Should you visit Chennai or Jaisalmer?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Chennai or Jaisalmer? 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 Jaisalmer?
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.
Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer is located in western part of the Rajasthan state of India. The city is known as the "Golden City" for its Sonar Qila, or 'Golden Fort'. This fort is different than other forts in India in that it is a living fort, meaning that it contains many hotels, homes, and shops for locals and visitors. The city is very close to the Thar Desert, to which excursions can be made.
Which place is cheaper, Jaisalmer or Chennai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Chennai is $30, while the average daily cost in Jaisalmer is $37. 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 Jaisalmer in more detail.
Accommodation
Looking for a hotel in Chennai or Jaisalmer? 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
Jaisalmer Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chennai
Also for Chennai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Full Day Tour to Kanchipuram and UNESCO's Mahabalipuram with Private Transfer:
$246
-
Private Arrival Transfer: Chennai Airport (MAA) to Pondicherry Hotels:
$145
-
Private Arrival Transfer: Chennai International Airport to Hotel:
$40
-
Private Transfer from Chennai City to Chennai (MAA) Airport:
$37
-
Private Transfer from Chennai (MAA) Airport to Chennai City:
$37
-
Bangalore - private departure transfer from Hotel to Airport :
$35
-
Private Arrival Transfer: Chennai Airport (MAA) to Chennai Hotels:
$34
-
Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chennai International Airport:
$26
-
Chennai International Airport to Hotel-Private Arrival transfer:
$25
-
Departure Private Transfer from Chennai City to Chennai MAA Airport by car:
$24
-
Affordable Chennai Airport Transfer:
$24
-
Chennai - Private Arrival Transfer - From Airport to Hotel:
$20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Jaisalmer
Also for Jaisalmer, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Private Transfer From Jaisalmer To Delhi:
$197
-
Private Transfer From Jaisalmer To Agra:
$181
-
Private Transfers Jaisalmer To Bikaner Drop:
$123
-
Private Transfers Jaisalmer To Jodhpur Drop:
$123
-
Private transfer from Jaisalmer to Bikaner:
$120
-
Private Transfer From Jaisalmer To Jaipur:
$117
-
Private Transfer From Jaisalmer To Ahmedabad:
$117
-
Private Transfer From Jaisalmer To Jaipur:
$117
-
Private One Way Transfer From Jaisalmer To Pushkar:
$94
-
Transfer From Jaisalmer To Udaipur Via Ranakpur Jain Temple:
$90
-
Private Transfer From Jaisalmer To Pushkar:
$85
-
Private Transfer From Jaisalmer To Bikaner:
$65
Is it cheaper to fly into Chennai or Jaisalmer?
Prices for flights to both Jaisalmer 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 day
Chennai $6.44
Jaisalmer $14
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chennai
For Chennai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Food Tour in Mylapore, Chennai:
$12
-
Private Vegetarian South Indian Cooking Class in Chennai :
$44
-
2 Hour Street Food Tour in Sowcarpet Chennai :
$45
-
Private In-Home Vegetarian Cooking Class and Meal in Chennai:
$46
-
Private Authentic Indian Cooking Class in Chennai with a Local:
$51
-
South Indian Vegetarian Cooking Class Near the Chennai airport:
$62
-
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:
$220
Typical Food prices in Jaisalmer
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Jaisalmer:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Jaisalmer
For Jaisalmer, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Cooking Class With Indian family in House & Sunset In Thar Desert :
$20
-
Half Day SunSet Tour with Dinner:
$27
-
Half Day Camel Safari Sunset with Dinner Tour (Non Touristic):
$27
-
Jaisalmer Heritage Cultural Walking & Street Food Tour:
$29
-
Peaceful Non -Touristic Sunset Camel Safari With Dinner :
$35
-
Pleasant Sunset Safari With Dinner On Dunes (From 2:00 PM to Approx. 10:00 PM):
$35
-
Sunset Safari With Dinner:
$37
-
Experience Camel Safari With Folk Dance & Dinner:
$37
-
8 Hours Private Tour in Thar Desert with Dinner:
$43
-
Dinner In Thar Desert:
$45
-
Half Day City Tour of Jaisalmer visit Sunset by Camel Ride with Dinner:
$56
-
Half Day City Tour of Jaisalmer Sunset at Sand Dunes & Dinner:
$64
Entertainment
Tours and Activities in Chennai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Chennai.
-
Chennai to Temple Trail: Srikalahasti & Sri Venkateswara Tour:
$89
-
Romantic tour in Chennai:
$438
-
St Thomas Mount Tour Chennai:
$85
-
The best of Chennai walking tour:
$438
-
15 days culture tour of South India in private car & flight with guide & hotels:
$2,613
-
2 day Chettinad tour from Chennai to Palatial mansions with Guide by flight:
$427
-
2 day trip to Agra from Chennai with air tickets:
$951
-
2-Day Tour to Taj Mahal and Agra from Chennai with Both Side Commercial Flights:
$681
-
2-Day Tour to Taj Mahal and Agra from Chennai with Both side Commercial Flights:
$678
-
3 days tour of temples of Planets & Elements from Chennai by private car:
$587
-
3-Day Tour to Delhi, Agra, Jaipur from Chennai with one-way Commercial Flight:
$588
-
8 Days Private South India Temple Tour with 4 Star Luxury Hotels :
$1,068
Typical Entertainment prices in Jaisalmer
For Jaisalmer, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
-
Sam Sand Dunes for Two
$3.61
Tours and Activities in Jaisalmer
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Jaisalmer.
-
Jaisalmer Tuk-Tuk Private Full Day Tour with Pick-up:
$16
-
Private Full-Day Tour of Jaisalmer with Guide:
$32
-
2 Days-1 Night Camel Tour:
$102
-
2 Nights 3 Days Jaisalmer Tour & Non-Touristic Camel Safari:
$190
-
2 day trip to Agra from Chennai without air tickets:
$504
-
2-Night Desert Experience with Luxury Camp from Jaisalmer:
$211
-
3 Days Jaisalmer Private Tour:
$180
-
3 Days Private Jaisalmer Tour:
$180
-
3 days Jaisalmer Private Tour with Desert Safari, Sightseeing and Accommodation:
$203
-
3-Day Private Tour of Jaisalmer with Desert Camp Experience:
$173
-
4 - Days Jaisalmer Sightseeing Tour:
$144
-
4 - Days Jaisalmer Sightseeing Tour:
$150
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Chennai and Jaisalmer, we can see that Jaisalmer 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 Jaisalmer would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Jaisalmer than you might in Chennai.
Which is Bigger, Chennai or Jaisalmer?
Chennai is bigger, and its population is about 64 times larger than the population of Jaisalmer. When comparing the population of Chennai vs. Jaisalmer, 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 and the activities that interest you.
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