A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Taiyuan vs. Te Anau for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Taiyuan or Te Anau?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Taiyuan and Te Anau. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Taiyuan or Te Anau?

Taiyuan

With sleek architectural designs and blossoming businesses, this metropolis is simply brimming with invigorating excitement and once-in-a-lifetime entertainment. Despite its glimmering skyscrapers and gorgeous fountains, Taiyuan, China has an extensive history of nearly 2,500 years. During ancient China, Taiyuan, or the "Dragon City," was a major military town. Presently, this city is now one of China's most important industrial cities, producing more than half of the national coal mining output. Taiyuan is both the capital and largest city of the Shanxi province of North China. It is bounded by mountains on three of its sides, allowing this great city to be surrounded by fantastic views of its landscape. Besides its economic significance, Taiyuan also achieves tourist significance due to its plethora of landmarks and sights. Some of these attractions include Jinci Temple, Forest Park, Mengshan Giant Buddha, and Shanxi Museum. Taiyuan is also celebrated internationally for holding their annual Shanxi Taiyuan International Folk Arts Festival, a celebration held in September that hosts exhibition of fine arts, painting, paper-cutting, sculpture, drama, acrobatic and the culture of costume. With such a great deal to do in such a limited window of time, it is best to make the most Taiyuan while you visit!

Te Anau

Te Anau is a town on the South Island of New Zealand, best-known as a gateway to Fiordland National Park and Milford Sound. The region is a major destination for ecotourism as it is home to rare species like the endangered flightless takahe bird and natural features like caves, waterfalls, forests, lakes, glacial valleys, and mountains.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to China, The Best Tours for Seniors to China, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand, and The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Te Anau or Taiyuan?

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 Taiyuan is $106, while the average daily cost in Te Anau is $118. 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 Taiyuan and Te Anau in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Taiyuan $43
    Te Anau $44
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Taiyuan $86
    Te Anau $88
Compare Hotels in Taiyuan and Te Anau

Looking for a hotel in Taiyuan or Te Anau? 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 Taiyuan


Hotels in Te Anau


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: Te Anau Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Taiyuan $48
    Te Anau $27

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Te Anau

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

  • Lake Marian Guided Hike with Transfers, Lunch & Morning Tea: $184
  • Te Anau to Invercargill Small Group Transfer: $53
  • Kepler Water Taxi Transfer across Lake Te Anau: $17

Is it cheaper to fly into Taiyuan or Te Anau?

Prices for flights to both Te Anau and Taiyuan 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
    Taiyuan $36
    Te Anau $46

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Taiyuan $15
    Te Anau $47

Tours and Activities in Te Anau

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

  • Award Winning Milford Sound Full Day Tour & Cruise from Te Anau: $128
  • Champagne Sightseeing Cruise on Lake Te Anau: $98
  • Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise from Te Anau: $214
  • Doubtful Sound Wilderness Day Cruise from Manapouri: $201
  • Epic Milford Guided Tour from Te Anau: $142
  • Evening Champagne Cruise on Historic 1935 Motor Yacht.: $84
  • Fiordland: Jet Boat & Nature Walk Experience from Te Anau: $119
  • From Doubtful Sound Coach & Cruise: $216
  • From Milford Sound Coach Tour and Cruise: $119
  • From Milford Sound Coach, Cruise, and Walks: $173
  • From Milford Sound Cruise & Scenic Coach Tour: $126
  • From Milford Sound Cruise and Coach Day Trip: $133

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Taiyuan $6.41
    Te Anau $14


When comparing the travel costs between Taiyuan and Te Anau, we can see that Te Anau 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 Taiyuan is in Asia and Te Anau 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 Taiyuan Expensive? and Is Te Anau Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Taiyuan or Te Anau?

Taiyuan has a larger population, and is about 1310 times larger than the population of Te Anau. When comparing the sizes of Taiyuan and Te Anau, 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.