A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Chennai vs. Yangshuo for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Chennai or Yangshuo?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Chennai or Yangshuo? 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 Yangshuo?

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.

Yangshuo

A county of the city, Guilin, Yangshuo is located in a region famous for its karst topography. Surrounded by jagged mountain peaks and bordered on one side by the Li River, Yangshuo has become a popular home base for tourists looking to explore the region's natural wonders. Backpackers and tourists, both foreign and domestic, come to Yangshuo every year making it a city of many cultures. Most locals are even able to speak English, which is fairly uncommon for Chinese cities.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to India, The Best Sightseeing Tours in India, The Best Budget Tours to China, and The Best Tours for Seniors to China.


Which place is cheaper, Yangshuo or Chennai?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Chennai is $29, while the average daily cost in Yangshuo is $72. 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 Yangshuo in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Chennai $15
    Yangshuo $25
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Chennai $30
    Yangshuo $50
Compare Hotels in Chennai and Yangshuo

Looking for a hotel in Chennai or Yangshuo? 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.

Hotels in Chennai


Hotels in Yangshuo


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 $2.61
    Yangshuo $42

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 (MAA) Airport to Chennai City: $37
  • Private Transfer from Chennai City to Chennai (MAA) Airport: $37
  • Bangalore - private departure transfer from Hotel to Airport : $35
  • Chennai International Airport to Hotel-Private Arrival transfer: $25
  • Affordable Chennai Airport Transfer: $24
  • Chennai - Private Arrival Transfer - From Airport to Hotel: $20
  • Departure Transfer from Chennai Hotels to Chennai airport: $20
  • Departure transfer: Chennai hotels to Chennai International Airport: $19
  • Chennai - Private Departure Transfer from Hotel to Airport : $19

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Yangshuo

Also for Yangshuo, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer from Xingping hotel to Longsheng hotel: $107
  • Visit 100% primitive cave with Transfer: $97
  • Private Impression Sanjie Liu Evening Show with Hotel Transfer: $88
  • Private Transfer from Yangshuo hotel to Longsheng hotel: $85
  • Liusanjie Light Show with Round way private transfer from Xingping hotel: $69
  • Yangshuo Via Ferrata with Round way private transfer from Yangshuo hotel: $56
  • Private Transfer from Yangshuo hotel to Guilin hotel: $37
  • Private Transfer from Yangshuo(Xingping) Train Station to Yangshuo Hotel: $21
  • Private Transfer from Xingping hotel to Yangshuo hotel: $21

Is it cheaper to fly into Chennai or Yangshuo?

Prices for flights to both Yangshuo 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 day
    Chennai $6.40
    Yangshuo $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

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Yangshuo

For Yangshuo, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Yangshuo Full Day Tour: Cooking class, River boat, Light Show: $259

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Chennai $2.77
    Yangshuo $23

Tours and Activities in Chennai

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Chennai.

  • St Thomas Mount Tour Chennai: $85
  • Auroville and Pondicherry Tour from Chennai: $44
  • Bazaar Walking tour in George Town: $35
  • Best Of Chennai- Classic Tour on Royal Enfield Motorcycle: $160
  • Bicycle tour in Mahabalipuram with transport from Chennai,lunch & guide: $99
  • Chennai Cultural Walking Tour: $26
  • Chennai Delights: Exploring the Best of the City Tour: $198
  • Chennai Food Tasting Trails (2 Hour Guided Tour Experience): $26
  • Chennai Full Day Guided Tour in a Private Car: $120
  • Chennai Full Day Sightseeing in a Private Car: $70
  • Chennai Half Day Guided Tour in a Private Car: $100
  • Chennai Heritage Trails (2 Hour Guided Walking Tour): $13

Tours and Activities in Yangshuo

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Yangshuo.

  • Longji Rice Terraces Day Tour from Yangshuo hotel: $181
  • Yangshuo Helicopter Tour from Yangshuo hotel: $170
  • 1 Day - Yangshuo Bike Tour: $80
  • 1-Day Guilin City Tour with the Daxu Town and Yao Mountain from Yangshuo: $187
  • 1-Day Longji Rice Terraces hiking tour from Guilin/Yangshuo hotel: $188
  • 1-Day Tour: Yangshuo Yulong Bamboo Boat and Ruyi Peak Cable Car: $149
  • 2 Day - Longji Rice Terraces - Sunrise Hiking Tour: $280
  • Full-day Tour: Longji Rice Terraces & Minority Villages: $146
  • Full/Half-Day Yangshuo Xianggong Hill Sunrise Private Tour: $136
  • Guilin Highlight Sightseeing Private Day City Tour: $139
  • Guilin Tea plantation and Longji Rice Terraces Day Tour from Yangshuo hotel: $181
  • Guilin Yangshuo Day tour from Guangzhou by Round Way Bullet Train: $212

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Chennai $3.08
    Yangshuo $33


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Chennai and Yangshuo, we can see that Yangshuo 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 Yangshuo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Yangshuo 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 Yangshuo Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Chennai or Yangshuo?

Chennai has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Yangshuo. When comparing the sizes of Chennai and Yangshuo, 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.