Which place is cheaper, Aoraki Mount Cook or Lhasa?
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 Lhasa or Aoraki Mount Cook?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Lhasa 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: Lhasa or Aoraki Mount Cook?
Lhasa
Lhasa is the famed capital of Tibet, and is one of the most fascinating cities in the world to visit. It's name means "Land of the Gods" and the city dates back more than 1,300 years. It's elevation is 3,650 meters above sea level, making it one of the highest cities in the world. It sits on the northern slopes of the Himalayan Mountains by the Lhasa River and is the second largest city on the Tibetan Plateau after Xining.
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 Sightseeing Tours in China, The Best Cultural Tours in China, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in New Zealand, and The Best Luxury Tours to New Zealand.
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Lhasa Prices
China PricesAoraki Mount Cook Prices
New Zealand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLhasa $91Aoraki Mount Cook $124
The average daily cost (per person) in Lhasa is $91, 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 Lhasa and Aoraki Mount Cook in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLhasa $40Aoraki Mount Cook $59
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLhasa $80Aoraki Mount Cook $118
Compare Hotels in Lhasa and Aoraki Mount Cook
Looking for a hotel in Lhasa 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.
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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Lhasa $2.60Aoraki Mount Cook $27
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lhasa
Also for Lhasa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Lhasa Kongga Airport private Transfer: $260
- Lhasa Kongga Airport Chauffeur Service, Lhasa Airport Transfer, Pickup: $170
Is it cheaper to fly into Lhasa or Aoraki Mount Cook?
Prices for flights to both Aoraki Mount Cook and Lhasa 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 dayLhasa $46Aoraki Mount Cook $46
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Lhasa $17Aoraki Mount Cook $23
Tours and Activities in Lhasa
For Lhasa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 17 Days Kailash Mansarovar Tour & Guge Kingdom Exploration: $13,185
- 17-Day Tibet Tour with Everest Base Camp: $3,759
- 5-Day Private Tour with Potala Palace & Yamdrok Lake: $1,299
Tours and Activities in Aoraki Mount Cook
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Aoraki Mount Cook.
- 45-Minute Mount Cook Ski Plane and Helicopter Combo Tour: $296
- Day Tours from Mount Cook: $119
- 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
- Moeraki Boulders Self Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Mt Cook & Tasman Glacier lookout Small Group Tour from Queenstown: $149
- Mt Cook Small Group Scenic Day Tour from Queenstown: $149
- Mt Cook Tour: Finish at Christchurch, Queenstown or Dunedin: $1,042
- Mt Cook Tour: Finish at Queenstown, Christchurch or Dunedin: $1,040
- Mt Cook to Christchurch One-Way Small Group Tour via Lake Tekapo: $107
- Mt Cook to Lake Tekapo Small Group Tour (one-way): $98
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLhasa $7.01Aoraki 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 Lhasa and Aoraki Mount Cook, we can see that Aoraki Mount Cook is more expensive. And not only is Lhasa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Lhasa 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 Lhasa would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lhasa 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 Lhasa.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Lhasa Expensive? and Is Aoraki Mount Cook Expensive?.
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.