Which place is cheaper, Hualien or Chennai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Chennai or Hualien?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Chennai or Hualien? 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 Hualien?
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.
Hualien
If you're looking for hustle and bustle, head to Taipei. If you're looking for fresh air and the prettiest town by the sea, Hualien is the place to be. With many national parks to explore, cliffs and mountains to climb and beaches to get some rest and relaxation, there's plenty to do, especially for nature lovers and those who crave peace and quiet, away from the bigger cities in Taiwan.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to India, The Best Sightseeing Tours in India, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Taipei, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Taiwan.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayChennai $29Hualien $105
The average daily cost (per person) in Chennai is $29, while the average daily cost in Hualien is $105. 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 Hualien in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personChennai $15Hualien $56
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomChennai $30Hualien $112
Compare Hotels in Chennai and Hualien
Looking for a hotel in Chennai or Hualien? 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.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Chennai $2.61Hualien $27
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
- Chennai - Private Departure Transfer from Hotel to Airport : $19
- Departure Transfer from Chennai Hotels to Chennai airport: $20
- Chennai - Private Arrival Transfer - From Airport to Hotel: $20
- Affordable Chennai Airport Transfer: $24
- Chennai International Airport to Hotel-Private Arrival transfer: $25
- Bangalore - private departure transfer from Hotel to Airport : $35
- Private Transfer from Chennai (MAA) Airport to Chennai City: $37
- Private Transfer from Chennai City to Chennai (MAA) Airport: $37
- Private Arrival Transfer: Chennai International Airport to Hotel: $40
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hualien
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hualien:
- Private Transfer from Hualien Port to Taipei Taoyuan Airport(TPE): $103
- Private Transfer from Hualien Port to Taipei Taoyuan Airport: $93
- Private Transfer from Hualien Cruise Port to Taipei city hotels: $93
Is it cheaper to fly into Chennai or Hualien?
Prices for flights to both Hualien 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
-
Food Meals for one dayChennai $6.40Hualien $30
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
- South Indian Vegetarian Cooking Class in Chennai with Menna: $54
- South Indian Vegetarian Cooking Class Near the Chennai airport: $62
- Traditional Tamil Brahmin Vegetarian Cooking Lesson with a Local in Her Home: $74
- Private Authentic Indian Cooking Class in Chennai with a Local: $76
- Private 3-Hour Cooking Lesson and Meal in Chennai: $100
- Authentic South Indian Cooking Class and Vegetarian Meal with a Local in Chennai: $122
- Food Trail In Sowcarpet With Transport And Dinner - Chennai: $216
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hualien
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Hualien.
- Aboriginal Cooking Class in Hualien: $100
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Chennai $2.77Hualien $20
Tours and Activities in Chennai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Chennai.
- Chennai Heritage Trails (2 Hour Guided Walking Tour): $13
- Spiritual Trails of Chennai (2 Hour Guided Walking Tour): $13
- Explore Chennai in Nightlights (2 Hour Guided Walking Tour): $13
- Walking Tour Chennai: $14
- Chennai Night Walk Tour ( 2 hours guided walking tour): $16
- Chennai Walking Tour ( 2 hours guided tour): $16
- Magical Chennai Markets Tour (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $17
- Chennai Walk of Divinity (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $17
- 2 Hour Street Food Walking Tour: $21
- Chennai Cultural Walking Tour: $26
- Night Walking Tour of Chennai: $26
- Chennai Food Tasting Trails (2 Hour Guided Tour Experience): $26
Tours and Activities in Hualien
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Hualien are as follows:
- Full Day Tour in Taroko National Park from Hualien: $199
- Full-Day Private Taroko National Park Tour from Hualien City: $139
- Full-Day Taroko National Park Tour from Hualien City: $115
- Hualien Changhong Bridge SUP Day tour: $85
- Hualien Light Mountain & Sea One Day Tour | Hualien: $53
- One-Day Private Guided Tour in Taroko Gorge from Hualien: $117
- Private Full Day Tour to East Coast and East Valley from Hualien : $105
- Qixingtan Fish Fishing Chihsingtan Classic Fishing Tour: $23
- Shuimutin Exclusive SUP Day tour(Hualien to Taitung): $89
- Taroko National Park One day Tour from Hualien: $53
- Taroko, Qingshui Cliffs and Qixingtan Chartered Tour from Hualien: $156
- Wild ATV Self-driving Experience: $42
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayChennai $3.08Hualien $14
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Chennai and Hualien, we can see that Hualien 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 Hualien would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Hualien 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 Hualien Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Chennai or Hualien?
Chennai has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Hualien. When comparing the sizes of Chennai and Hualien, 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.