A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Hanoi vs. Jinghong for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Hanoi or Jinghong?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Hanoi and Jinghong 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: Hanoi or Jinghong?

Hanoi

Hanoi is the chaotic capital of Vietnam, and it serves as a great introduction to the country for many travelers. It's the second largest city in the country after Saigon and is an interesting combination of East meets West. There's traditional Vietnamese culture with subtle influences brought by the French. The city continues to grow and change rapidly and it's easy to get lost amidst the chaos.

Jinghong

Located in the southernmost part of the Yunnan Province, Jinghong is a city that attracts visitors each year with its rich culture and folklore, Buddhist temples, and tropical rainforest scenery of palms and mango trees amongst others. It is also an area popular with backpackers as well as a waypoint for travelers passing between China and Laos.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to Vietnam, The Best G Adventures Tours to Vietnam, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Beijing, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Lhasa.


Which place is cheaper, Jinghong or Hanoi?

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 Hanoi is $57, while the average daily cost in Jinghong is $83. 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 Hanoi and Jinghong in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Hanoi $25
    Jinghong $20
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Hanoi $50
    Jinghong $40
Compare Hotels in Hanoi and Jinghong

Looking for a hotel in Hanoi or Jinghong? 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 Hanoi


Hotels in Jinghong


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: Hanoi Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Hanoi $6.54
    Jinghong $25
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Hanoi

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


  • Taxi to Bus Station
    $1.14
  • Shuttle Bus From Airport (for Two)
    $3.03
  • Local Bus Ride (for Two)
    $0.38
  • Short Taxi Ride
    $1.29
  • Short Motorbike Ride (10 Minutes)
    $0.76

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hanoi

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hanoi:

  • Deluxe Cabin Doris Cruise 2days1night with roundtrip transfer : $250
  • Luxury Halong Bay Day Tour - 6 hours cruising - Limousine transfers: $119
  • Private Transfer From Hanoi to Mai Chau: $100
  • Private Transfer From Hanoi to Ninh Binh: $75
  • 1 Day Halong Bay Tour on Alova Cruise with Transfer & Lunch: $58
  • 1 Day Halong Cruise Tour with Transfer and early return to Hanoi: $36
  • 1 Day Tour to Halong Bay Cruise from 3 - 5 star Cruise & Transfer: $38
  • 2 Days 1 night Ba Be Lake BEST ADVENTURE: transfer,homestay,boat,kayak,swim,cave: $153
  • 2 Days Halong Bay With Budget Cruise - Including Transfer From Hanoi: $148
  • 2 Days Sapa Trekking Transfer by Limousine from/to Hanoi: $150
  • 2-Day Adenture Pu Luong Motorbike Tour with Transfer from HANOI : $125
  • 2-Day Halong Bay & Ninh Binh Tour With Transfer - Best Seller: $120

Is it cheaper to fly into Hanoi or Jinghong?

Prices for flights to both Jinghong and Hanoi 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
    Hanoi $23
    Jinghong $48
Typical Food Prices in Hanoi

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Hanoi:


  • High End Dinner (for Two)
    $11
  • Casual Lunch (for Two)
    $4.17
  • Bowl of Pho
    $0.76
  • Italian Dinner (for Food)
    $5.88

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hanoi

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

  • (Group/Individual) HANOI STREET FOOD TOUR : $5.13
  • Hanoi Old Quarter Cooking Class Tour With Local Market Shopping : $9.71
  • Hanoi Walking Street Food Tour with Train-Street Visit: $18
  • Hanoi Cooking Class: Pho/Bun Cha/Banh Xeo...+Free Egg/Salt Coffee: $19
  • Hanoi local street food tour: $20
  • Hanoi Street Food Tour with Train Street Visit: $22
  • Hanoi food tour-Local street food tour (food&guide included): $22
  • Hanoi Street Food Tour: $23
  • Hanoi Street Food Tour with Experience Guide & Real Foodie: $24
  • Hanoi Street Food Tour with Local Delicacies (3 Hours): $24
  • Best Hanoi Day Street Food Tour with Real Foodie Tastings: $24
  • Hanoi Food Tours: $24

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Hanoi $8.07
    Jinghong $9.31
Typical Entertainment Prices in Hanoi

Here are a few typical costs in Hanoi for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Puppet Theater
    $1.52
  • The Hanoi Hilton Entrance
    $1.52
  • National History Museum
    $1.52
  • Puppet Theater Ticket
    $2.65

Tours and Activities in Hanoi

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

  • Hanoi Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $4.52
  • Vietnam 7 Day 30GB Tourist SIM Rental: $4.66
  • (Evening) HANOI CUSTOMIZED Walking Tour: $5.00
  • Hanoi Old Quarter Private Walking Tour Half Day : $5.00
  • Iconic Landmarks Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.00
  • Hanoi Old Quarter Half-day Private Walking Tour : $5.00
  • Craft Village Tour (Quang Phu Cau, Bat Trang, Chuong Conical,...): $5.00
  • Ho Chi Minh Complex & Temple of Literature Tour (half day): $5.00
  • Half Day Hanoi Old Quarter Private Walking Tour : $5.00
  • Half Day Hanoi Old Quarter Private Walking Tour: $5.00
  • Street Food Walking Tour in Hanoi: $5.00
  • Sightseeing Walking Tour in Hanoi: $5.00

Tours and Activities in Jinghong

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

  • Best of Dai Villages | 20km E-Bike Tour: $41

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Hanoi $7.30
    Jinghong $5.41


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

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


Which is Bigger, Hanoi or Jinghong?

Hanoi has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Jinghong. When comparing the sizes of Hanoi and Jinghong, 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.