A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Hefei vs. Aoraki Mount Cook for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Hefei or Aoraki Mount Cook?

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

Should I visit Hefei or Aoraki Mount Cook? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Hefei or Aoraki Mount Cook?

Hefei

While most would consider the city of Hefei a pass-through destination, there are plenty of things to see in the capital city of China's Anhui province.

Aoraki Mount Cook

Aoraki Mount Cook National Park is located on the South Island of New Zealand. It was declared a national park in 1953 to protect and preserve the landscape. The park is home to the country's highest peak, Aoraki/Mount Cook. In Maori, Aoraki means, "cloud piercer", and the English name, Mt Cook, refers to the navigator James Cook, who discovered New Zealand in the 18th century. Mt Cook was the training location for Sir Edmund Hillary, who was the first person to summit Everest in 1953. Other peaks in the park include Mount Tasman, Mount Sefton, and Mount Hicks. Not only can you find lush greenery all over the park, but also, glaciers cover 40% of the parks area.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to China, The Best Sightseeing Tours in China, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in New Zealand, and The Best Luxury Tours to New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Aoraki Mount Cook or Hefei?

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 Hefei is $78, while the average daily cost in Aoraki Mount Cook is $124. 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 Hefei and Aoraki Mount Cook in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Hefei $29
    Aoraki Mount Cook $59
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Hefei $58
    Aoraki Mount Cook $118
Compare Hotels in Hefei and Aoraki Mount Cook

Looking for a hotel in Hefei or Aoraki Mount Cook? 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 Hefei


Hotels in Aoraki Mount Cook


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Hefei $17
    Aoraki Mount Cook $27

Is it cheaper to fly into Hefei or Aoraki Mount Cook?

Prices for flights to both Aoraki Mount Cook and Hefei 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
    Hefei $36
    Aoraki Mount Cook $46

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Hefei $19
    Aoraki Mount Cook $23

Tours and Activities in Aoraki Mount Cook

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Aoraki Mount Cook.

  • Moeraki Boulders Self Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
  • Gibbston Valley Wines - Cave Tour : $17
  • Guided Tour with Cheese & Wine Pairing: $21
  • Half-Day Self-Guided Ride and Wine Bike Tour from Arrowtown: $59
  • Twizel Stargazing Experience with a Guide (Carbon Positive): $59
  • Queenstown Sightseeing Tour: Highlights of Queenstown: $89
  • Mt Cook to Lake Tekapo Small Group Tour (one-way): $99
  • Mt Cook to Christchurch One-Way Small Group Tour via Lake Tekapo: $108
  • Mt Cook to Queenstown Small Group Tour (One-Way): $108
  • Day Tours from Mount Cook: $120
  • Mt Cook Small Group Scenic Day Tour from Queenstown: $150
  • Mt Cook & Tasman Glacier lookout Small Group Tour from Queenstown: $150

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Hefei $11
    Aoraki Mount Cook $20

Sample the Local Flavors in Aoraki Mount Cook

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Aoraki Mount Cook:

  • Kinross Winery: Classic Central Otago Wine Tasting Experience: $15
  • Gibbston Valley Wine Tour - Self-Guided Audio Tour: $24
  • Kinross Winery: Premium Central Otago Wine Tasting Experience: $45


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

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