A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Doha vs. Kunming for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Doha or Kunming?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Doha and Kunming 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: Doha or Kunming?

Doha

Doha is the capital city of Qatar, modern and rapidly developing with much construction underway. It is home to Doha International Airport, the main point of entry for Qatar, as well as many of the country's best museums and examples of cultural heritage.

Kunming

Kunming, located in southern China, is the modern capital city of the Yunnan province. It is a transportation hub for visitors entering the region, and good transfer point to just about everywhere else in the province by train or bus. Within the city itself there are many things to see and do with a full range of parks and zoos, museums, temples, theatres, and scenic areas.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China.


Which place is cheaper, Kunming or Doha?

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 Doha is $245, while the average daily cost in Kunming is $85. 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 Doha and Kunming in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Doha $119
    Kunming $33
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Doha $238
    Kunming $66
Compare Hotels in Doha and Kunming

Looking for a hotel in Doha or Kunming? 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 Doha


Hotels in Kunming


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: Doha Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Doha $23
    Kunming $14

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Doha

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Doha:

  • Private Transfer from Doha City to Doha (DOH) Airport: $210
  • Airport Transfer: Doha Airport DOH to Doha by Luxury Van: $132
  • Doha, Qatar : Private Airport Transfer 24/7: $120
  • Doha Arabian Horseback Riding Adventure in Desert with Transfers: $120
  • Airport Transfer: Doha to Doha Airport DOH by Luxury Car: $119
  • Doha Airport Transfer: $99
  • Hamad Airport Transfer Service – 24/7 Door-to-Door Transport: $98
  • Private Transfer from Doha hotels to Doha Cruise Port: $97
  • Private Transfer from Doha Cruise Port to Doha Hamad Airport(DOH): $97
  • Private Transfer: Doha to Hamad Airport DOH by Business Car: $89
  • Airport Transfer: Doha to Doha Airport DOH by Business Car: $86
  • Private Doha City Tour and Dhow Boat Ride with Transfer: $84

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kunming

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Kunming:


  • Taxi Ride
    $1.54

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kunming

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

  • Kunming Airport Private Transfer - Charge by Vehicle: $48
  • Kunming Changshui Airport Chauffeur Service, Kunming Airport Transfer, Pickup: $83
  • Kunming Private Round Trip Transfer to Fuxianhu Lake: $90
  • [Airport Transfer] Kunming Changshui Airport ⇔ Kunming City Transfer ☆ High reputation for service! <Charter charter>: $36

Is it cheaper to fly into Doha or Kunming?

Prices for flights to both Kunming and Doha 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
    Doha $106
    Kunming $39

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Doha

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Doha.

  • Private Souk Waqif with Lunch or Dinner Tour: $96
  • Half Day Doha City Tour with Lunch or Dinner: $143
  • Qatar Island District Sightseeing, Boat & Food Tour – 7 Tastings: $144
  • Private Desert Safari with BBQ Lunch or Dinner: $160
  • Overnight Desert Safari Adventure:BBQ Dinner & Breakfast Included: $220
  • Doha Overnight Camp Desert Safari Tour with Dinner and Breakfast : $230
  • Desert Safari 7 Hours Tour with Dinner and Camp: $270
  • Overnight Private Desert Safari with Buffet Dinner and Camel Ride: $299

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kunming

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

  • Discovery more Kunming evening Food Tour with Local Guide: $78
  • Private Kunming Night Tour with Dinner: $88

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Doha $18
    Kunming $18

Tours and Activities in Doha

Here are a few actual costs in Doha for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Doha Night City Tour,Souq waqif, Katara, Pearl Qatar,Lusail City: $62
  • Desert Safari, Sand Boarding, Camel Ride & Inland Sea Tour: $49
  • Full-Day Tour Qatar North And West: $154
  • Night Inland Desert Safari Qatar 4WD Tour Private: $70
  • North Qatar Half-Day Tour: Al Zubarah, Purple Island & Mangroves: $50
  • North Qatar Tour | Zubara Fort | Purple Island | Mangros Colony : $55
  • Private Express Doha City Tour: $165
  • Quad bike/Buggy, Desert Tour, Camel Ride, SandBoarding From Doha: $75
  • 3-2-1 Olympic and Sports Museum ticket | Qatar: $20
  • 4 Hours Private Doha City Tour: $75
  • 4 Hours Private Guided City Tour in Doha : $60
  • 4 Hours-Doha City Private Tour from AirPort/ Hotel : $57

Tours and Activities in Kunming

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Kunming.

  • Kunming City & Cultural Walking tour: $26
  • Yunnan University & Culture Alley Guided Tour: $26
  • Half Day Private Tour with Customizable Itinerary: $43
  • Kunming City Tour with Private Guide: $44
  • Kunming Western Hills Scenic Area Private Tour: $64
  • Old Town Private Tour (Half Day): $66
  • Guandu Ancient Town Private Tour (Half-Day): $66
  • Kunming Western Hills Scenic Area Private Tour (Half Day): $66
  • Private Tour with Customizable Itinerary: $66
  • Stone Forest + Yiliang Roast Duck + Kunming City Private Tour: $68
  • Stone Forest, Roast Duck Lunch and City Tour: $70
  • Lijiang: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain with Scenic Train Tour: $74

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Doha $15
    Kunming $18


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Doha and Kunming, we can see that Doha is more expensive. And not only is Kunming much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Doha is in Middle East and Kunming is in Asia, 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 Kunming would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Kunming 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 Doha would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Doha than you might in Kunming.

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


Which is Bigger, Doha or Kunming?

Kunming has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Doha. When comparing the sizes of Doha and Kunming, 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.