A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Dali vs. Napier for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Dali or Napier?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Dali and Napier can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Dali or Napier?

Dali

Dali is a city in southern China with a long and glorious history dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The Xiaguan neighborhood of the city is the modern industrial center where most public transportation arrives; however, the Old Town of Dali is the place that draws the most visitors. Being one of China's ancient cities, Dali is said to have been a gateway to the Silk Road, and still attracts attention with its traditional architecture, beautiful scenery, ethnic cultures, and nightlife.

Napier

Napier is city on the eastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of the Hawke's Bay Region, a famous area for wine vineyards. Napier has a population of 61,000 people and is known for its Art Deco architecture and of course, wine.

For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in China, The Best Adventure Tours to China, The Best Contiki Tours to New Zealand, and The Best G Adventures Tours to New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Napier or Dali?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Dali is $62, while the average daily cost in Napier is $193. 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 Dali and Napier in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Dali $17
    Napier $101
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Dali $34
    Napier $202
Compare Hotels in Dali and Napier

Looking for a hotel in Dali or Napier? 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 Dali


Hotels in Napier


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.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Napier Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Dali $9.34
    Napier $30
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Dali

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Dali:


  • Local Bus
    $0.42

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dali

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

  • Private Transfer from Dali to Lijiang/Shuhe hotel and Stops at Shaxi Old Town: $160
  • Private Transfer from Dali to Lijiang hotel/airport(LJG): $149
  • Dali Airport Chauffeur Service, Private Dali Airport Transfer: $40

Is it cheaper to fly into Dali or Napier?

Prices for flights to both Napier and Dali 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
    Dali $32
    Napier $63
Typical Food Prices in Dali

For Dali, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Lunch
    $4.49
  • Breakfast
    $3.50

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dali

For Dali, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Cangshan Mountain hike and organic homemade dinner: $80

Typical Food Prices in Napier

For Napier, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Casural Lunch
    $8.28

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Napier

For Napier, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Taste Hawke's Bay - A Sweet treat food Tour: $115

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Dali $18
    Napier $27

Tours and Activities in Dali

For Dali, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • 1-Day Dali Erhai Sightseeing Tour: $250
  • 1-Day Dali Tie Dye Experience Private Tour: $230
  • 1-Day Dali tour with the Daili old town, Xizhou Village and Three Pagodas: $195
  • 2-Days Self-Guided tour from Dali to Lijiang and overnight in Shaxi old town: $205
  • All Inclusive Private Day Tour to Shaxi Ancient Town from Dali: $213
  • Dali City Tour with Private Guide: $71
  • Dali Day Tour: Scenic Lakes, Bai Heritage & Tie-Dye Workshop: $262
  • Dali Private Tour to Xizhou Ancient Town and Erhai Lake : $186
  • Dali XIzhou Ancient Town Private Tour: $87
  • Dali Yunnan Local Market Pottery Making Eco Tour: $197
  • Ancient City, Three Pagodas, and Longkan (ErHai) Tour: $85
  • Donglianhua (East Lotus) & Hui Muslim Culture Tour: $70

Tours and Activities in Napier

For Napier, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Shore excursion - Napier sight seeing/Art Deco Tour, : $53
  • 3 hour Napier City + Premium Winery Tour: $87
  • Art Deco Walking Private Tour from Napier Cruise Port: $249
  • Cape Winery Cycle Tour - 6 wineries, self-guided: $69
  • Coast to Vineyards Self-Guided Scenic Cycle Tour from Napier: $48
  • Deco City Black Cab Tours and Shuttles: $104
  • Discover Napier Earthquake: Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
  • Half Day Sightseeing and Taste Tour: $95
  • Hawke's Bay Historic Wineries Tour - Featuring NZ oldest Winery: $118
  • Hawke's Bay: Self Guided Coast to Vineyards Cycle Tour: $46
  • Hawke's bay: Chocolate, Honey, and Ice Cream Tour: $124
  • Hawkes Bay Wine & Local Producers Tour | Award Winning | 6 hours: $164

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Dali $11
    Napier $16

Typical Alcohol Prices in Napier

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Napier are as follows:


  • Wine
    $12

Sample the Local Flavors in Napier

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Napier:

  • Art-Deco + Te Mata Peak+ Garden Walk + Wine Tasting: $86
  • Deco Napier, Te Mata Peak, Garden Walk and Wine Tasting Tour: $89
  • Half Day Small-Group Hawkes Bay Wine Tour: $101
  • Wine Tasting Tour in Napier Region: $104
  • Napier Cruise Excursion Art Deco Tour and Wine Tasting: $107
  • From Hawke's Bay Small Group Wine Tour: $113
  • Napier Art Deco & Distillery Tour with Tastings: $116
  • Art Deco Heritage & Gin Distillery Tour with Tasting: $126
  • Hawkes Bay - Scenic, luncheon, wine Tour: $131
  • Wine Tour and Tastings in Hawkes Bay : $146
  • Craggy Range Deluxe - Hawke's Bay Wine Tour : $150


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dali and Napier, we can see that Napier is more expensive. And not only is Dali much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Dali is in Asia and Napier is in Pacific, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Dali would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Dali 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 Napier would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Napier than you might in Dali.

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


Which is Bigger, Dali or Napier?

Dali has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Napier. When comparing the sizes of Dali and Napier, 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.