Which place is cheaper, Dunedin or Chengdu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Chengdu or Dunedin?
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 Dunedin. 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 Dunedin?
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.
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second largest city on the South Island of New Zealand. It is situated on the southeast coast and is largely Scottish in its heritage. It is part of the Otago region and has mild temperatures during the spring and summer, but extremely cold temperatures during the end of fall and winter. Dunedin is a university town; The University of Otago is the oldest in New Zealand, established in 1869. The students make up over a tenth of the entire city's population.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in China, The Best Luxury Tours to China, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand, and The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayChengdu $52Dunedin $109
The average daily cost (per person) in Chengdu is $52, while the average daily cost in Dunedin is $109. 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 Dunedin in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personChengdu $21Dunedin $55
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomChengdu $42Dunedin $110
Compare Hotels in Chengdu and Dunedin
Looking for a hotel in Chengdu or Dunedin? 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: Dunedin Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Chengdu $6.09Dunedin $29
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chengdu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chengdu:
- 1-Day Chengdu Layover Tour: Leshan Giant buddha with Round Airport Transfer: $205
- 1-Day Chengdu Layover Tour: Panda Base, city central with Round Airport Transfer: $240
- Airport transfer between Tianfu(TFU) and Chengdu downtown: $40
- Arrival Transfer Chengdu Airport CTU to Chengdu by Luxury Sedan: $91
- Chengdu Airport (CTU) to Chengdu - Arrival Private Transfer: $21
- Chengdu City to Chengdu Shuangliu Airport (CTU) - Departure Private Transfer: $19
- Chengdu Panda & Giant Buddha Day Tour With Private Transfer: $240
- Chengdu Shuangliu Airport Chauffeur Service, Chengdu Airport Transfer, Pickup: $53
- Chengdu Tianfu Airport Private Transfer: $119
- Chengdu panda ticket with one way private transfer: $70
- Chengdu to Chengdu Airport (CTU) - Departure Private Transfer: $21
- Chengdu to Xi'an/Chongqing Bullet Train Ticket with Transfer: $56
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dunedin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Dunedin:
- Dunedin Intl Airport (DUN) to Dunedin - Arrival Private Transfer: $37
- Dunedin to Dunedin Int Airport (DUD) - Departure Private Transfer: $37
- Momona Airport: One-Way Private Transfer to Momona: $90
- ONE WAY MOMONA: Transfer from /to Dunedin Airport: $125
- Private Transfer from Chalmers Cruise Port to Dunedin City Hotels: $45
- Private Transfer from Chalmers Port to Dunedin Airport (DUD): $45
Is it cheaper to fly into Chengdu or Dunedin?
Prices for flights to both Dunedin 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 $22Dunedin $30
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
- Discovery more Chengdu evening food tour with locals : $55
- Eat with Locals Chengdu Dinner Tour : $61
- Tuktuk Food Tour Through Chengdu's Local Eats: $69
- Half-Day Professional Mapo Tofu Cooking Class with Local Spice Market Visit: $69
- Half Day Chengdu Tofu Making Class with Mapo Tofu Cooking: $72
- Half day Sichuan Cuisine Cooking Class Tour(Cooking 3 dishes): $75
- Half-Day Chengdu Cooking Class with Local Market Visit: $75
- Chengdu Evening Food Tour: $76
- Tuk Tuk Food Tour with Unlimited Beer and Soda: $79
- Half-Day Chinese Bun Cooking Class with Local Spice Market Visit: $80
- Spicy Local Food Tour through Chengdu: $80
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Chengdu $16Dunedin $18
Tours and Activities in Chengdu
Here are a few actual costs in Chengdu for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Customize Your China Tour 2024/2025: $5.00
- Agent ticket booking service: Online ticket booking in China: $10
- Sichuan Opera night show Jinjiang theater tickets: $13
- Chengdu Panda Research Base Tickets And Half Day Tour(Private): $16
- Giant Panda Base tickets booking option tours: $18
- Chengdu Panda Base and Dujiangyan One-Day Private Tour: $18
- Chengdu Sichuan Opera Show Ticket - Shu Feng Ya Yun: $18
- Giant Panda Base tickets booking option tours: $19
- Panda Breeding Base Private Tour/Ticket Only Option: $20
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding Ticket pre-booking: $20
- Private Tour of Chengdu's Top 3 Must-go Attractions w Photo Shoot: $20
- Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base Ticket: $22
Tours and Activities in Dunedin
Here are a few actual costs in Dunedin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Dunedin Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
- Explore Self-Guided Audio Tour Adventure: $14
- Olveston Historic Home Guided Tour: $16
- Quickie Tours 1 Hour City Sights Tour CRUISE PASSENGERS ONLY: $25
- Skip the Line: Larnach Castle & Gardens Admission Ticket: $29
- Garden and City tour: $38
- Wildlife and Penguin Tour: $40
- Heritage Dunedin City Walking Guided Tour: $41
- Monarch Wildlife Cruise: $42
- Shore Excursion: V8 Trike, Peninsula and City Tour: $51
- Nature and City Tour: $57
- A 2 hour Small Group Dunedin City Highlights Tour: $59
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayChengdu $4.04Dunedin $15
Sample the Local Flavors in Dunedin
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Dunedin:
- Emerson's Brewery Tour: $25
- Speight's Brewery Tour & Guided Tasting: $29
- Speight's Brewery Guided Tour with Tasting: $29
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Chengdu and Dunedin, we can see that Dunedin 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 Dunedin 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 Dunedin would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dunedin 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 Dunedin Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Chengdu or Dunedin?
Chengdu has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Dunedin. When comparing the sizes of Chengdu and Dunedin, 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.