Hong Kong
Beijing
Many travelers compare Hong Kong and Beijing because they bring together two sides of China: the vertical modernity of Victoria Harbour and the imperial history of the Forbidden City.The two cities are connected by 3h20 flights and 8h56 high-speed trains, so your choice affects budget, travel style and seasonality.The differences are tangible: Hong Kong has impeccable transport (Airport Express €14), islands and beaches 20–30 minutes away, and restaurants from Tim Ho Wan to Lung King Heen.Beijing offers masterpieces like the Great Wall (Mutianyu, 70 km) and the Temple of Heaven, with lower average daily costs (from €40–70) but harsh winters (January average -3°C).In this comparative guide you’ll find prices in €, real times in minutes, distances in km and precise names of neighborhoods, attractions and restaurants.I’ll show you budgets for hotels and meals, the best periods with temperatures, transport passes and a combined itinerary with a train or flight between the two cities.
Hong Kong vs Beijing
| Feature | Hong Kong | Beijing |
|---|---|---|
| Daily budget | In Hong Kong, a 3-star hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui or Mong Kok costs €90–140 per night (e.g., The Kimberley, Eaton HK), a 4* €150–230 and a 5* like The Peninsula €350–500.Meals: cha chaan teng €5–8 (HK$40–70), dim sum at Tim Ho Wan €8–15, mid-range restaurants €18–30. Transport: MTR €1–2.5 per ride, Airport Express €14 for 24 min.Daily budget: €70–110 (budget), €150–220 (mid-range), €300–500 (luxury). | In Beijing, a 3* in Wangfujing or Xidan costs €40–70 (¥310–550), a 4* €80–120 and a 5* like Grand Hyatt Beijing €160–260.Meals: jianbing €1.5–2 (¥10–15), Peking duck at Siji Minfu €12–18 per person (¥90–140), mid-range restaurants €8–15. Transport: metro €0.5–0.8 (¥4–6), Airport Express PEK €3.2 (¥25) for 20–30 min.Daily budget: €40–70 (budget), €90–150 (mid-range), €220–400 (luxury).✓ Better |
| Main attractions | In Hong Kong: Victoria Peak with Peak Tram round-trip €11.6 (HK$99) and Sky Terrace 428 €17.4 (HK$148), 2–3 hours; Ngong Ping 360 round-trip €27.6 (HK$235) to the Tian Tan Buddha (free), 4–5 hours; Star Ferry €0.5 (HK$4) 10 min between Tsim Sha Tsui and Central; Sky100 €23 (HK$198), 60–90 min.Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Garden free, 1–2 hours. | In Beijing: Forbidden City €5.1–7.7 (¥40–60, seasonal), 3–4 hours, closed Mondays; Temple of Heaven full pass €3.6–4.4 (¥28–34), 2 hours; Summer Palace full pass €6.4–7.7 (¥50–60), 3 hours; Great Wall at Mutianyu entry €5.1 (¥40) + shuttle €1.9 (¥15) + cable car round-trip €15.4 (¥120), 1.5–2 h travel for 70 km and 2–3 hours on site.✓ Better |
| Food and restaurants | In Hong Kong, try dim sum at Tim Ho Wan (small plates €2.5–4), wonton at Mak’s Noodle (€6–8), and dai pai dong on Temple Street (€8–12).For fine dining, Lung King Heen (3* Michelin) set menu €120–180. Drinks: milk tea €2–3. Markets: Graham Street Market and Bowrington.Daily meal budget: €20–40 (street/mid), €80+ for gourmet. | In Beijing, taste Peking duck at Quanjude or Da Dong (whole duck €26–55, ¥198–428), zhajiangmian €3–5 (¥25–35) and skewers on Guijie €0.6–1.3 (¥5–10) each.Snacks on Nanluoguxiang €2–4. Hotpot at Haidilao €12–20 per person.Markets: Panjiayuan for tea and tableware.Daily meal budget: €12–25 (street/mid), €40–70 with duck.✓ Better |
| Climate and best time to visit | Hong Kong is subtropical: July 29°C average and ~300 mm of rain; January 16°C and ~25 mm.Typhoons between June–September (signals T1–T10).Best months: October–November (20–28°C) and March–April (18–24°C).Humidity often 70–85%.Beaches are usable from May to October, sea 24–28°C.✓ Better | Beijing is continental: January average -3°C (lows down to -9°C), July 26–31°C with ~185 mm of rain.Springs (March–April) are windy with dust, autumn (September–October) is dry and 10–22°C.Best months: September–October and late April–May.Winter is harsh but skies clear; summer hot and muggy. |
| Transport and how to get there | Airport HKG (34 km from Central): Airport Express 24 min €14 (HK$115) to Hong Kong Station, taxi €35–41 (HK$300–350) 30–40 min.MTR: rides €1–2.5; Octopus deposit ~€6 (HK$50).MTR Day Pass €7.6 (HK$65).Ferry to Macau 55–70 min €20–28. Direct links with Europe (e.g., FCO–HKG via layover).✓ Better | Airports PEK (27 km) and PKX Daxing (46 km).Airport Express PEK: 20–30 min €3.2 (¥25) to Dongzhimen; Daxing Express: 19–30 min €4.5 (¥35) to Caoqiao.Metro: rides €0.5–0.8 (¥4–6).Taxis: PEK–downtown €15–20 (¥120–160), Daxing–downtown €23–28 (¥180–220).High-speed trains to Xi’an, Shanghai.Direct Europe–PEK flights operating. |
