 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
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Food Meals for one dayZhangye $26Guilin $23
Typical Food Prices in Guilin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Guilin:
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Fresh Coconut Drink$1.42
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guilin
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Guilin.
- Half day Yangshuo Cooking lesson Small Group Tour: $62
- Full-Day Li-River with the 4 Star Luxury Boat VIP Room and Yangshuo Cooking Tour: $286
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Zhangye $11Guilin $28
Tours and Activities in Zhangye
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Zhangye are as follows:
- Zhangye One Day City Tour: $77
- Private day tour to Zhangye Danxia Landform the Rainbow Mountain: $150
- Private day tour to Zhangye Mati temple & Giant Buddha Temple start from Zhangye: $155
- Zhangye Danxia Half Day tour: $195
- Zhangye Rainbow Danxia Private Day Tour: $214
- Private Hiking Tour: Pingshanhu Grand Canyon and the Horse Hoof Temple Grottoes: $235
- Private Day Tour: Horse Hoof Temple Grottoes and Zhangye Danxia Landform: $299
- Private Hiking Tour: Binggou Danxia and Zhangye Danxia Geopark from Zhangye: $299
Typical Entertainment Prices in Guilin
Here are a few typical costs in Guilin for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Entrance to the Caves$17
Tours and Activities in Guilin
Here are a few actual costs in Guilin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Guilin Four lakes night cruise with the English speaking driver from Guilin hotel: $47
- Guilin City Center Walking Group Tour at Night for Three Hours: $50
- Kayaking Adventure with Local Guide: $52
- One Day Private Longji Rice Terraces with Minority village tour: $52
- Half-Day Self-Guided Yangshuo Xianggong Hill Sunrise Tour: $52
- Guilin Classic Li River Day Tour with Xianggong Hill : $55
- Private Full-Day City Tour with Fubo Hill: $61
- Full-Day Guilin Essence and Lifestyle Walking Tour: $69
- 1-DAY Private Longji Rice Terraces and Minority Villages Tour: $70
- 1-DAy Private Guilin -Li River Cruise-Yangshuo Highlights tour: $70
- Yangshuo Old Town and 3 star Li River Cruise from Guilin: $72
- Half/Full day Yangshuo Cuiping hill Sunset Private Tour: $73
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayZhangye $7.09Guilin $5.88
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Zhangye and Guilin, we can see that Zhangye is more expensive. And not only is Guilin much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Guilin would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Guilin 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 Guilin.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Zhangye Expensive? and Is Guilin Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Zhangye or Guilin?
Guilin has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Zhangye. When comparing the sizes of Zhangye and Guilin, 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.