Which place is cheaper, Auckland or Chengdu?
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 Chengdu or Auckland?
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 Chengdu and Auckland. 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: Chengdu or Auckland?
Chengdu
Chengdu is in China's Sichuan Provence and is in what is known as the Red Basin. It is a particularly fertile region in China that is known for its agriculture. For this reason it is sometimes referred to as the "Land of Milk and Honey". The Funan River cuts through the city but has almost no boat traffic anymore. The city itself has a wonderful relaxed vibe compared to the rest of China and is filled with green parks and places to relax. It is considered one of the most livable cities in China.
Auckland
Auckland is located on the North Island of New Zealand on an isthmus between the Northland Peninsula and the other parts of the North Island. Auckland is not only a city but also a region. In 2010 New Zealand combined what had previously been four separate cities into one region. These cities include the southern city of Manukau, the western city of Waitakere, the North Shore in the north, and Auckland City. The City of Auckland is the largest city in Polynesia and is very diverse with many expatriates from elsewhere in Polynesia. This diversity becomes most apparent in Auckland's many festivals and sporting events.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in China, The Best Luxury Tours to China, The Best Wildlife Tours to New Zealand, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in New Zealand.
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Chengdu Prices
China PricesAuckland Prices
New Zealand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayChengdu $67Auckland $170
The average daily cost (per person) in Chengdu is $67, while the average daily cost in Auckland is $170. 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 Chengdu and Auckland in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personChengdu $21Auckland $99
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomChengdu $42Auckland $198
Compare Hotels in Chengdu and Auckland
Looking for a hotel in Chengdu or Auckland? 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: Auckland Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Chengdu $6.02Auckland $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chengdu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chengdu:
- Sichuan Face Changing Opera With Door to Door Private Transfer: $75
- Round-Trip Private Transfer between Emei Shan and Chengdu City: $113
- Private Transfer from Chengdu to Mount Emei and Stops at Leshan Giant Buddha: $160
- Private Transfer from Chengdu hotel to Chengdu Train Station: $27
- Private Transfer from Chengdu Railway Station to City Hotel: $36
- Private Transfer from Chengdu Hotel to Chengdu Shuangliu Airport: $52
- Private Transfer from Chengdu City Hotels to Airport: $35
- Private Departure Transfer:City Hotel to Any Railway Station in Chengdu : $28
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chengdu Train Stations: $23
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chengdu International Airport (CTU): $23
- Private Chengdu International Airport Departure Transfer from City Hotels: $40
- Private Arrival Transfer:Any Chengdu Railway Station to City Hotel: $28
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Auckland
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Auckland:
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Bus from Airport$9.47
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Airport Shuttle$15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Auckland
Also for Auckland, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Auckland Airport Private Transfer: $81
- Private Transfer From Auckland Airport To Cruise Ship Terminal : $120
- Airport Transfer: Auckland to Airport AKL by Business Car: $90
- Airport Transfer: Auckland to Auckland Airport AKL by Luxury Car: $152
- Arrival Private Transfer from Auckland Airport AKL to Auckland in Business Car: $95
- Arrival Private Transfer: Auckland Airport AKL to Auckland City by Luxury Car: $115
- Arrival Private Transfer: Auckland Airport AKL to Auckland City by Luxury Van: $115
- Arrival Transfer: Auckland Airport to Auckland Central City Centre: $25
- Auckland Airport (AKL) to Auckland - Arrival Private Transfer: $83
- Auckland Airport (AKL) to North Shore-Round-Trip Private Transfer: $221
- Auckland Airport Arrival Transfer (Individuals and Groups): $109
- Auckland Airport Private Transfers in a Luxury Minibus: $72
Is it cheaper to fly into Chengdu or Auckland?
Prices for flights to both Auckland and Chengdu 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 dayChengdu $38Auckland $46
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chengdu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Chengdu.
