Which place is cheaper, Nanjing or Zhangye?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Zhangye or Nanjing?
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 Nanjing. 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 Nanjing?
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.
Nanjing
Nanjing is the capital city of the Jiangsu Province on the central eastern coast of China, just north of Shanghai. This historically and culturally rich city lies at the lower end of the Yangtze river, resulting in lush and scenic landscapes. Nanjing is well-known for having many popular historical sites, some of which have been listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites.
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 $85Nanjing $96
The average daily cost (per person) in Zhangye is $85, while the average daily cost in Nanjing is $96. 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 Nanjing in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personZhangye $38Nanjing $46
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomZhangye $76Nanjing $92
Compare Hotels in Zhangye and Nanjing
Looking for a hotel in Zhangye or Nanjing? 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 $38Nanjing $38
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nanjing
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Nanjing:
- Private Arrival Transfer to Nanjing City from Railway Station : $32
- Nanjing Railway Station Private Transfer from City Center: $32
- Private Transfer between Nanjing Olympic Stadium and City Hotel: $33
- Nanjing Railway Station Private Arrival Transfer to City Hotels: $35
- Nanjing Airport (NKG) to Nanjing - Arrival Private Transfer : $36
- Tangshan Hot Spring Spa Resorts Private Transfer from Nanjing City : $44
- Nanjing Lukou International Airport Private Arrival Transfer to City Center: $45
- Private Transfer to Nanjing Railway Station from Lukou Airport : $45
- Nanjing Railway Station Private Transfer to Lukou International Airport: $45
- Private Departure Transfer from Nanjing City Center to Lukou Int'l Airport: $45
- Private NKG Airport Transfer to Nanjing Railway Station: $45
- Private Nanjing Airport Transfer from City Hotels or Tangshan Hot Spring Resorts: $45
Is it cheaper to fly into Zhangye or Nanjing?
Prices for flights to both Nanjing 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 $25Nanjing $28
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nanjing
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Nanjing.
- 3-Hour Nanjing Authentic Local Food Tour by Public Transportation: $93
- Flexible Private Nanjing City Night Tour with Dinner Option : $112
- Private Amazing Nanjing Airport Layover Tour with Lunch or Dinner: $181
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Zhangye $10Nanjing $9.28
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
Tours and Activities in Nanjing
Here are a few actual costs in Nanjing for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Flexible Private Nanjing Independent Tour : $63
- Nanjing Self-Guided Day Tour with Private Car and Driver Service: $70
- Private Amazing Nanjing City Day Tour in Your Way: $75
- Nanjing Private English Tour Guide Service: $75
- Nanjing Professional English Tour Guide Service: $91
- Half-Day Nanjing Purple Mountain Private Tour in Your Way: $94
- Yangzhou Self-Guided Tour from Nanjing with Private Car and Driver Service : $94
- Zhenjiang Self-Guided Tour from Nanjing with Private Car and Driver service : $101
- Half-Day Nanjing City Private Flexible Tour : $109
- 4-Hour Nanjing Private Tour: Xiaoling Tomb, Ming City Wall and Memorial Hall : $115
- Nanjing Private Night Tour: Confucian Temple Area, Ming City Wall, Laomendong: $116
- Nanjing Private Flexible Day Tour with Ancient and Modern History: $119
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayZhangye $6.91Nanjing $9.48
When comparing the travel costs between Zhangye and Nanjing, we can see that Nanjing is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Zhangye Expensive? and Is Nanjing Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Zhangye or Nanjing?
Nanjing has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Zhangye. When comparing the sizes of Zhangye and Nanjing, 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.