Which place is cheaper, Zhangjiajie or Nanjing?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Nanjing or Zhangjiajie?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Nanjing or Zhangjiajie? 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 Zhangjiajie?
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.
Zhangjiajie
Zhangjiajie, China is a picturesque city located in the northwest of the Hunan Province. This ancient city, which dates all the way back to the Stone Age, is famous for being home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Wulingyuan Scenic Area. Zhangjiajie is also known for being a popular filming location and and overall great place to escape the bustling Chinese cities. Zhangjiajie has its own dialect, which is a branch of the Hunan and Southern dialects, so Mandarin does not always translate when trying to speak to locals here.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in China, The Best 10-Day Tours in China, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in China, and The Best 2-Week Tours in China.
-
Nanjing Prices
China PricesZhangjiajie Prices
China Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNanjing $118Zhangjiajie $79
The average daily cost (per person) in Nanjing is $118, while the average daily cost in Zhangjiajie is $79. 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 Zhangjiajie in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNanjing $47Zhangjiajie $30
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNanjing $94Zhangjiajie $60
Compare Hotels in Nanjing and Zhangjiajie
Looking for a hotel in Nanjing or Zhangjiajie? 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
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Nanjing $39Zhangjiajie $15
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zhangjiajie
Also for Zhangjiajie, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 1 Day Fenghuang and Furong Town Day Tour with Hotel Transfers: $192
- Fox Fairy Show VIP Ticket with Private Transfer in ZJJ City: $52
- Private Car Transfer From WLY to Glass Bridge (Round Trip ): $105
- Private Transfer from Zhangjiajie to Fenghuang and stops at Furong old town: $187
- Private Transfer from Zhangjiajie to Guilin or Yangshuo: $256
- Private Transfer: Yichang hotel from/to Zhangjiajie Hotel: $321
- Private Transfer: Zhangjiajie from/to Fenghuang: $168
- Private transfer from Zhangjiajie(Wulingyuan) to Changsha area: $213
- Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport private transfer service: $20
- Zhangjiajie airport/city pick up transfer to hotel or Vice Versa: $15
- 4-Day Private Tour with Airport Transfers: $710
Is it cheaper to fly into Nanjing or Zhangjiajie?
Prices for flights to both Zhangjiajie 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 dayNanjing $49Zhangjiajie $36
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Zhangjiajie
For Zhangjiajie, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- 1 Day Zhangjiajie Private Tour Visit Avatar Mount and Tianzi Mount with Dinner: $196
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Nanjing $9.41Zhangjiajie $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 Zhangjiajie
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Zhangjiajie.
- Zhangjiajie Pandora Tour to Avatar Hallelujah Mountain: $7.00
- Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Ticket Booking: $16
- Zhangjiajie National Forest Park Entrance Ticket Transportation: $42
- Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge and Grand Canyon Tickets Booking: $48
- Exclusive VIP Zhangjiajie 4 Days and 3 Nights Private Tour: $50
- Exclusive VIP Zhangjiajie 5 Days and 4 Nights Private Tour: $50
- Charming Xiangxi Show VIP ticket with round trip transport: $52
- Fox Fairy Show VIP ticket with round trip private transport: $52
- Zhangjiajie Tianmen Mountain Ticket Booking: $55
- One Day Mini Group Tour to Glass Bridge and Tianmen Mountain: $63
- Mini Group Tour: Zhangjiajie Forest Park & Avatar Mountains: $66
- Zhangjiajie National Forest Park Tickets Booking: $69
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayNanjing $9.61Zhangjiajie $16
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Nanjing and Zhangjiajie, we can see that Nanjing is more expensive. And not only is Zhangjiajie much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Zhangjiajie would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Zhangjiajie 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 Nanjing would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Nanjing than you might in Zhangjiajie.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Nanjing Expensive? and Is Zhangjiajie Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Nanjing or Zhangjiajie?
Nanjing has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Zhangjiajie. When comparing the sizes of Nanjing and Zhangjiajie, 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.
When is the best time to visit Nanjing or Zhangjiajie?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Nanjing or Zhangjiajie in the Summer?
Both Zhangjiajie and Nanjing during the summer are popular places to visit.
Nanjing is around the same temperature as Zhangjiajie in the summer. The daily temperature in Nanjing averages around 28°C (83°F) in July, and Zhangjiajie fluctuates around 29°C (85°F).
Zhangjiajie gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Nanjing. Nanjing usually gets more rain in July than Zhangjiajie. Nanjing gets 174 mm (6.9 in) of rain, while Zhangjiajie receives 125 mm (4.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Summer Average Temperatures JulyNanjing 28°C (83°F)Zhangjiajie 29°C (85°F)
Should I visit Nanjing or Zhangjiajie in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Nanjing and Zhangjiajie.
In the autumn, Nanjing is around the same temperature as Zhangjiajie. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Nanjing in October average around 17°C (63°F), and Zhangjiajie averages at about 19°C (65°F).
In October, Nanjing usually receives less rain than Zhangjiajie. Nanjing gets 44 mm (1.7 in) of rain, while Zhangjiajie receives 90 mm (3.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
-
Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberNanjing 17°C (63°F)Zhangjiajie 19°C (65°F)
Should I visit Nanjing or Zhangjiajie in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Nanjing as well as Zhangjiajie.
It's quite cold in Nanjing in the winter. In January, Nanjing is generally much colder than Zhangjiajie. Daily temperatures in Nanjing average around 3°C (37°F), and Zhangjiajie fluctuates around 5°C (42°F).
Nanjing usually gets less rain in January than Zhangjiajie. Nanjing gets 27 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Zhangjiajie receives 44 mm (1.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryNanjing 3°C (37°F)Zhangjiajie 5°C (42°F)
Should I visit Nanjing or Zhangjiajie in the Spring?
Both Zhangjiajie and Nanjing are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities.
Nanjing is cooler than Zhangjiajie in the spring. The daily temperature in Nanjing averages around 15°C (60°F) in April, and Zhangjiajie fluctuates around 17°C (63°F).
It rains a lot this time of the year in Zhangjiajie. It's quite rainy in Nanjing. In April, Nanjing usually receives less rain than Zhangjiajie. Nanjing gets 101 mm (4 in) of rain, while Zhangjiajie receives 166 mm (6.5 in) of rain each month for the spring.
-
Spring Average Temperatures AprilNanjing 15°C (60°F)Zhangjiajie 17°C (63°F)
Typical Weather for Zhangjiajie and Nanjing
| Nanjing | Zhangjiajie | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 3°C (37°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) | 5°C (42°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) |
| Feb | 4°C (40°F) | 52 mm (2 in) | 6°C (44°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) |
| Mar | 9°C (48°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) | 11°C (52°F) | 112 mm (4.4 in) |
| Apr | 15°C (60°F) | 101 mm (4 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 166 mm (6.5 in) |
| May | 21°C (69°F) | 88 mm (3.5 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 179 mm (7 in) |
| Jun | 25°C (77°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 199 mm (7.8 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (83°F) | 174 mm (6.9 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 125 mm (4.9 in) |
| Aug | 28°C (83°F) | 158 mm (6.2 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 149 mm (5.9 in) |
| Sep | 23°C (74°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) |
| Oct | 17°C (63°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) | 19°C (65°F) | 90 mm (3.6 in) |
| Nov | 11°C (52°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 70 mm (2.7 in) |
| Dec | 5°C (41°F) | 25 mm (1 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) |
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.