A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Harbin vs. Tauranga for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Harbin or Tauranga?

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 Harbin and Tauranga can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Harbin or Tauranga?

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.

Tauranga

Tauranga is a city on the North Island of New Zealand. It is situated on the western side of the Bay of Plenty, which is on the east coast of the island. Its population of 130,000 makes it the fifth largest city in the country. Tauranga is a Maori word translated roughly to 'a sheltered anchorage'. This makes sense as the town is located near a very large harbor and protected by Matakana Island. Mount Maunganui is at the headland of the town and regarded as a suburb of Tauranga. The beach at Mt Maunganui is a surfing hot spot. The climate is mostly warm and dry because of the town's sheltered position.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in China, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in China, The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand, and The Best Eco Tours in New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Tauranga or Harbin?

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 Harbin is $66, while the average daily cost in Tauranga is $118. 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 Harbin and Tauranga in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Harbin $21
    Tauranga $74
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Harbin $42
    Tauranga $148
Compare Hotels in Harbin and Tauranga

Looking for a hotel in Harbin or Tauranga? 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 Harbin


Hotels in Tauranga


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: Tauranga Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Harbin $1.52
    Tauranga $6.75

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Harbin

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

  • Harbin Airport (HRB) : Private Arrival Transfer with Meet & Greet Service: $32
  • Harbin Taiping Airport Chauffeur Service, Harbin Airport Transfer, Pick up.: $59
  • Private Arrival Transfer from Harbin West Railway Station to Harbin City Hotel: $65
  • Private HRB Airport Departure Transfer from Harbin City Hotel: $70
  • Private HRB Airport Arrival Transfer to Harbin City Hotel: $70
  • Harbin Catholic Church Car Transfer Service: $80
  • 4 Hour Private Transfer to Sun Island Snow Sculptures: $100
  • Private Departure Transfer to Harbin North Railway Station from Harbin City: $100
  • Harbin Ice Festival Tickets and Transfer Service : $148
  • Private Full Day Transfer Service to Harbin Top Winter Attractions: $198
  • Shared Transfer Service to Ice and Snow World, Sun Island Snow Festival: $250
  • Harbin Volga Manor Private Transfer Service with Entry Tickets: $300

Is it cheaper to fly into Harbin or Tauranga?

Prices for flights to both Tauranga and Harbin 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
    Harbin $24
    Tauranga $37

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
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Harbin $53
    Tauranga $10

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

Tours and Activities in Tauranga

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tauranga are as follows:

  • 6hr Hobbiton Movie Set Tour - Departs Tauranga: $154
  • 7 Hours Te Puia Rotorua Tour from Tauranga with Concert: $164
  • Boutique tour , Mt Maunganui, NZ farm, Rotorua lakes/geothermal : $138
  • Explore Mount Maunganui: Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
  • Explore Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
  • From Dolphin and Wildlife Cruise: $101
  • From Half-Day Swimming with Dolphins Tour: $96
  • Geothermal Mineral Bathing Hot Pool Experience : $11
  • Guided Māori History and Culture Tour to Rotorua and Tauranga: $143
  • Half Day Dolphin & Wildlife Cruise - Tauranga: $104
  • Half Day Dolphin Watching Cruise (Departing from Rotorua): $104
  • Hobbiton movie set tour and a lot more beautiful NZ sights: $240

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Harbin $7.96
    Tauranga $10

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 Harbin and Tauranga, we can see that Tauranga is more expensive. And not only is Harbin much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Harbin is in Asia and Tauranga 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 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 Tauranga would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tauranga 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 Harbin Expensive? and Is Tauranga Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Harbin or Tauranga?

Harbin has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Tauranga. When comparing the sizes of Harbin and Tauranga, 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.