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Hong Kong or Taipei? An honest comparison
The short answer
Pick Hong Kong for skyline, harbour, dim sum and hikes right next to the city, if you can handle about €187 a day mid-range. Pick Taipei for night markets, temples and hot springs at a much lower cost, about €110 a day mid-range.
Hong Kong: suits first-timers, friends and solo travellers who want a dense, fast city with harbour views, dim sum and island hikes.
Taipei: suits solo travellers, friends and backpackers who want night markets, friendly streets and lower prices.
Side by side
| Hong Kong | Taipei | |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-range day* | €187 HK$1,650 local | €110 NT$3,950 local |
| Budget day* | €79 | €42 |
| Value for money | ●●●●●About €187 a day mid-range; rooms are small and pricey. | ●●●●●About €110 a day mid-range, much cheaper. |
| Crowds (5 = calm) | ●●●●●Very dense; Mong Kok and the Peak are packed. | ●●●●●Night markets are busy, the rest feels relaxed. |
| Food | ●●●●●Dim sum, roast meats and cha chaan teng cafés. | ●●●●●Night markets, beef noodle soup and soup dumplings. |
| Nightlife | ●●●●●Bars in Central, Soho and Lan Kwai Fong. | ●●●●●Night markets and bars, but a smaller club scene. |
| Family-friendly | ●●●●●Ferries, trams and parks; crowds and stairs tire children. | ●●●●●Safe, calm and easy, with the zoo and gondola. |
| Getting around | ●●●●●MTR, trams and Star Ferry are excellent. | ●●●●●Clean MRT, cheap buses and YouBike rental. |
| Best months | Jan, Feb, Nov, Dec | year-round, see below |
| Warmest / coolest | Jul 30°C / Jan 18°C | Jul 33°C / Jan 18°C |
| Known for | Victoria Peak, Big Buddha, Star Ferry, Temple Street Night Market, Dragon's Back | Taipei 101, Longshan Temple, National Palace Museum, Elephant Mountain, Shilin Market |
* Per person per day with two sharing a room: bed, food, sights and local transport, from our Hong Kong and Taipei day-cost tables (approximate 2026 prices; other currencies converted at recent rates). Ratings are our editorial judgement.
Which one should you pick?
Pick Hong Kong if…
- you want a dramatic harbour skyline.
- you want dim sum and Cantonese food.
- you want city hikes like Dragon's Back.
- you want ferries and islands such as Lantau.
Pick Taipei if…
- you want to spend much less per day.
- you want night markets every evening.
- you want a calmer, less crowded city.
- you want hot springs and mountains nearby.
Weather month by month
| Month | Hong Kong high / rainy days | Taipei high / rainy days |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 18°C · 5 | 18°C · 13 |
| Feb | 19°C · 8 | 20°C · 12 |
| Mar | 22°C · 13 | 23°C · 13 |
| Apr | 24°C · 15 | 25°C · 11 |
| May | 27°C · 23 | 29°C · 18 |
| Jun | 28°C · 29 | 31°C · 20 |
| Jul | 30°C · 25 | 33°C · 18 |
| Aug | 29°C · 29 | 33°C · 21 |
| Sep | 29°C · 21 | 31°C · 14 |
| Oct | 27°C · 13 | 27°C · 16 |
| Nov | 24°C · 7 | 25°C · 10 |
| Dec | 19°C · 5 | 20°C · 16 |
Average daily high and number of rainy days. Copernicus ERA5, 2021–2023.
What you will eat
Hong Kong
Dim sum · Wonton noodles · Roast meats over rice · Milk tea and pineapple bun · Egg tart · Egg waffle
Where: Sham Shui Po, Sheung Wan and Central (Graham Street, Stanley Street), Temple Street and Yau Ma Tei, Mong Kok
Taipei
Braised pork rice · Beef noodle soup · Pepper bun · Oyster omelette · Soup dumplings · Taiwanese breakfast
Where: Raohe Street Night Market, Ningxia Night Market, Shilin Night Market, Dadaocheng and Dihua Street
Doing both in one trip
8 days: 4 in Hong Kong + 4 in Taipei
Either way works; doing Hong Kong first means you end in cheaper, calmer Taipei.
Getting between them: Direct flight about 1 h 45 plus airport time; many daily departures. Distance about 808 km as the crow flies. Check current timetables.
- Day 1: Star Ferry, Tsim Sha Tsui and Temple Street Night Market
- Day 2: Central, Sheung Wan and Victoria Peak
- Day 3: Lantau and the Big Buddha
- Day 4: Dragon's Back hike, Sham Shui Po in the evening
- Day 5: Fly to Taipei, Raohe Street Night Market
- Day 6: National Palace Museum and Shilin
- Day 7: Longshan Temple, Dadaocheng and Dihua Street
- Day 8: Taipei 101 and Elephant Mountain at sunset
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Common questions
Is Hong Kong or Taipei cheaper?
Taipei, clearly. Our mid-range estimate is about €110 per person per day in Taipei against about €187 in Hong Kong. Hotel rooms are the biggest difference: Hong Kong rooms are small and expensive. Food is good value in both if you eat at local places, but Taipei night markets are hard to beat on price.
When is the best time to visit?
November to February is the best stretch for Hong Kong, with cool, dry weather down to about 18°C in January. Taipei is similar in winter but wetter. Both get hot and humid in summer, peaking around 30°C in Hong Kong and 33°C in Taipei, with typhoon risk from roughly July to September.
Which has better food?
Both are excellent, in different ways. Hong Kong is the place for dim sum, wonton noodles, roast meats and egg tarts. Taipei is about night markets, beef noodle soup, braised pork rice and soup dumplings. If you want sit-down Cantonese meals, pick Hong Kong; if you want to graze cheaply, pick Taipei.
How do I get between Hong Kong and Taipei?
Fly. Direct flights between Hong Kong International and Taipei Taoyuan take about 1 h 45, and there are many each day. Some flights also use Taipei Songshan, which is closer to the city centre. Allow time for airport transfers on both sides. There is no practical ferry option.