Which place is cheaper, Sao Paulo 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 Sao Paulo?
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 Sao Paulo. 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 Sao Paulo?
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.
Sao Paulo
With a population of around 11 million, and 20 million in the metropolitan area, Sao Paulo is the largest city in Brazil. It's also one of the wealthiest cities in the southern hemisphere, although you don't have to look far to see the income disparities and inequalities that exist. The city is diverse and culturally rich, with excellent food, music, and entertainment.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in China, The Best Luxury Tours to China, The Best G Adventures Tours to Brazil, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Rio de Janeiro.
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Chengdu Prices
China PricesSao Paulo Prices
Brazil Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayChengdu $72Sao Paulo $61
The average daily cost (per person) in Chengdu is $72, while the average daily cost in Sao Paulo is $61. 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 Sao Paulo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personChengdu $23Sao Paulo $29
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomChengdu $46Sao Paulo $58
Compare Hotels in Chengdu and Sao Paulo
Looking for a hotel in Chengdu or Sao Paulo? 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: Chengdu Hotel Prices and Sao Paulo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Chengdu $6.41Sao Paulo $5.89
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
- 1-Day Chengdu Layover Tour: Panda Base, city central with Round Airport Transfer: $240
- Chengdu Airport to Hotel: Private Transfer for up to 40 pax: $230
- 1-Day Chengdu Layover Tour: Leshan Giant buddha with Round Airport Transfer: $205
- Downtown to Leshan round way transfer for one day service: $172
- Private Day Tour of Giant Pandas and Kuanzhai Alley with Transfer: $168
- Downtown to Dujiangyan round way transfer: $161
- Leshan Buddha Optional Tours w/ Transfer or Guide: $156
- Chengdu Private Round Trip Transfer to Emei Mountain: $128
- Chengdu Tianfu Airport Private Transfer: $119
- Round-Trip Private Transfer between Emei Shan and Chengdu City: $113
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sao Paulo
Also for Sao Paulo, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer: Sao Paulo to Airport GRU by Business Car: $144
- Airport Transfer: Sao Paulo to Airport GRU by Luxury Van: $168
- Airport and City Private Executive Transfer in São Paulo: $100
- Campinas Airport (VCP) to Praia/Santos hotels - Arrival Transfer: $203
- Campinas Airport (VCP) to Sao Paulo hotels - Arrival Transfer: $117
- Campinas Airport (VCP) to Sao Paulo hotels - Round-Trip Transfer: $233
- Campinas Viracopos Airport (VCP) to Sao Paulo - Private Transfer: $125
- Departure Transfer: Sao Paulo to Airport GRU by Business Car: $144
- Departure Transfer: Sao Paulo to Airport GRU by Luxury Van: $168
- Guarulhos Airport GRU to Águas de Lindoia Round Trip Transfer: $201
- Guarulhos Airport to Poços de Caldas Thermal Round-Trip Transfer: $272
- Private Airport Transfer from GRU with an English Speaking Driver: $86
Is it cheaper to fly into Chengdu or Sao Paulo?
Prices for flights to both Sao Paulo 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 $41Sao Paulo $25
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
- Chengdu Vegetarian Cooking Class at a Local Home: $45
- Chengdu Food Tour Local Delicacies and Ear Cleaning: $59
- Private Chengdu TukTuk Food Tour: Hidden Alleys & Local Eats: $59
- Chengdu Hidden Street Food Tour Spice Trails: $60
- Eat Like a Local! Food Tour in the Hidden Alleys: $67
- Food Tour Through Chengdu Local Eats: $68
- Discovery more Chengdu evening food tour with locals: $69
- Half-Day Professional Mapo Tofu Cooking with a Local Market Visit: $69
- Tuktuk Food Tour Through Chengdu's Local Eats: $73
- Evening Food Tour with Local Guide: $78
- Chengdu Evening Food Tour: $79
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sao Paulo
For Sao Paulo, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Street Food Tour in São Paulo with a Local Guide: $71
- Paulista Plates São Paulo Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $89
- São Suppers Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $95
- São Paulo: Liberdade Food Tour with 6 Tastings and Tonkatsu: $112
- Dinner at Terraço Italia Restaurant in São Paulo: $230
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Chengdu $17Sao Paulo $3.98
Tours and Activities in Chengdu
Here are a few actual costs in Chengdu for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1 Day Tea Trip in Mount Mengding with Tea Making Experience: $150
- 1 day Chengdu City Highlights Mini Group tour: $102
- 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 Leshan Giant Buddha Private Tour With the Lunch and Boat tour: $242
- 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 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 Dujiangyan Self-Guided Tour: Panda Volunteer and Water Irrigation System: $123
- 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
Tours and Activities in Sao Paulo
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Sao Paulo.
- São Paulo Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $5.12
- São Paulo Ibirapuera Self-Guided Walking Tour: $5.12
- Downtown São Paulo's Epic History: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Walking Tour Historic Center in São Paulo: $16
- Walking Tour of the Historic Center of Sao Paulo: $20
- Downtown-Center History Walking Tour: $28
- São Paulo Must-see Attractions Walking Tour with a Guide: $29
- Historical and Cultural Tour of the Center DE São Paulo: $34
- São Paulo Private Walking Tour with a Local: $35
- São Paulo Highlights Walking Tour with a Guide: $40
- Personal aromatic experience in São Paulo: $41
- MASP Museum of Art of São Paulo (+ticket): $49
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayChengdu $4.25Sao Paulo $3.46
Sample the Local Flavors in Chengdu
Also in Chengdu, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Chengdu Pub Crawl: $23
Sample the Local Flavors in Sao Paulo
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Sao Paulo:
- Pub Crawl in São Paulo: Open Bar + Free Appetizers at Bars: $31
- São Paulo Nightlife: Pub Crawl in the City that Never Sleeps!: $59
- 4 Hours Pub Crawl in Vila Madalena: $150
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Chengdu and Sao Paulo, we can see that Chengdu is more expensive. And not only is Sao Paulo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Chengdu is in Asia and Sao Paulo is in South America, 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 Sao Paulo would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sao Paulo 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 Chengdu would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Chengdu than you might in Sao Paulo.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Chengdu Expensive? and Is Sao Paulo Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Chengdu or Sao Paulo?
Sao Paulo has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Chengdu. When comparing the sizes of Chengdu and Sao Paulo, 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.