Which place is cheaper, Bali or Chennai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Chennai or Bali?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Chennai or Bali? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Chennai or Bali?
Chennai
Formerly known as Madras from its colonial history, Chennai today is one of India's largest cities and capital of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the Bay of Bengal in southeastern India with an extensive stretch of sandy beaches, plenty of dining and shopping, a number of historic temples, monuments, and churches, plus amusement parks and more.
Bali
Known as the "Island of the Gods," it's not difficult to see why the Gods would want to set up shop in Bali. With a beautifully diverse landscape of hills, mountains, coastlines, beaches, vibrant rice fields and volcanic hillsides, you'll easily go into sensory overload.
Bali is home to 4 million people who all hold true to a deeply spiritual and unique culture. With champion surfing, world class resorts and challenging hiking trails, this Indonesian island accommodates travelers from every walk of life. It's often called, "paradise on earth, " and no one disagrees.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in India, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in India, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Indonesia, and The Best Budget Tours to Indonesia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayChennai $29Bali $76
The average daily cost (per person) in Chennai is $29, while the average daily cost in Bali is $76. 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 Chennai and Bali in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personChennai $15Bali $43
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomChennai $30Bali $86
Compare Hotels in Chennai and Bali
Looking for a hotel in Chennai or Bali? 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: Chennai Hotel Prices and Bali Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Chennai $2.60Bali $9.42
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chennai
Also for Chennai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Chennai Airport to Hotel Transfer: $13
- Chennai Airport Transfers : Budget Sedan and SUV Cabs: $15
- Departure transfer: Chennai hotels to Chennai International Airport: $19
- Departure Transfer from Chennai Hotels to Chennai airport: $20
- Chennai - Private Arrival Transfer - From Airport to Hotel: $20
- A Private Transfer:From Chennai Airport To Chennai city: $24
- VIP Chennai Airport Transfer: Comfort & Convenience: $24
- Affordable Chennai Airport Transfer: $24
- Chennai International Airport to Hotel-Private Arrival transfer: $25
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chennai International Airport: $28
- Chennai City Hotel to Chennai Airport Private Transfer: $30
- Private Transfer from Chennai (MAA) Airport to Chennai City: $38
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Bali
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Bali:
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Motorbike Rental$3.23
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bali
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bali:
- Paragliding In Bali With Private Hotel Transfer: $140
- BALI PARAGLIDING Fly, Swing and Soaring above the sea with private transfer: $103
- West Beach Nusa Penida Tour with Speedboat Transfer from Sanur: $99
- Drive Your Own Jet Ski Without Instructor With Private Transfer: $85
- Batur Volcano Jeep Tour Include Private Transfer: $80
- Horse Riding on the Black Sand Beach and Free Hotel Transfers: $74
- Nusa Penida All-Inclusive Full-Day Tour with Transfers: $69
- ATV Mason Jungle Buggy Adventure with Lunch & Transfer: $62
- Bali Parasailing Adventure,Banana Boat,Jet Ski and Donut Boat with Transfers: $59
- LuxMe Bali Four Hands massage with Hotel Transfer: $58
- Ubud Highlight Private Tour with Transfer: $57
- Bali Spa Treatment with Airport Transfers (Departure): $56
Is it cheaper to fly into Chennai or Bali?
Prices for flights to both Bali and Chennai 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 dayChennai $6.37Bali $21
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chennai
For Chennai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- 2 Hour Street Food Tour in Sowcarpet Chennai : $37
- Private In-Home Vegetarian Cooking Class and Meal in Chennai: $46
- Private Vegetarian South Indian Cooking Class in Chennai : $48
- South Indian Cooking Class in Chennai with a Passionate Baker: $48
- Traditional Tamil Brahmin Vegetarian Cooking Lesson with a Local in Her Home: $74
- Private 3-Hour Cooking Lesson and Meal in Chennai: $100
- Authentic South Indian Cooking Class and Vegetarian Meal with a Local in Chennai: $122
- Private South Indian Cooking Class and Market Visit in Chennai: $152
- Food Trail In Sowcarpet With Transport And Dinner - Chennai: $216
Typical Food Prices in Bali
Some typical examples of dining costs in Bali are as follows:
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Coffee$1.29
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Lunch for Two$14
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Bali Cafe for Two$28
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Lunch for Two$8.41
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Lunch for 2$9.32
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Dinner for 2$10
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bali
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bali.
- Best Romantic Seafood Dinner at Jimbaran Beach Sunset : $29
- The Balinesia Lu'au - 'A Kampung Bali Experience & Dinner Show': $30
- Romantic Seafood Dinner under sunset jimbaran Beach: $30
- Private Tour Uluwatu Sunset Kecak Dance and Dinner at Jimbaran: $31
- Amazing Private Tour-Uluwatu Kecak Dance and Romantic Seafood Dinner: $33
- From Ubud: Authentic Cooking Class in a Local Village: $35
- Ubud: Balinese Cooking Class at an Organic Farm: $35
- Romantic Seafood Dinner at Jimbaran: $38
- Seminyak: Balinese Cooking Class & Market Tour: $45
- Padang-Padang Beach+ Uluwatu Sunset and Kecak Dance + Dinner: $45
- Spice Garden, Jamu & Cooking Class in Bali Village: $45
- Bali Street Food Tour: $45
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Chennai $2.75Bali $11
Tours and Activities in Chennai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Chennai.
- 3-Day Private Tour to Mahabalipuram and Pondicherry: $3.37
- Chennai Walking Tour ( 2 hours guided tour): $17
- Chennai Night Walk Tour ( 2 hours guided walking tour): $17
- Magical Chennai Markets Tour (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $18
- Chennai Walk of Divinity (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $18
- Night Walking Tour of Chennai: $19
- 2 Hour Street Food Walking Tour: $22
- Chennai Cultural Walking Tour: $26
- The Georgetown Bazaar Walking tour : $29
- Private Ayurvedic Meal Experience with a Local Cookbook Author: $30
- George Town Origins Guided Walking Tour: $33
- Food trail in Sowcarpet Market by Wonder tours: $33
Typical Entertainment Prices in Bali
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Bali are as follows:
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Spa for Two$56
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Snorkelling Trip$13
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Cooking School$29
Tours and Activities in Bali
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Bali are as follows:
- Lembongan Snorkeling and Island Tour: $80
- Nusa Penida Snorkeling Adventure (Private & All-Inclusive): $129
- Sightseeing to Ulundanu temple, banyumala waterfall & Tanah lot: $57
- Tanah Lot, Padang Beach, Uluwatu Sunset, & Kecak Dance Tour: $55
- (BCR Rafting) Rafting Adventure in Telaga Waja River 18km: $55
- 2 Day Tours Ubud Art Village, Dance And Other Tourist Attractions: $186
- 2 Days Private Tours : Watersport And Uluwatu Temple: $124
- 2-Hour Private Luxury Spa Experience Bali Aromatherapy Massage: $65
- 3 Days Full Day Tours Tanah Lot Temple The Gate Of Heaven Temple: $300
- 3-Days Lombok,Gili island Tour Hopping around departure from Bali island: $300
- 30 minutes tandem Paragliding tours in Bali with free photo/video: $185
- 5 Hours Bali Blue Lagoon Snorkeling Tour Including Tanjung Jepun: $59
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayChennai $3.06Bali $3.33
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Chennai and Bali, we can see that Bali is more expensive. And not only is Chennai much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Chennai would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Chennai 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 Bali would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bali than you might in Chennai.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Chennai Expensive? and Is Bali Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Chennai or Bali?
Chennai has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Bali. When comparing the sizes of Chennai and Bali, 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.