Which place is cheaper, Te Anau or Kunming?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Kunming or Te Anau?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Kunming and Te Anau. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Kunming or Te Anau?
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.
Te Anau
Te Anau is a town on the South Island of New Zealand, best-known as a gateway to Fiordland National Park and Milford Sound. The region is a major destination for ecotourism as it is home to rare species like the endangered flightless takahe bird and natural features like caves, waterfalls, forests, lakes, glacial valleys, and mountains.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand, and The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand.
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Kunming Prices
China PricesTe Anau Prices
New Zealand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKunming $85Te Anau $118
The average daily cost (per person) in Kunming is $85, while the average daily cost in Te Anau 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 Kunming and Te Anau in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKunming $33Te Anau $44
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKunming $66Te Anau $88
Compare Hotels in Kunming and Te Anau
Looking for a hotel in Kunming or Te Anau? 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.
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: Te Anau Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kunming $14Te Anau $27
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kunming
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Kunming:
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Taxi Ride$1.54
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kunming
Also for Kunming, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- [Airport Transfer] Kunming Changshui Airport ⇔ Kunming City Transfer ☆ High reputation for service! <Charter charter>: $36
- Kunming Private Round Trip Transfer to Fuxianhu Lake: $90
- Kunming Changshui Airport Chauffeur Service, Kunming Airport Transfer, Pickup: $83
- Kunming Airport Private Transfer - Charge by Vehicle: $48
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Te Anau
Also for Te Anau, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Lake Marian Guided Hike with Transfers, Lunch & Morning Tea: $184
- Te Anau to Invercargill Small Group Transfer: $53
- Kepler Water Taxi Transfer across Lake Te Anau: $17
Is it cheaper to fly into Kunming or Te Anau?
Prices for flights to both Te Anau and Kunming 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
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Food Meals for one dayKunming $39Te Anau $46
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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kunming $18Te Anau $47
Tours and Activities in Kunming
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Kunming.
- 1-Day Self-Guided Stone Forest Geological Park Tour from Kunming: $106
- Kunming Private Day Tour to Jiuxiang Cave with Boat Ride : $209
- 1 Day Stone Forest & Jiuxiang Cave Tour: $290
- 1-Day Dongchuan Red Land Photography Private Tour from Kunming: $269
- 1-Day Kunming Scenery Tour: $122
- 1-Day Kunming tour with the Green Lake,Bird & Flower market and Yuantong Temple: $201
- 1-Day Private Tour:Stone Forest and Western Hill(Dragon Gate) from Kunming: $245
- 2 Days Kunming City Tour with Professional Private Tour Guide: $226
- All inclusive Dongchuan red earth tour start from Kunming: $150
- Dongchuan Red Land Private Tour: $123
- Essences of Kunming Downtown Day Tour: $189
- From 15-Day Private Tour to Guilin and Yangshuo: $3,149
Tours and Activities in Te Anau
For Te Anau, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Award Winning Milford Sound Full Day Tour & Cruise from Te Anau: $128
- Champagne Sightseeing Cruise on Lake Te Anau: $98
- Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise from Te Anau: $214
- Doubtful Sound Wilderness Day Cruise from Manapouri: $201
- Epic Milford Guided Tour from Te Anau: $142
- Evening Champagne Cruise on Historic 1935 Motor Yacht.: $84
- Fiordland: Jet Boat & Nature Walk Experience from Te Anau: $119
- From Doubtful Sound Coach & Cruise: $216
- From Milford Sound Coach Tour and Cruise: $119
- From Milford Sound Coach, Cruise, and Walks: $173
- From Milford Sound Cruise & Scenic Coach Tour: $126
- From Milford Sound Cruise and Coach Day Trip: $133
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKunming $18Te Anau $14
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kunming and Te Anau, we can see that Te Anau is more expensive. And not only is Kunming much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Kunming is in Asia and Te Anau 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 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 Te Anau would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Te Anau 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 Kunming Expensive? and Is Te Anau Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kunming or Te Anau?
Kunming has a larger population, and is about 490 times larger than the population of Te Anau. When comparing the sizes of Kunming and Te Anau, 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.