Which place is cheaper, Harbin or Beijing?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Beijing or Harbin?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Beijing and Harbin can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Beijing or Harbin?
Beijing
Beijing is the capital of China and, with 21.5 million people, it is the second most populated city in the world after Shanghai. It is a city that keeps pockets of its history hidden in old neighborhoods or back alleys, despite the constant change and modernization that goes on around it. As the capital city of China, there is plenty of history and culture. You can still get yourself lost in one of the last remaining hutongs, which are old neighborhoods that remain untouched by the city's modernization. The alleys that weave between the old homes are lined with drying clothes, corner markets, and people going about their daily lives the way they have for centuries. Surrounding these hutongs you'll find modern buildings and a booming economy, all threatening to destroying these last bits of Beijing's history. Beijing offers a glimpse into a microcosm that represents the entire country of China. Make sure you give yourself enough time in China to truly experience Beijing. You can pass a lot of time soaking up life in the city, which remains as diverse as the country it resides within.
Harbin
Harbin, China is the northernmost major city in the country, with a population of over 10 million. Harbin was founded in 1897 by Russia, which has resulted in a lot of Russian influence throughout the city and many Russian citizens. The city is most famous for their annual International Snow and Ice Festival, a two-month-long festival running from January through February of each year.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in China, and The Best Historical Tours in China.
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Beijing Prices
China PricesHarbin Prices
China Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBeijing $91Harbin $66
The average daily cost (per person) in Beijing is $91, while the average daily cost in Harbin is $66. 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 Beijing and Harbin in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBeijing $40Harbin $21
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBeijing $80Harbin $42
Compare Hotels in Beijing and Harbin
Looking for a hotel in Beijing or Harbin? 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.Beijing $7.83Harbin $1.52
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Beijing
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Beijing:
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Taxi$4.78
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Train from Airport for Two$7.01
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Taxi to Hotel$8.41
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2 Metro Passes$2.24
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Metro$0.56
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Beijing
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Beijing:
- [Airport Transfer] Beijing Capital Airport ⇔ Beijing City Transfer (one way) ☆ High reputation for service! <Charter charter>: $25
- VIP Mutianyu Great Wall Tour: Expert Guide & Private Transfer: $87
- Universal Beijing Resort Private Transfer one way, City/Airport: $45
- Ultimate Forbidden City and Mutianyu Great Wall Discovery with Airport Transfer: $186
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Beijing APT-HTL (PEK): $41
- Transfer: Beijing City Center to Beijing Airport (PEK): $42
- Transfer: Beijing Capital Airport (PEK) to Beijing City: $40
- Transfer to Daxing Intl Airport : $60
- Transfer to Beijing Capital Intl Airport : $35
- Transfer from Daxing Intl Airport : $60
- Tianjin Port Private transfers to Beijing Hotel&optionals: $219
- Tianjin International Cruise Port to Beijing Capital Airport by private transfer: $148
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Harbin
Also for Harbin, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 4 Hour Private Transfer to Sun Island Snow Sculptures: $100
- Harbin Airport (HRB) : Private Arrival Transfer with Meet & Greet Service: $32
- Harbin Catholic Church Car Transfer Service: $80
- Harbin Ice Festival Tickets and Transfer Service : $148
- Harbin Taiping Airport Chauffeur Service, Harbin Airport Transfer, Pick up.: $59
- Harbin Volga Manor Private Transfer Service with Entry Tickets: $300
- Private Arrival Transfer from Harbin West Railway Station to Harbin City Hotel: $65
- Private Departure Transfer to Harbin North Railway Station from Harbin City: $100
- Private Full Day Transfer Service to Harbin Top Winter Attractions: $198
- Private HRB Airport Arrival Transfer to Harbin City Hotel: $70
- Private HRB Airport Departure Transfer from Harbin City Hotel: $70
- Shared Transfer Service to Ice and Snow World, Sun Island Snow Festival: $250
Is it cheaper to fly into Beijing or Harbin?
