Which place is cheaper, Noosa Heads 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 Noosa Heads?
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 Noosa Heads. 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 Noosa Heads?
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.
Noosa Heads
A town and suburb located on Queensland, Australia's Sunshine Coast, Noosa is best known as a destination of pleasant weather, beautiful beachside scenery, shopping, dining, and outdoor adventure. Some of the top attractions of the area include Noosa National Park and Sunshine Beach.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in China, The Best Luxury Tours to China, The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Australia, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Australia.
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Chengdu Prices
China PricesNoosa Heads Prices
Australia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayChengdu $67Noosa Heads $135
The average daily cost (per person) in Chengdu is $67, while the average daily cost in Noosa Heads is $135. 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 Noosa Heads in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personChengdu $21Noosa Heads $58
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomChengdu $42Noosa Heads $116
Compare Hotels in Chengdu and Noosa Heads
Looking for a hotel in Chengdu or Noosa Heads? 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: Noosa Heads Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Chengdu $6.02Noosa Heads $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chengdu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chengdu:
- Chengdu 3-Day Self-Guided Jiuzhaigou&Huanglong with Transfer: $412
- Algou Valley Hiking Tour with Roundtrip Transfer: $289
- Private Transfer from Chengdu to Mount Emei and Stops at Leshan Giant Buddha: $160
- Leshan Buddha Optional Tours w/ Transfer or Guide: $156
- Chengdu Airport to Hotel: Private Transfer for up to 5 pax: $120
- Round-Trip Private Transfer between Emei Shan and Chengdu City: $113
- Private Airport Transfer – Chengdu Tianfu: $110
- Downtown to Sichuan Opera round way transfer: $99
- Sichuan Face Changing Opera With Door to Door Private Transfer: $75
- Chengdu Airport (TFU) to Chengdu - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $65
- Chengdu Shuangliu Airport (CTU) to Chengdu City - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $60
- Chengdu to Xi'an/Chongqing Bullet Train Ticket with Transfer: $56
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Noosa Heads
Also for Noosa Heads, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Australia Zoo Transfer from Noosa and Sunshine Coast: $91
- Eumundi Markets Bus Transfer: Mooloolaba Sunshine Coast & Noosa : $32
- Private Morning Transfer From Noosa to Rainbow Beach: $91
- Private Transfer from Sunshine Coast Airport to Hotels 11 pax: $239
- Private Transfer from Sunshine Coast Airport to Hotels 13 pax: $262
- Private Transfer to or from Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY): $108
- Private Transfers from Sunshine Coast Airport to Noosa (2pax): $97
Is it cheaper to fly into Chengdu or Noosa Heads?
Prices for flights to both Noosa Heads 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 $38Noosa Heads $58
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chengdu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Chengdu.
- Chengdu Night: VIP Seat Opera Show or Back Alley Food Tour: $40
- Eat Like a Local! Food Tour in the Hidden Alleys: $67
- Tuktuk Food Tour Through Chengdu's Local Eats: $69
- Half-Day Professional Mapo Tofu Cooking with a Local Market Visit: $69
- Half day Sichuan Cuisine Cooking Class Tour(Cooking 3 dishes): $75
- Half-Day Chengdu Cooking Class with a Local Market Visit: $75
- Evening Food Tour with Local Guide: $78
- Chengdu Evening Food Tour: $79
- Half-Day Private Hot-Pot Cooking Class with a Local Market Visit: $80
- Cooking Class with Fresh Market Half Day Experience: $80
- Chengdu Food Tour with Wenshu Yuan Monastery Visit: $82
- Half-Day Sichuan Cooking Class Experience in Chengdu: $84
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Noosa Heads
For Noosa Heads, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cooking Classes on Witta Maleny Sunshine Coast: $121
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Chengdu $16Noosa Heads $40
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
- Chinese Traditional Massage Experience with Healthy Lunch: $68
- Dujiangyan Irrigation System and Panda Base Day tour: $238
- Dujingyan Panda Sanctuary Half day tour option panda volunteer : $99
- Private Chengdu Panda Base and Sichuan Cuisine Museum Day Tour: $120
- Private Chengdu day Tour of panda base with Leshan giant Buddha: $298
- Private Day Tour Chengdu Panda Base and The Leshan Giant Buddha: $230
- Private Full Day Chengdu Panda Base and Jinsha Site Museum Tour: $136
- 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 Noosa Heads
For Noosa Heads, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Surf Lesson$43
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Sea Kayak Tour (for 2)$85
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Sunset Cruise (for 2)$13
Tours and Activities in Noosa Heads
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Noosa Heads.
- Noosa Queen Sunset Cruise River: $22
- The Original 1-Hour Mooloolaba Canal Cruise: $24
- 1 Hour Tour Mooloolaba Sunset Cruise: $24
- SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast Aquarium Entrance Ticket: $26
- Maleny Botanic Gardens Bird Aviary Experience Ticket: $32
- Sunset Cruise Mooloolaba: $33
- Aquaduck Sunshine Coast - 1hr Mooloolaba Amphibious Tour: $34
- Stillwater Luxury Noosa Sunset Cruise : $37
- Noosa Stand Up Paddle & Mangrove Tunnel Tour (Self Guided): $39
- Hidden Waterways & Wildlife Kayak Tour: $40
- Seafood Lunch Cruise: $46
- Sunshine Coast Adventure Park TreeTop Challenge: $47
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayChengdu $3.99Noosa Heads $10
Sample the Local Flavors in Noosa Heads
Also in Noosa Heads, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Sunshine Coast Bar Crawl Sippin on Sunshine: $15
- Sunshine Coast Brewery Tour with Lunch: $165
- Hinterland Cheese & Wine Tasting Tour - with 2 course lunch included: $188
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Chengdu and Noosa Heads, we can see that Noosa Heads 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 Noosa Heads 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 Noosa Heads would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Noosa Heads 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 Noosa Heads Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Chengdu or Noosa Heads?
Chengdu has a larger population, and is about 400 times larger than the population of Noosa Heads. When comparing the sizes of Chengdu and Noosa Heads, 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.