A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Mount Kailash vs. Kobe for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Mount Kailash or Kobe?

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

Should I visit Mount Kailash or Kobe? 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: Mount Kailash or Kobe?

Mount Kailash

The main point of entry to Mount Kailash is a small village called Darchen. Once an important sheep station for nomads and their flocks, the village has now grown to provide for the pilgrims wishing to embark towards Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar. It contains a number of guest houses and restaurants as well as a hotel where pilgrims must get permission from the Public Security Bureau to make the trek around the mountain. Also in the village are a handful of small stores and kiosks, as well as some grounds for camping. It is about 330 km (a one-day bus drive) from the town of Shiquanhe to the northeast, where Gunsa Airport is located, offering flights twice a week to Lhasa and Chengdu.

Kobe

Located between the sea and the Rokko mountain range, Kobe is a port city in Japan also considered to be one of the country's most attractive. Though it was devastated by a historic earthquake in 1995, known locally as the Great Hanshin Earthquake, Kobe has fully recovered to its cosmopolitan splendor with plenty for visitors to see and do.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in China, The Best 2-Week Tours from Tokyo, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Japan.


Which place is cheaper, Kobe or Mount Kailash?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Mount Kailash Prices
    China Prices
    Kobe Prices
    Japan Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Mount Kailash $90
    Kobe $130

The average daily cost (per person) in Mount Kailash is $90, while the average daily cost in Kobe is $130. 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 Mount Kailash and Kobe in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Mount Kailash $27
    Kobe $63
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Mount Kailash $54
    Kobe $126
Compare Hotels in Mount Kailash and Kobe

Looking for a hotel in Mount Kailash or Kobe? 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 Mount Kailash


Hotels in Kobe


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: Kobe Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Mount Kailash $32
    Kobe $14

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kobe

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

  • Airport Transfer: Kobe Airport UKB to Kobe City by Business Car: $161
  • Airport Transfer: Kobe Airport UKB to Kobe City by Business Van: $178
  • Arima Onsen Resorts to Osaka Airport (ITM) Departure Transfer: $111
  • Arima-Onsen Resort to Osaka Kansai Airport KIX-Departure Transfer: $299
  • Arrival Private Transfers from Kobe Airport UKB to Kobe City in Business Car: $144
  • Arrival Private Transfers from Kobe Airport UKB to Kobe City in Business Van: $178
  • Departure Private Transfers from Kobe City to Kobe Airport UKB in Business Van: $178
  • Departure Transfer: Kobe to Kobe Airport UKB by Business Car: $161
  • Kobe Airport (UKB) to Kobe hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $71
  • Kobe Airport (UKB) to Kobe hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $141
  • Kobe Airport Transfers : Kobe City to Kobe Airport UKB in Business Car: $144
  • Kobe Airport Transfers : Kobe City to Kobe Airport UKB in Business Van: $178

Is it cheaper to fly into Mount Kailash or Kobe?

Prices for flights to both Kobe and Mount Kailash 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
    Mount Kailash $43
    Kobe $54

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kobe

For Kobe, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Okonomiyaki Cooking Class: Create Your Own Savory Pancake: $55
  • Kobe Home Cooking Ramen and Gyoza Cooking Class: $61
  • Shinkaichi Evening Food Tour with Local Guide: $71
  • Shinkaichi Evening Food Tour with Local Guide: $72
  • Discover Kobe's Flavors On A Cooking Class: $76
  • Kobe Private Food Tour with Local Guide: $95
  • Cooking Class with Kobe Beef Sukiyaki and Origami: $101
  • Eat Like a Local Private & Personalized Food Tour: $223
  • Private tour in Kobe with beef dinner: $487

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Mount Kailash $16
    Kobe $24

Tours and Activities in Kobe

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Kobe.

  • ANCHOR Nightclub Admission Ticket (For Foreign): $6.76
  • Port Tower Admission Ticket: $6.76
  • ANCHOR Nightclub Admission Ticket (For Foreign): $6.84
  • Rokko Forest Sound Museum Admission Ticket: $9.46
  • Classic Kobe GPS App Walking Tour Mobile Game: $14
  • Kobe Port Tower Entry Ticket: $18
  • Private Ring Craft Experience in Kobe: $23
  • Make Your Own Personalized Ring in Kobe - UniqueJewelryExperience: $25
  • Sorakuen Garden Guided Walking Tour: $43
  • Bar Hopping Tour with a Local Guide: $46
  • Arima Onsen History Tour: $46
  • Kobe City Highlights Guided Tour - Shrine, Port, Tower: $47

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Mount Kailash $2.80
    Kobe $8.87

Sample the Local Flavors in Kobe

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Kobe:

  • Private Sake Tour and Tasting at a Kobe Brewery: $82
  • Sake Brewery and Japanese Life Experience Tour in Kobe: $87
  • Sake Brewery Tour with Tasting Sake: $88
  • KOBE Sake brewery PRIVATE walking tour with Local guide: $89
  • Sake Brewery Tour with Tasting and Kobe Beef Bites: $108
  • 5-Hour Nadagogo Sake Brewery Private Guided Experience: $186


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

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


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