Which place is cheaper, Harbin 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 Harbin?
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 Harbin. 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 Harbin?
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.
Harbin
Harbin, China is the northernmost major city in the country, with a population of over 10 million. Harbin was founded in 1897 by Russia, which has resulted in a lot of Russian influence throughout the city and many Russian citizens. The city is most famous for their annual International Snow and Ice Festival, a two-month-long festival running from January through February of each year.
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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Chengdu Prices
China PricesHarbin Prices
China Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayChengdu $71Harbin $69
The average daily cost (per person) in Chengdu is $71, while the average daily cost in Harbin is $69. 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 Harbin in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personChengdu $22Harbin $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomChengdu $44Harbin $44
Compare Hotels in Chengdu and Harbin
Looking for a hotel in Chengdu or Harbin? 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 $6.35Harbin $1.60
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: $110
- Private Transfer from Chengdu hotel to Chengdu Train Station: $27
- Private Round-Trip Transfer:Chengdu Shuangliu Airport or Chengdu: $67
- Private Departure Transfer:City Hotel to Any Railway Station in Chengdu: $28
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chengdu International Airport (CTU): $23
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chengdu Airport (CTU or TFU): $34
- Private Chengdu Tianfu Airport Transfer with English Support: $89
- Private Arrival Transfer:Any Chengdu Railway Station to City Hotel: $28
- Private Arrival Transfer: Chengdu Airport (CTU or TFU) to Hotel: $34
- Private Airport Transfer – Chengdu Tianfu or shuangliu airport: $60
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Harbin
Also for Harbin, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 4 Hour Private Transfer to Sun Island Snow Sculptures: $100
- Harbin Airport(HRB) Private Arrival Transfer: Meet&Greet Service: $36
- Harbin Airport, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province Transfer Service: $27
- Harbin City Car Transfer Service with Driver: $198
- Harbin Ice Festival Tickets and Transfer Service: $148
- Harbin Private Arrival Transfer: Airport to Hotel: $88
- Harbin Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Airport: $88
- Harbin Private Transfer from Harbin central to Harbin Taiping Airport (HRB): $123
- Harbin Sun Island Snow Fair tickets and Transfer Service: $128
- Harbin Taiping Airport Chauffeur Service, Harbin Airport Transfer, Pick up.: $59
- Harbin Volga Manor Private Transfer Service with Entry Tickets: $300
- Private Arrival Transfer from Harbin East Railway Station to Harbin City Hotel: $60
Is it cheaper to fly into Chengdu or Harbin?
Prices for flights to both Harbin 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 $40Harbin $26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chengdu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Chengdu.
- 成都蜀宴赋Han Culture Dinner Show in Chengdu: $28
- Chengdu Vegetarian Cooking Class at a Local Home: $39
- Chengdu Night: VIP Seat Opera Show or Back Alley Food Tour: $40
- Chengdu Food Tour Local Delicacies and Ear Cleaning: $59
- Chengdu Hidden Street Food Tour Spice Trails: $60
- Eat Like a Local! Food Tour in the Hidden Alleys: $67
- Tuktuk Food Tour Through Chengdu Local Eats: $68
- Discovery more Chengdu evening food tour with locals: $69
- Tuktuk Food Tour Through Chengdu's Local Eats: $73
- Evening Food Tour with Local Guide: $78
- Chengdu Evening Food Tour: $79
- Chengdu Cooking Class with a Local Market Visit: $80
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Harbin
For Harbin, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Dinner Show with Costumes and Performances: $29
- Central Street, Baluoke Village, and Dinner Tour: $90
- Harbin Cultural Tour at Zhongyang Dajie to Baluoke with Dinner: $150
- Private Full Day Tour to Harbin Beifang Forest Zoo and Optional Seafood Dinner: $261
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Chengdu $17Harbin $56
Tours and Activities in Chengdu
Here are a few actual costs in Chengdu for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1 Day Panda Breeding Center Plus Chengdu City Tour: $175
- 1-Day Chengdu Ancient History and Culture City Tour: $179
- 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
- 1-Day Chengdu Panda Research Base and Sanxingdui Archeological Museum Tour: $256
- 1-Day Chengdu Private Tour: Dujiangyan Ancient River Irrigation and Temple Site: $213
- 1-Day Chengdu tour with Panda Base, Renmin Park,Wenshu Temple and Hot Pot Lunch: $193
- 1-Day Leshan Giant Buddha Private Tour with the Lunch from Chengdu: $229
- 1-Day Leshan Giant Buddha and Huanglongxi old town Private Tour from Chengdu: $236
- 1-Day Mount Qingcheng and Dujiangyan Irrigation System Private Tour from Chengdu: $272
- 1-Day Panda Base and Huanglongxi old town Private Tour from Chengdu: $234
- 1-Day Panda Base and Mount Qingcheng Private tour from Chengdu: $262
Tours and Activities in Harbin
For Harbin, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Harbin Ice and Snow World Ticket Booking: $66
- Admission Ticket to Ice and Snow World: $75
- 1-day Harbin Private Car Charter Service: Custom Downtown Tour: $87
- Half Day Tour for Harbin Guandong Ancient Lane and Wood Sculpture Museum: $120
- Harbin Ice Lantern Show and Center Street Tour: $150
- Private Half Day Tour Harbin ConfucianTemple and Temple of Bliss (Jile Si): $157
- Full Day Harbin Private Tour: $160
- 1-Day Harbin Private Tour: $168
- Harbin City Guided Tour to Zhongyang Street and Sophia Church: $180
- Private Half Day City Tour including Russian Town and Harbin Ropeway Ride: $198
- Harbin City Walking Sightseeing: $198
- Small Group Night Tour to Harbin Ice and Snow World: $199
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayChengdu $4.21Harbin $8.39
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 Evening Food and Bar Crawl with Local Guide: $138
Sample the Local Flavors in Harbin
Also in Harbin, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Half-Day Private Harbin Beer Museum and Brewery Tour: $250
When comparing the travel costs between Chengdu and Harbin, we can see that Chengdu 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 Harbin Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Chengdu or Harbin?
Chengdu has a larger population, and is about 22% larger than the population of Harbin. When comparing the sizes of Chengdu and Harbin, 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.