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 3-Day Tours from Manaus, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Brazil.
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Chengdu Prices
China PricesSao Paulo Prices
Brazil Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayChengdu $67Sao Paulo $60
The average daily cost (per person) in Chengdu is $67, while the average daily cost in Sao Paulo is $60. 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 $21Sao Paulo $28
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomChengdu $42Sao Paulo $56
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: Sao Paulo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Chengdu $6.02Sao Paulo $5.76
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chengdu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chengdu:
- 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
- Private Transfer from Chengdu to Mount Emei and Stops at Leshan Giant Buddha: $160
- Chengdu Private Round Trip Transfer to Emei Mountain: $128
- 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
- Authentic Chengdu Dining Experience with with Private Transfers: $60
- Chengdu to Xi'an/Chongqing Bullet Train Ticket with Transfer: $56
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sao Paulo
Also for Sao Paulo, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Sao Paulo Guarulhos Airport (GRU) to Sao Paulo Private Transfer: $79
- Airport Transfer: Sao Paulo to Airport GRU by Business Car: $143
- Airport Transfer: Sao Paulo to Airport GRU by Luxury Van: $176
- Arrived in Guarulhos or Congonhas? Your Transfer is Ready: $90
- Private Arrival Transfer | Congonhas Airport (CGH) x São Paulo City: $95
- Private Arrival Transfer: Congonhas Airport to São Paulo Hotels: $39
- Private Arrival Transfer: Guarulhos International Airport to São Paulo Hotels: $47
- Private Departure Transfer: São Paulo Hotels to Congonhas Airport: $39
- Private Transfer from Alphaville to Sao Paulo (GRU) Airport: $125
- Private Transfer from Gru Airport to Port or City of Santos (1 to 15 people): $229
- Private Transfer from Guarulhos to Santos: $80
- Private Transfer from Morumbi to Sao Paulo (GRU) Airport: $178
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 $38Sao Paulo $24
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chengdu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Chengdu.
- Discovery more Chengdu evening food tour with locals : $55
- Chengdu Hidden Street Food Tour Spice Trails: $60
- Tuktuk Food Tour Through Chengdu's Local Eats: $69
- Half-Day Professional Mapo Tofu Cooking with a Local Market Visit: $69
- Market Tour and Sichuan Cooking Class: $70
- Half-Day Chengdu Cooking Class with a Local Market Visit: $75
- Half day Sichuan Cuisine Cooking Class Tour(Cooking 3 dishes): $75
- Half-Day Private Hot-Pot Cooking Class with a Local Market Visit: $80
- Chengdu Food Tour with Wenshu Yuan Monastery Visit: $82
- Eat with Locals Chengdu Dinner Tour : $83
- Half-Day Sichuan Cooking Class Experience in Chengdu: $84
- Half-day Chengdu Handmade Tofu Making and Mapo Tofu Cooking Class: $90
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:
- Make 9 Brazilian Faves in a 4-Hour Cooking Workshop in Sao Paulo: $85
- Authentic Brazilian Cooking Experience in SP: Feijoada & Moqueca: $189
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Chengdu $16Sao Paulo $3.89
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
- Chengdu Private Day Tour to the Leshan Giant Buddha and Huanglongxi Old Town: $248
- Chinese Traditional Massage Experience with Healthy Lunch: $68
- Dujiangyan Irrigation System and Panda Base Day tour: $238
- Private Chengdu Panda Base and Sichuan Cuisine Museum Day Tour: $120
- Private Day Tour Chengdu Panda Base and The Leshan Giant Buddha: $230
- Private Full Day Chengdu Panda Base and Jinsha Site Museum Tour: $136
- Private Leshan Buddha Day Tour with Local Market visiting: $227
- 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
Tours and Activities in Sao Paulo
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Sao Paulo.
- Sao Paulo Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- Downtown-Center History Walking Tour - in English: $31
- São Paulo: 2 Hour Immersion Waling Tour in Paulista Avenue: $34
- São Paulo Must-see Attractions Walking Tour with a Guide: $48
- Boat Trip Billings Dam and Experience Bororé Island: $50
- São Paulo: 2 Hours - Liberdade "Street Food" Tour - In English: $55
- Sao Paulo, Pinheiros - Food & Graffiti Tour - In English: $65
- São Paulo Highlights Walking Tour with a Guide: $66
- City Tour Meet São Paulo Half-Day: $68
- Sao Paulo Culture Walking Tour: $69
- Shared tour of the tourist attractions of São Paulo: $77
- São Paulo’s Full Day City Tour: Main City Sights in 7 Hours – (Shared Group): $79
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayChengdu $3.99Sao Paulo $3.38
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 Local Food and Bar Crawl Night Tour : $128
Sample the Local Flavors in Sao Paulo
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Sao Paulo:
- Fine wine tastings in São Roque - Tour with local guides: $192
When comparing the travel costs between Chengdu and Sao Paulo, 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. Even though Chengdu is in Asia and Sao Paulo is in South America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
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.