A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Qingdao vs. Dunedin for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Qingdao or Dunedin?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Qingdao or Dunedin, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Qingdao or Dunedin?

Qingdao

Qingdao, China, located in the Shandong Province, is a very large city right on the Yellow Sea coast. The city, whose name means "The Green Island" due to it's gorgeous landscapes and interesting geography, was named China's most livable city in 2012. The city is rich in history, having almost become a German territory in 1897 and being occupied by the Japanese during WWI. Evidence of these occupiers is present in much of the architecture around the city, which includes a few Catholic and Protestant churches.

Dunedin

Dunedin is the second largest city on the South Island of New Zealand. It is situated on the southeast coast and is largely Scottish in its heritage. It is part of the Otago region and has mild temperatures during the spring and summer, but extremely cold temperatures during the end of fall and winter. Dunedin is a university town; The University of Otago is the oldest in New Zealand, established in 1869. The students make up over a tenth of the entire city's population.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in China, The Best Luxury Tours to China, The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand, and The Best Eco Tours in New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Dunedin or Qingdao?

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 Qingdao is $73, while the average daily cost in Dunedin is $122. 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 Qingdao and Dunedin in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Qingdao $27
    Dunedin $51
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Qingdao $54
    Dunedin $102
Compare Hotels in Qingdao and Dunedin

Looking for a hotel in Qingdao or Dunedin? 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 Qingdao


Hotels in Dunedin


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: Dunedin Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Qingdao $12
    Dunedin $27

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Qingdao

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

  • Private Qingdao Airport Arrival Transfer to City Hotels: $80
  • Qingdao Cruise Port Departure Transfer from City Hotels: $36
  • Qingdao Liuting Airport Transfer Service by Minivan: $86
  • Qingdao Northern Railway Station Arrival Private One-Way Transfer: $42
  • Qingdao Private Transfer from Qingdao Airport (TAO) to central Qingdao: $54
  • Qingdao Private Transfer from Qingdao central to Qingdao Airport (TAO): $53
  • Qingdao Railway Station Arrival Transfer to City Hotel: $36
  • Qingdao Railway Station Depature Transfer from City Hotels: $36

Is it cheaper to fly into Qingdao or Dunedin?

Prices for flights to both Dunedin and Qingdao 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
    Qingdao $35
    Dunedin $49

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Qingdao $20
    Dunedin $17

Tours and Activities in Qingdao

For Qingdao, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Qingdao After Dark: 4-Hour Illumination Tour with Options: $150
  • Half Day Tour and Trek to Fushan Mountain: $170
  • Private Qingdao highlights city tour with Lunch and Qingdao beer: $175
  • Private Qingdao Laoshan half day tour with one bottle of Tsingdao beer as gift: $199
  • German Era Tour of Old Town Qingdao with Lunch and Beer Museum: $200
  • Alternative City Tour with Navy Museum, Beer Street and TV Tower, Lunch Included: $200
  • Qingdao private half day tour with Tsingdao Beer Lunch : $202
  • Qingdao Shore Excursion: Private Full Day Laoshan Mountain Sightseeing Tour: $207
  • Private Qingdao Essentials Tour: City Highlights and Beer Museum: $216
  • Laoshan Mountain Full Day Private Activity Tour: $224
  • Qingdao Private Day Tour to Laoshan Mountain with Lunch and Cable Car: $238
  • Private Qingdao Laoshan day tour with lunch& round way cable car: $240

Tours and Activities in Dunedin

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

  • Shared Dunedin City & Otago Peninsula Scenery Day Tour: $134
  • Shore Excursion: V8 Trike, Peninsula and City Tour: $48
  • Albatross, seals, and sea birds-Wildlife Cruise: $101
  • Captivating Side of Dunedin Walking Tour for Couples: $554
  • Castle, Coast & City Tour - 8 pax max - Castle Entrance Included: $143
  • Catlins Cruiser Private Tour from Dunedin Cruise Port: $297
  • Clearwater Wildlife Tours (small group 10max) Otago Peninsula: $134
  • Cruise Dunedin City and Castle Tour: $115
  • Dunedin 4 Hrs halfday Private Tour : $232
  • Dunedin City & Otago Peninsula Scenery Day Tour: $130
  • Dunedin City Highlights & Larnach Castle Tour: $143
  • Dunedin City Highlights, Otago Peninsula Scenery & Albatross Guided Tour: $178

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Qingdao $14
    Dunedin $14

Sample the Local Flavors in Dunedin

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

  • Speight's Brewery Tour & Guided Tasting: $27
  • Speight's Brewery Guided Tour with Tasting: $27
  • City Sights Tour, Distillery & Lunch all inclusive: $138


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

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


Which is Bigger, Qingdao or Dunedin?

Qingdao has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Dunedin. When comparing the sizes of Qingdao and Dunedin, 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.