Which place is cheaper, Gili Trawangan or Qingdao?
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 Qingdao or Gili Trawangan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Qingdao or Gili Trawangan, 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 Gili Trawangan?
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.
Gili Trawangan
Gili Trawangan, known as Gili T, is the most visited of the three Gili Islands, located on the northeast side of Lombok. These islands are known for world-class diving and snorkeling spots. It's not hard to see why, considering that any direction you step off the shoreline, there's a beautiful underwater world to explore.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in China, The Best Luxury Tours to China, The Best Tours for Seniors to Indonesia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Indonesia.
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Qingdao Prices
China PricesGili Trawangan Prices
Indonesia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayQingdao $73Gili Trawangan $40
The average daily cost (per person) in Qingdao is $73, while the average daily cost in Gili Trawangan is $40. 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 Gili Trawangan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personQingdao $27Gili Trawangan $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomQingdao $54Gili Trawangan $46
Compare Hotels in Qingdao and Gili Trawangan
Looking for a hotel in Qingdao or Gili Trawangan? 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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Gili Trawangan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Qingdao $12Gili Trawangan $2.65
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Qingdao
Also for Qingdao, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Qingdao Railway Station Depature Transfer from City Hotels: $36
- Qingdao Railway Station Arrival Transfer to City Hotel: $36
- Qingdao Private Transfer from Qingdao central to Qingdao Airport (TAO): $53
- Qingdao Private Transfer from Qingdao Airport (TAO) to central Qingdao: $54
- Qingdao Northern Railway Station Arrival Private One-Way Transfer: $42
- Qingdao Liuting Airport Transfer Service by Minivan: $86
- Qingdao Cruise Port Departure Transfer from City Hotels: $36
- Private Qingdao Airport Arrival Transfer to City Hotels: $80
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Gili Trawangan
Also for Gili Trawangan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Speedboat transfer Between Lombok and Gili Islands: $15
- Gili Trawangan Luxury Speedboat Transfer to Bali: $24
Is it cheaper to fly into Qingdao or Gili Trawangan?
Prices for flights to both Gili Trawangan 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
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Food Meals for one dayQingdao $35Gili Trawangan $12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Gili Trawangan
For Gili Trawangan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Indonesian Food Cooking Class of Gili Air: $33
- Learn to cook authentic Indonesian food at Gili Cooking Classes: $33
- Gili Trawangan Sunset BBQ Dinner Cruise with snorkeling: $91
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Qingdao $20Gili Trawangan $3.82
Tours and Activities in Qingdao
For Qingdao, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Private Qingdao Essentials Tour: City Highlights and Beer Museum: $216
- Alternative City Tour with Navy Museum, Beer Street and TV Tower, Lunch Included: $200
- German Era Tour of Old Town Qingdao with Lunch and Beer Museum: $200
- Half Day Tour and Trek to Fushan Mountain: $170
- Laoshan Mountain Full Day Private Activity Tour: $224
- Private Qingdao Historic architectural day tour with Tsingdao beer during Lunch: $245
- Private Qingdao Laoshan day tour with lunch& round way cable car: $240
- Private Qingdao Laoshan half day tour with one bottle of Tsingdao beer as gift: $199
- Private Qingdao highlights city tour with Lunch and Qingdao beer: $175
- Qingdao + Weihai Day Tour with Buffet: $265
- Qingdao After Dark: 4-Hour Illumination Tour with Options: $150
- Qingdao Discover Tour to the Mount Laoshan and Tasting Famous Local Beer: $248
Tours and Activities in Gili Trawangan
For Gili Trawangan, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 4 Experiences in 1 • Half-day Snorkel & Lunch Catamaran Tour: $105
- From Gili Islands Snorkeling Boat Tour: $15
- From Lombok Beaches and Culture Tour: $84
- Gili Air 1 Hour Horseback Beach Adventure: $46
- Gili Hai 3 Islands BBQ Cruise: $83
- Gili Hai 3 Islands BBQ Sunset Cruise: $83
- Gili Islands Day Tour and Snorkeling at Turtle Points: $75
- Gili Islands Snorkel Tour - Explore an Underwater Paradise: $16
- Gili Islands: 4-in-1 Catamaran Snorkeling Experience: $106
- Gili Meno Horse Riding Adventure on the Beach for 1 Hour: $42
- Gili Trawangan 3 Island Half day Cruise with BBQ Lunch and Snorkeling : $91
- Cycling Tour with Snorkeling and Viewpoint: $31
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayQingdao $14Gili Trawangan $3.53
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Qingdao and Gili Trawangan, we can see that Qingdao is more expensive. And not only is Gili Trawangan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Gili Trawangan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Gili Trawangan 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 Qingdao would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Qingdao than you might in Gili Trawangan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Qingdao Expensive? and Is Gili Trawangan 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.