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

Should you visit Nanjing or Aoraki Mount Cook?

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

Should I visit Nanjing 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: Nanjing or Aoraki Mount Cook?

Nanjing

Nanjing is the capital city of the Jiangsu Province on the central eastern coast of China, just north of Shanghai. This historically and culturally rich city lies at the lower end of the Yangtze river, resulting in lush and scenic landscapes. Nanjing is well-known for having many popular historical sites, some of which have been listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites.

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 Historical Tours in China, The Best 10-Day 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 Nanjing?

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 Nanjing is $118, 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 Nanjing and Aoraki Mount Cook in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Nanjing $47
    Aoraki Mount Cook $59
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Nanjing $94
    Aoraki Mount Cook $118
Compare Hotels in Nanjing and Aoraki Mount Cook

Looking for a hotel in Nanjing 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 Nanjing


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.
    Nanjing $39
    Aoraki Mount Cook $27

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nanjing

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Nanjing:

  • Private Day Tour: Nanjing City Highlights with Hotel or Railway Station Transfer: $285
  • Nanjing To Huangshan Bullet Train Ticket with Local Private Transfers: $129
  • Nanjing Private Transfer from Nanjing Lukou Airport (NKG) to central Nanjing: $125
  • Private Nanjing Airport Transfer to Zhenjiang City: $110
  • Private Transfer to Yangzhou City from Nanjing Lukou Airport : $109
  • Nanjing to Suzhou Bullet Train Ticket with Train Station Transfer: $96
  • Private Transfer to Zhenjiang from Nanjing City Center: $94
  • Nanjing Airport (NKG) to Nanjing - Round-Trip Private Transfer : $91
  • Private Round Trip Transfer to Yangzhou Attractions from Nanjing: $89
  • Private Transfer to Yangzhou from Nanjing City Center: $89
  • Nanjing to Wuxi Bullet Train Ticket with Train Station Transfer: $88
  • Yangzhou Private Transfer Service from Nanjing City or Lukou Airport : $80

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

Prices for flights to both Aoraki Mount Cook and Nanjing 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
    Nanjing $49
    Aoraki Mount Cook $46

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nanjing

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Nanjing.

  • 3-Hour Nanjing Authentic Local Food Tour by Public Transportation: $93
  • Flexible Private Nanjing City Night Tour with Dinner Option : $112
  • Private Amazing Nanjing Airport Layover Tour with Lunch or Dinner: $181

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Nanjing $9.41
    Aoraki Mount Cook $23

Tours and Activities in Nanjing

Here are a few actual costs in Nanjing for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Half-Day Nanjing City Private Flexible Tour : $109
  • 2-Day Unlimited Nanjing Private Flexible Tour with Lunch Option : $295
  • 4-Hour Nanjing City Private Tailor-Made Tour in Your Way : $109
  • 4-Hour Nanjing Private Tour with Xiaoling Tomb and Sun Yatsen Mausoleum : $124
  • 6-Hour Private Tour of Xiaoling Tomb,City Wall & Memorial Hall : $115
  • All Inclusive Nanjing City Private Day Tour with Tailor-Made Highlights: $213
  • Flexible Private Nanjing City Highlights Day Tour: $160
  • Flexible Private Nanjing City Highlights Day Tour: $168
  • Flexible Private Nanjing Independent Tour : $63
  • Flexible Private Nanjing Layover Tour: $171
  • Flexible Yangzhou Private Day Tour from Nanjing: $212
  • Half Day Nanjing City Private Flexible Tour with Night River Cruise: $206

Tours and Activities in Aoraki Mount Cook

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

  • Gibbston Valley Wines - Cave Tour : $17
  • Guided Tour with Cheese & Wine Pairing: $21
  • Twizel Stargazing Experience with a Guide (Carbon Positive): $59
  • Tekapo to Mt. Cook National Park Day Tour with Driver: $97
  • Mt Cook to Lake Tekapo Small Group Tour (one-way): $98
  • Mt Cook to Christchurch One-Way Small Group Tour via Lake Tekapo: $107
  • Mt Cook to Queenstown Small Group Tour (One-Way): $107
  • Middlemarch to Queenstown Small-Group Tour: Scenic Journey: $119
  • Day Tours from Mount Cook: $119
  • Mt Cook Small Group Scenic Day Tour from Queenstown: $149
  • Mt Cook & Tasman Glacier lookout Small Group Tour from Queenstown: $149
  • 45-Minute Mount Cook Ski Plane and Helicopter Combo Tour: $297

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Nanjing $9.61
    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
  • Kinross Winery: Wild Irishman Wine Tasting Experience: $45


When comparing the travel costs between Nanjing and Aoraki Mount Cook, we can see that Aoraki Mount Cook is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Nanjing is in Asia and Aoraki Mount Cook is in Pacific, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

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