Which place is cheaper, Datong or Chengdu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Chengdu or Datong?
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 Datong. 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 Datong?
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.
Datong
If you're looking for an old world city, with a renovated feel, you might want to spend some time in Datong, China. This city was once walled-in and the newest initiative is to rebuild their great wall to maintain their old world charm. Datong is definitely done a lot to make itself a contender in the world of vacation destinations.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in China, The Best Luxury Tours to China, The Best Budget Tours to China, and The Best Tours for Seniors to China.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayChengdu $50Datong $56
The average daily cost (per person) in Chengdu is $50, while the average daily cost in Datong is $56. 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 Datong in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personChengdu $21Datong $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomChengdu $42Datong $46
Compare Hotels in Chengdu and Datong
Looking for a hotel in Chengdu or Datong? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Chengdu $5.94Datong $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chengdu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chengdu:
- Downtown to Leshan or Mount Emei round way transfer for 2-day service: $251
- Chengdu Panda & Giant Buddha Day Tour With Private Transfer: $240
- Private Airport Transfer Chengdu Airport to Hotel up to 40pax: $230
- 1-Day Chengdu Layover Tour: Panda Base, city central with Round Airport Transfer: $192
- Downtown to Mountain Emei round way transfer for one day service: $189
- Downtown to Leshan round way transfer for one day service: $172
- Private Transfer from Chengdu to Mount Emei and Stops at Leshan Giant Buddha: $160
- Private Airport Transfer: Chengdu Airport to Hotel up to 5pax: $120
- Chengdu Tianfu Airport Private Transfer: $119
- Round-Trip Private Transfer between Emei Shan and Chengdu City: $113
- Private Transfer to Leshan Giant Buddha: $110
- Arrival Transfer Chengdu Airport CTU to Chengdu by Luxury Sedan: $91
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Datong
Also for Datong, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Chengdu: Private Round-Trip Transfer to Leshan Budda: $128
- Datong Hanging Temple Private Transfer from Hotel or Station: $69
- Private Round-Trip Transfer to Hanging Temple: $98
- Dunhuang Private Round Trip Transfer to Jiayuguan and Xuanbi Great Wall : $100
- Flexible Private Transfer Service from Datong to Pingyao with Sightseeing Stops: $225
- Private One Way Transfer from Datong to Beijing : $211
- Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Hanging Temple and Hengshan from Datong: $118
- Transfer from Datong Railway Stations to Hotels in City Center: $35
Is it cheaper to fly into Chengdu or Datong?
Prices for flights to both Datong 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 $22Datong $20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chengdu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Chengdu.
- Sichuan Opera Face-Changing Show And Hotpot Dinner Evening Tour: $40
- Half-Day Chinese Bun Cooking Class with Local Spice Market Visit: $56
- Private Sichuan Cooking Class including Local Wet Market Visit: $59
- Sichuan cooking class half day tour: $60
- Chengdu evening food tour by local guide: $60
- Discovery more Chengdu evening food tour with locals : $65
- Tuktuk Food Tour Through Chengdu's Local Eats: $69
- Half-Day Dandan Noodles Cooking Class with Local Spice Market Visit: $70
- Sichuan Opera Show VIP Seat Tickets w/ Transfer or Dinner: $72
- Half Day Chengdu Tofu Making Class with Mapo Tofu Cooking: $72
- Half-Day Chengdu Farm Cooking Class & Spice Market Exploration: $75
- Half-Day Private Sichuan Hot-Pot Cooking Class with Local Spice Market Visit: $80
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Chengdu $16Datong $25
Tours and Activities in Chengdu
Here are a few actual costs in Chengdu for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Chengdu Private Day Tour to the Leshan Giant Buddha and Huanglongxi Old Town: $248
- Private Chengdu Panda Base and Sichuan Cuisine Museum Day Tour: $120
- Private Full Day Chengdu Panda Base and Jinsha Site Museum Tour: $136
- Private Leshan Buddha Day Tour with Local Market visiting: $160
- 1 Day Wolong Panda Nature Reserve Tour: $218
- 1 day Chengdu City Highlights Mini Group tour: $102
- 1 day Dujiangyan + Jiezi Old town Mini Group tour: $83
- 1-Day Chengdu Ancient History and Culture City Tour: $179
- 1-Day Chengdu Cultural Discovery:Jinsha,Shu Brocade Museum & Dufu Cottage Tour : $189
- 1-Day Chengdu Cultural Tour: Ancient Poets and Temples: $189
- 1-Day Chengdu Panda Base and Leshan Giant Buddha GROUP Tour: $144
- 1-Day Chengdu Panda Base and Leshan Giant Buddha Private Tour with the Lunch: $246
Tours and Activities in Datong
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Datong.
- Yungang Grottoes Entrance Ticket with Optional Guided Service: $22
- Datong Private Self-guided Tour with Chartered Car: $26
- YungangGrottoe HangingTemple Private Self-guided Tour by Car: $79
- Datong Hanging Temple Wooden Pagoda Self-guided Tour by Car: $95
- Private Datong Day Tour Arranged by Local Tour Guide Nancy: $129
- Datong Classic Day Tour: $135
- Temples and Grottoes Private Full–Day Tour: $149
- Private Tour: Yungang Grottoes and Hanging Monastery From Datong: $160
- Private city tour Datong Yungang grottoes and Huayan Monastery: $160
- Private Custom Tour: Datong City in One Day: $180
- Datong Private Day Tour to Deshengbu and Zhenchuankou Great Wall with Lunch: $190
- One Day Classic Datong Tour: $215
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayChengdu $3.94Datong $12
When comparing the travel costs between Chengdu and Datong, we can see that Datong 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. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Chengdu Expensive? and Is Datong Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Chengdu or Datong?
Chengdu has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Datong. When comparing the sizes of Chengdu and Datong, 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.