| Nightlife | Areas: Lan Kwai Fong, SoHo and Tsim Sha Tsui.Beers €7–9 (HK$60–80), cocktails €10–14 (HK$85–120), club entry €18–35 (HK$150–300) often with 1 drink.Hours: bars until 02:00–03:00, clubs until 04:00–05:00.Rooftops like Ozone (ICC) with views over Victoria Harbour.✓ Better | Areas: Sanlitun (Taikoo Li), Gongti (Workers’ Stadium) and bars on Houhai.Beers €4.5–6.5 (¥35–50), cocktails €7.7–11.5 (¥60–90), club entry €10–19 (¥80–150).Hours: bars until 02:00.Craft beer at Great Leap Brewing and Jing-A.Live music at MAO Livehouse. |
| For families with children | Hong Kong Disneyland (26 km from Central): 35–40 min by MTR, adult ticket ~€89 (HK$759), kids ~€67 (HK$569), food €8–12. Ocean Park (7 km): MTR 10–15 min, adult entry ~€58 (HK$498).MTR with frequent elevators and restrooms.Easy walks: Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade 1.5 km, Peak Circle Walk 3.5 km.✓ Better | The Great Wall at Mutianyu has a cable car (€15.4) and toboggan, suitable from ages 6+; 70 km, 1.5–2 h.Beijing Zoo €1.9 (¥15) with pandas, 2–3 hours; China Science and Technology Museum €3.8 (¥30).Parks like Beihai offer pedal boats (€3–5).Metro with elevators at main hubs but hutong are sometimes narrow.Simple meals: noodles €2–4. |
| Beaches and nature | Repulse Bay 8 km from Central (bus 20–30 min), showers and lifeguards; Shek O 17 km (bus 45–60 min).Hikes: Dragon’s Back 8.5 km, 2–3 hours, views of the South China Sea; Lantau and Lamma Island for trails and beaches like Hung Shing Yeh.Sai Kung (Ham Tin) 30 km + hike 60–90 min.✓ Better | Beijing has no beaches; for the sea you need Tianjin (about 130–160 km, 1–1.5 h by train).Urban nature: Fragrant Hills (20 km, 40–60 min) entry €1.3 (¥10), Beihai Park €1.3 (¥10).Excursions: the Great Wall (Mutianyu/Badaling) as a light hike 2–3 hours.Houhai lakes for evening strolls. |
| Shopping | In Hong Kong, go to Causeway Bay (Times Square, SOGO), Harbour City in TST and Fa Yuen Street “Sneaker Street”.Tech bargains in Sham Shui Po (Apliu Street).Souvenirs: magnets €3–5, tea sets €15–30, tailors in TST for suits €250–400. No sales tax; cards accepted everywhere. | In Beijing, haggle at Silk Street Market: T-shirts €5–10 (¥40–80) after bargaining; Panjiayuan for handicrafts €8–30. Malls in Wangfujing (APM) and Xidan.Tea on Maliandao Tea Street €6–25 per box.Remember counterfeits are common; pay in cash or QR (Alipay/WeChat). |
| Safety and practical tips | Hong Kong is safe; be wary at Chungking Mansions of money changers and touts.Avoid unlicensed taxis; use Octopus to pay.Emergency 999.Typhoon Signal T8–T10: many businesses close.Italian/English: bilingual signage, English widely spoken on the MTR and in hotels.✓ Better | In Beijing, beware of the teahouse scam around Wangfujing/Qianmen: refuse random invitations.Internet: Google, Instagram and often WhatsApp are blocked; download a VPN before traveling.Emergencies: 110 police, 120 ambulance, 119 fire.Avoid unofficial airport taxis; use the DiDi app or the regulated taxi queue. |
| How many days you need | For Hong Kong: minimum 3 days (Peak + Downtown + Lantau).Ideal 4–5 days including Dragon’s Back and islands (Lamma or Cheung Chau).Times: Peak 2–3 h, Lantau 4–5 h, TST + Central 1 day, beach half-day. | For Beijing: minimum 3–4 days (Tian’anmen + Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Great Wall).Ideal 5–6 days with the Summer Palace, hutong and 798 Art District.The Wall requires 5–7 hours including travel and visit. |
| How to combine the two cities | From Hong Kong to Beijing: flight 3h20 €120–220 with Cathay Pacific, Air China or Hainan; HSR from West Kowloon to Beijing West 8h56, 2nd class ~€138 (¥1,077), 1st €220 (¥1,719).Depart in the morning, arrive in the afternoon.Best seasons: Oct–Nov or Apr–May. | From Beijing to Hong Kong: same connections, often similar prices (€120–220).From city to airport: PEK Express €3.2 (20–30 min), HKG Airport Express €14 (24 min).If you choose HSR, book G79/G80 1–2 weeks in advance; immigration times in HK: 20–40 min. |
The Verdict
Choose Hong Kong
Choose Hong Kong if you want an urban–nature city break between October and November, with €150–220 per day (4* hotel, dim sum meals, MTR).4-day itinerary: Day 1 Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade + Star Ferry + Victoria Peak (tram €11.6); Day 2 Lantau with Ngong Ping 360 (€27.6) and beach at Cheung Sha; Day 3 Central & SoHo, Man Mo Temple and historic tram; Day 4 hike Dragon’s Back and Shek O.Evenings in Lan Kwai Fong or rooftop bars with Victoria Harbour views.
Choose Beijing
Choose Beijing if you’re looking for history and monuments between September and October, with a budget of €90–150 per day (4* hotel, local meals, metro).5-day itinerary: Day 1 Tian’anmen and the Forbidden City (3–4 h, €5–7.7); Day 2 Great Wall at Mutianyu (70 km, cable car €15.4); Day 3 Temple of Heaven and Qianmen; Day 4 Summer Palace and Houhai; Day 5 hutong (rickshaw €20–26) and 798 Art District.Dinners of Peking duck at Siji Minfu or Da Dong.