Prices for flights to both Harbin and Beijing 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 dayBeijing $34Harbin $24
Typical Food Prices in Beijing
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Beijing:
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Popcorn$0.84
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Hot Pot Dinner$7.01
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Dumpling Breakfast for Two$2.80
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Watermelon$1.96
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Peking Duck Dinner for 2$17
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Two Popsicles$0.84
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Beijing
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Beijing.
- Online Cooking Class Kungpao Chicken: $20
- Online Cooking Class Handmade Noodles by Sunflower Li: $20
- Online Cooking Class Orange Chicken by Sunflower Li: $20
- Hutong Breakfast Food Tour: $45
- Beijing Acrobatic Show Tickets w/ Optional Dinner or Transfer: $48
- Temple of Heaven Private Tour w/Option Show &Dinner: $54
- China's Favourite Street Food Cooking Workshop: $55
- Beijing Hutong Breakfast Food Tour: $55
- Private Local Food Tour in Beijing with a Local Guide: $59
- Beijing Walking Food Tour with a Local Friend: $60
- Authentic Local Food Tour in Center Beijing: $70
- Beijing Hidden Hutong Bike & Food Tour - Pro Photos Included: $71
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Harbin
For Harbin, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Dinner Show with Costumes and Performances: $29
- Harbin Cultural Tour at Zhongyang Dajie to Baluoke with Dinner: $80
- Central Street, Baluoke Village, and Dinner Tour: $90
- Harbin Dumpling Cooking Class: $154
- Hot Spring Experience with Hot Pot Dinner in Harbin: $300
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Beijing $24Harbin $53
Typical Entertainment Prices in Beijing
Here are a few typical costs in Beijing for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Entry to Summer Palace for Two$8.41
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Two Opera Tickets$60
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Temple of Heaven Park Entrance (for 2)$9.81
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Forbidden City (for 2)$17
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Forbidden City Tickets$17
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Audio Guides at Forbidden City$11
Tours and Activities in Beijing
Here are a few actual costs in Beijing for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1-Day Mutianyu Great Wall and Beijing Airport Drop off Tour: $235
- 4-Hour Beijing Layover Tour to Hutong from Daxing Airport: $145
- All Inclusive Mutianyu Great Wall & Summer Palace Private Tour: $188
- All Inclusive Private Tour: Juyongguan Greatwall, Sacred Road, MingTombs : $180
- Beijing 2 Summer Palace Private Garden Tour: $140
- Beijing Layover Tour: Mutianyu Great Wall with English Driver : $121
- Beijing Private Tour of Ming Tombs, Summer Palace, Bird's Nest and Water Cube: $297
- China Art Museum and 798 Art Zone Private Tour: $137
- China National Museum Ticket Pre-booking and Tiananmen Square : $9.50
- Forbidden City Private Walking Tour with Optional Sights: $81
- Forbidden City Tour : $116
- Forbidden city with Tian'anmen square layover tour of Beijing : $240
Tours and Activities in Harbin
For Harbin, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Harbin Ice and Snow World Ticket Booking: $51
- Half Day Tour for Harbin Guandong Ancient Lane and Wood Sculpture Museum: $104
- Harbin Summer Indoor Ice and Snow World Tour: $136
- Harbin Ice Lantern Show and Center Street Tour: $150
- Private Half Day Tour Harbin ConfucianTemple and Temple of Bliss (Jile Si): $157
- 1-Day Harbin Private Tour: $168
- Harbin City Guided Tour to Zhongyang Street and Sophia Church: $180
- Private Half Day City Tour including Russian Town and Harbin Ropeway Ride: $198
- Small Group Night Tour to Harbin Ice and Snow World: $199
- Harbin City Private Day Tour in Your Way in Winter Season: $200
- Harbin Ice Festival New Year Eve Countdown Group Tour on December 31: $200
- Private Half Day Tour to Unit 731 Museum and Sites in Harbin: $218
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBeijing $12Harbin $7.96
Sample the Local Flavors in Beijing
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Beijing:
- Evening Food Private Tour with Brewery Taproom Hopping at Slow Boat in Beijing: $110
- Tipsy Travel: Beijing Local Food and Bar Crawl night in Hutong: $158
- 5-Hour Private Changyu Chateau Wine Tasting Tour from Beijing: $178
- Beijing Brewery Bike Tour: $199
- Private Changyu Chateau Wine Tasting Tour and Mutianyu Great Wall Visit: $238
Sample the Local Flavors in Harbin
Also in Harbin, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Half-Day Private Harbin Beer Museum and Brewery Tour: $250
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Beijing and Harbin, we can see that Beijing is more expensive. And not only is Harbin much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Harbin would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Harbin 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 Beijing would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Beijing than you might in Harbin.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Beijing Expensive? and Is Harbin Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Beijing or Harbin?
