Which place is cheaper, Pingyao or Chennai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Chennai or Pingyao?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Chennai or Pingyao? 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 Pingyao?
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.
Pingyao
Pingyao is a small city in the Shanxi Province of China, dating back over 2700 years. The city is most famous for their old town, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The old town is one of the best preserved ancient walled cities in the world dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
The climate in Pingyao is influenced by monsoons, and therefore gets hot and humid summers and chillier springs. Autumn is a great time to visit as temperatures are fairly mild-in the 50-60's Fahrenheit- and you can avoid the heavy rains of summer. Winter is also a pleasant time to visit, especially since temperatures tend not to dip below 30 and there is not much snow or bad weather.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to India, The Best Sightseeing Tours in India, The Best Historical Tours in China, and The Best 10-Day Tours in China.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayChennai $29Pingyao $54
The average daily cost (per person) in Chennai is $29, while the average daily cost in Pingyao is $54. 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 Pingyao in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personChennai $15Pingyao $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomChennai $30Pingyao $46
Compare Hotels in Chennai and Pingyao
Looking for a hotel in Chennai or Pingyao? 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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Chennai $2.61Pingyao $13
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
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Pingyao
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Pingyao:
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Taxi to Train Station$1.38
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pingyao
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pingyao:
- Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Wutaishan from Pingyao: $190
- Privater Transfer from Datong to Pingyao with driver: $115
- Private Transfer Servcie to Mianshan (Mian Mountain) from Pingyao: $60
Is it cheaper to fly into Chennai or Pingyao?
Prices for flights to both Pingyao 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 $6.40Pingyao $19
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
Typical Food Prices in Pingyao
Some typical examples of dining costs in Pingyao are as follows:
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Casual Lunch (for 2)$4.97
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Mango Juice$0.69
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Chennai $2.77Pingyao $18
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
Typical Entertainment Prices in Pingyao
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Pingyao are as follows:
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All Day Bike Rental (for 2)$2.76
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Temple Entrance Fee (for 2)$6.90
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Bike Parking Fee (for 2)$0.55
Tours and Activities in Pingyao
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Pingyao are as follows:
- 1-Day Pingyao Ancient Town Sightseeing Walking Tour: $113
- 1-Day Pingyao tour to Wang Family's Compound and Zhangbi Ancient Fortress : $206
- 2-Hour Guided Private Bike Tour to see the Hidden Pingyao & Tea Break: $60
- 3-Hour Private Walking Tour of Pingyao Highlights: $125
- All Inclusive Pingyao Private Tour to Qiao Family Compound and Shuanglin Temple: $142
- Day tour to Wang Family Compound shuanglin temple &zhangbi castle: $210
- Half-Day Private Walking Tour of Pingyao Ancient City: $65
- Mian Mountain Private Day Tour From Pingyao: $188
- One Day Tour Exploration of Pingyao Old Town and Wang Family Mansion: $183
- Pingyao Ancient City Full-Day Walking Tour: $129
- Pingyao Day Tour: Wang Family Mansion and Zhangbi Ancient Castle: $132
- Pingyao Food Walking Tour : $67
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayChennai $3.08Pingyao $13
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Chennai and Pingyao, we can see that Pingyao 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 Pingyao would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Pingyao 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 Pingyao Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Chennai or Pingyao?
Chennai has a larger population, and is about 100 times larger than the population of Pingyao. When comparing the sizes of Chennai and Pingyao, 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.