Which place is cheaper, Zhangjiajie or Zhangye?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Zhangye or Zhangjiajie?
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 Zhangjiajie. 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 Zhangjiajie?
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.
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.
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 $85Zhangjiajie $63
The average daily cost (per person) in Zhangye is $85, while the average daily cost in Zhangjiajie is $63. 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 Zhangjiajie in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personZhangye $38Zhangjiajie $30
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomZhangye $76Zhangjiajie $60
Compare Hotels in Zhangye and Zhangjiajie
Looking for a hotel in Zhangye or Zhangjiajie? 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 $38Zhangjiajie $14
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 Zhangjiajie
Also for Zhangjiajie, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Car Transfer From WLY to Glass Bridge (Round Trip ): $105
- Private Transfer from Zhangjiajie Train Station to Fenghuang hotel: $149
- Private Transfer: Zhangjiajie to/from Fenghuang : $149
- Private Transfer from Zhangjiajie to Fenghuang and stops at Furong old town: $187
- Private transfer from Zhangjiajie(Wulingyuan) to Changsha area: $213
- Private Transfer from Zhangjiajie to Guilin or Yangshuo: $256
Is it cheaper to fly into Zhangye or Zhangjiajie?
Prices for flights to both Zhangjiajie 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 $25Zhangjiajie $20
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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Zhangye $10Zhangjiajie $23
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 Zhangjiajie
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Zhangjiajie.
- Virtual Guided Tour: Visit China's Landscapes with Hollywood Movies: $16
- 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
- Join-in Tour: Day Tour to Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon & Glass Bridge : $125
- 1-day Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge Tour: $132
- 1 Days Zhangjiajie Natural Beauty Tour with Baofeng Lake: $132
- 1-day Zhangjiajie Tianmen Mountain Tour with Tianmen Cave: $137
- Private Day Tour of Baofeng Lake and Yellow Dragon Cave: $140
- 1 Day Private Expedition Tour to Binlang Valley: $142
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayZhangye $6.91Zhangjiajie $16
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Zhangye and Zhangjiajie, we can see that Zhangye is more expensive. And not only is Zhangjiajie much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 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 Zhangjiajie.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Zhangye Expensive? and Is Zhangjiajie Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Zhangye or Zhangjiajie?
Zhangye has a larger population, and is about 12% larger than the population of Zhangjiajie. When comparing the sizes of Zhangye and Zhangjiajie, 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.