Beijing has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Harbin. When comparing the sizes of Beijing and Harbin, 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.
When is the best time to visit Beijing or Harbin?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Beijing or Harbin in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Beijing as well as Harbin. Many visitors come to Beijing in the summer for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences.
In July, Beijing is generally a little warmer than Harbin. Daily temperatures in Beijing average around 27°C (80°F), and Harbin fluctuates around 24°C (75°F).
It's quite rainy in Harbin. Beijing receives a lot of rain in the summer. Beijing usually gets more rain in July than Harbin. Beijing gets 176 mm (6.9 in) of rain, while Harbin receives 153 mm (6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyBeijing 27°C (80°F)Harbin 24°C (75°F)
Should I visit Beijing or Harbin in the Autumn?
Both Harbin and Beijing are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Most visitors come to Beijing for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area during these months.
Beijing is much warmer than Harbin in the autumn. The daily temperature in Beijing averages around 14°C (56°F) in October, and Harbin fluctuates around 7°C (44°F).
In October, Beijing usually receives less rain than Harbin. Beijing gets 19 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while Harbin receives 23 mm (0.9 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberBeijing 14°C (56°F)Harbin 7°C (44°F)
Should I visit Beijing or Harbin in the Winter?
Both Harbin and Beijing during the winter are popular places to visit. The winter months attract visitors to Beijing because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
It's quite cold in Harbin in the winter. The weather in Beijing can be very cold. In the winter, Beijing is much warmer than Harbin. Typically, the winter temperatures in Beijing in January average around -4°C (26°F), and Harbin averages at about -18°C (-0°F).
Beijing usually gets less rain in January than Harbin. Beijing gets 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain, while Harbin receives 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryBeijing -4°C (26°F)Harbin -18°C (-0°F)
Should I visit Beijing or Harbin in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Beijing and Harbin. The activities around the city and the natural beauty are the main draw to Beijing this time of year.
In April, Beijing is generally much warmer than Harbin. Daily temperatures in Beijing average around 14°C (57°F), and Harbin fluctuates around 8°C (46°F).
In April, Beijing usually receives more rain than Harbin. Beijing gets 26 mm (1 in) of rain, while Harbin receives 21 mm (0.8 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilBeijing 14°C (57°F)Harbin 8°C (46°F)
Typical Weather for Harbin and Beijing
| Beijing | Harbin | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -4°C (26°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | -18°C (-0°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Feb | -1°C (30°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | -14°C (7°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) |
| Mar | 6°C (42°F) | 9 mm (0.4 in) | -3°C (26°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Apr | 14°C (57°F) | 26 mm (1 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
| May | 20°C (68°F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) | 15°C (60°F) | 37 mm (1.5 in) |
| Jun | 25°C (76°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (80°F) | 176 mm (6.9 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 153 mm (6 in) |
| Aug | 25°C (78°F) | 182 mm (7.2 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 116 mm (4.6 in) |
| Sep | 20°C (69°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) |
| Oct | 14°C (56°F) | 19 mm (0.7 in) | 7°C (44°F) | 23 mm (0.9 in) |
| Nov | 5°C (41°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | -4°C (24°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) |
| Dec | -1°C (29°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) | -14°C (7°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
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.