- Discovery more Chengdu evening food tour with locals : $55
- Chengdu Hidden Street Food Tour Spice Trails: $60
- Tuktuk Food Tour Through Chengdu's Local Eats: $69
- Half-Day Professional Mapo Tofu Cooking with a Local Market Visit: $69
- Market Tour and Sichuan Cooking Class: $70
- Half-Day Chengdu Cooking Class with a Local Market Visit: $75
- Half day Sichuan Cuisine Cooking Class Tour(Cooking 3 dishes): $75
- Half-Day Private Hot-Pot Cooking Class with a Local Market Visit: $80
- Chengdu Food Tour with Wenshu Yuan Monastery Visit: $82
- Eat with Locals Chengdu Dinner Tour : $83
- Half-Day Sichuan Cooking Class Experience in Chengdu: $84
- Half-day Chengdu Handmade Tofu Making and Mapo Tofu Cooking Class: $90
Typical Food Prices in Auckland
For Auckland, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Breakfast$4.73
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Auckland
For Auckland, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Harbour Sailing Cruise with 3-Course Dinner: $94
- Auckland Harbour Sailboat Cruise Including Three Course Dinner: $102
- Flavours of the City Walking Food Tour: $102
- Māori Evening Dinner and Private Show Experience: $524
- From Kiwi Bird Encounter & 3-Course Dinner Tour: $556
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Chengdu $16Auckland $27
Tours and Activities in Chengdu
Here are a few actual costs in Chengdu for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 3-Hour Private Tour of Antique Furniture and Flea Market : $51
- Chengdu Leshan Buddha and Drop off off Railway Station Day Tour: $226
- Chengdu Private Day Tour to the Leshan Giant Buddha and Huanglongxi Old Town: $248
- Chinese Traditional Massage Experience with Healthy Lunch: $68
- Dujiangyan Irrigation System and Panda Base Day tour: $238
- Private Chengdu Panda Base and Sichuan Cuisine Museum Day Tour: $120
- Private Day Tour Chengdu Panda Base and The Leshan Giant Buddha: $230
- Private Full Day Chengdu Panda Base and Jinsha Site Museum Tour: $136
- Private Leshan Buddha Day Tour with Local Market visiting: $227
- 1 Day Panda Breeding Center Plus Chengdu City Tour: $175
- 1 Day Tea Trip in Mount Mengding with Tea Making Experience: $135
- 1 Day Wolong Panda Nature Reserve Tour: $218
Typical Entertainment Prices in Auckland
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Auckland's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Auckland Sky Tour (for 2)$33
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Waiheke Island Tour (for 2)$119
Tours and Activities in Auckland
For Auckland, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Auckland War Memorial Museum Entry Ticket: $9.37
- A Self-Guided Walking Tour of Auckland's Hidden Stories: $12
- Maritime Museum Entry Ticket: $14
- Maritime Museum Entry Ticket and Guided Tour: $14
- Explore Self Guided Audio Tour: $15
- Vibrosaun Therapy Experience: $18
- Waitematā Harbour Cruise with Live Commentary: $21
- Gallery Highlights Tour and General Admission: $22
- Auckland Takapuna: Escape Game Adventure: $23
- Scenic Boat Cruise to the Riverhead Tavern: $25
- Auckland CBD: Escape Game Adventure: $26
- Scenic Harbour Cruise in Auckland : $27
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayChengdu $3.99Auckland $13
Sample the Local Flavors in Chengdu
Also in Chengdu, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Tipsy Travel: Chengdu Local Food and Bar Crawl Night Tour : $128
Sample the Local Flavors in Auckland
Also in Auckland, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Waiheke Island: Scenic Island Wine Tour & Local Wine Tasting: $111
- Full-Day Wine Tasting Tour in Auckland with 3-Course Vineyard Lunch: $119
- Waiheke Island: Wine Tour + Lunch at Award Winning Venue: $146
- Waiheke Island: The Essence of Waiheke Wine Tour: $161
- Double Decker City Tour with Wine Tastings & Food: $163
- Kumeu Wine Tour: $165
- From Small Group Kumeu Wine Tour with Lunch: $176
- Small-Group Kumeu Wine Country Tour with Wine Tastings & Lunch: $180
- Waiheke Island Gourmet Food and Wine Tour with Platter Lunch: $184
- City Tour with Wine Tasting and Black Sand Beach: $205
- Shore Excursion from Auckland - Private Tour & Wine Tasting: $281
- Waiheke Island Scenic Wine Tour: $305
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Chengdu and Auckland, we can see that Auckland is more expensive. And not only is Chengdu much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Chengdu is in Asia and Auckland 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 Chengdu would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Chengdu 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 Auckland would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Auckland than you might in Chengdu.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Chengdu Expensive? and Is Auckland Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Chengdu or Auckland?
Chengdu has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Auckland. When comparing the sizes of Chengdu and Auckland, 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.
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.