Which place is cheaper, Chengdu or Da Nang?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Da Nang or Chengdu?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Da Nang or Chengdu? 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: Da Nang or Chengdu?
Da Nang
Halfway between Ho Chi Minh City in the south and Hanoi in the North is the easy-going beach city of Da Nang (or Danang, for some). The third most populated city in Vietnam, Da Nang draws in crowds with its beautiful and calm beaches as well as its history as a French colonial port.
With beaches, mountains, and cityscape, there's bound to be a point of interest for all travelers. Da Nang is also a transit hub to get to the four Vietnamese UNESCO World heritage sites: Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park, Hue, Hoi An, and My Son.
Da Nang experiences wet season from September through March and dry season from April through August with average temperatures of around 80℉.
Da Nang is also known to have some of the friendliest locals, probably due to the peace and quiet and lack of heavy traffic, even in the city.
Chengdu
Chengdu is in China's Sichuan Provence and is in what is known as the Red Basin. It is a particularly fertile region in China that is known for its agriculture. For this reason it is sometimes referred to as the "Land of Milk and Honey". The Funan River cuts through the city but has almost no boat traffic anymore. The city itself has a wonderful relaxed vibe compared to the rest of China and is filled with green parks and places to relax. It is considered one of the most livable cities in China.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Vietnam, The Best Eco Tours in Vietnam, The Best Cultural Tours in China, and The Best Luxury Tours to China.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDa Nang $46Chengdu $50
The average daily cost (per person) in Da Nang is $46, while the average daily cost in Chengdu is $50. 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 Da Nang and Chengdu in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDa Nang $19Chengdu $21
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDa Nang $38Chengdu $42
Compare Hotels in Da Nang and Chengdu
Looking for a hotel in Da Nang or Chengdu? 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: Da Nang Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Da Nang $11Chengdu $5.93
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Da Nang
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Da Nang:
- Private Transfer to Ba Na Hills - Golden Bridge & Hoi An City : $78
- Afternoon private transfer from Da Nang city to Golden Bridge in the theme park: $44
- Airport Transfer: Da Nang Airport and Hoi An City: $15
- Airport pick up and transfer from Danang airport to Hoian: $29
- Asia Park - Sun World Da Nang Wonders Theme Park Ticket With Round Trip Transfer: $26
- Ba Na Hills Golden Bridge Private Car Transfer from Da Nang: $38
- Charter Limousine DCar RoundTrip Transfer Da Nang Hoi An Hue : $219
- DA NANG AIRPORT To Da Nang Hotel by PRIVATE TRANSFER: $10
- Da Nang Airport Arrival Or Departure Luxury Car Transfers: $11
- Da Nang Airport Arrival Or Departure Luxury Car Transfers: $7.39
- Da Nang Airport Arrival Private Transfer: $25
- Da Nang Airport Private Arrival Transfer: $10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chengdu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chengdu:
- Chengdu City to Chengdu Shuangliu Airport (CTU) - Departure Private Transfer: $19
- Chengdu Panda Breeding Base Ticket w/ Optional Transfer or Guide: $20
- Chengdu Airport (CTU) to Chengdu - Arrival Private Transfer: $21
- Chengdu to Chengdu Airport (CTU) - Departure Private Transfer: $21
- [Airport Transfer] Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport Kosheng City Transfer High reputation for service! : $22
- Chengdu Panda Breeding Base Ticket w/ Private Transfer/Guide: $23
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chengdu International Airport (CTU): $23
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chengdu Train Stations: $23
- Private Transfer from Chengdu hotel to Chengdu Train Station: $27
- Departure Transfer from City Hotel to Chengdu Railway Station: $30
- Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport Transfer to Downtown Hotel: $32
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chengdu Airport (CTU or TFU): $34
Is it cheaper to fly into Da Nang or Chengdu?
Prices for flights to both Chengdu and Da Nang 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 dayDa Nang $16Chengdu $22
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Da Nang
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Da Nang.
- Dragon bridge show and Da Nang local food tour: $4.10
- Home Cooking Class: $22
- Vegetarian Cooking class and Basket Boat Riding: $25
- Happy Cooking Class in Danang : $26
- Cooking Class and tasting Pho with Local Girl: $29
- Vegetarian Home Cooking Class Da Nang: $29
- Eco Cooking Class and Basket boat tour from Da Nang city: $29
- Da Nang Home Cooking Class: $29
- Da Nang Street Walking Food Tour : $29
- Basket Boat Riding and Cooking Class from Da Nang City : $29
- Da Nang Vegetarian Cooking Class: $29
- Making Lantern & Basket Boat & Happy Cooking Class: $30
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chengdu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Chengdu.
- Sichuan Opera Face-Changing Show And Hotpot Dinner Evening Tour: $40
- Half-Day Chinese Bun Cooking Class with Local Spice Market Visit: $56
- Chengdu evening food tour by local guide: $60
- Half day Chengdu Dumpling making Cooking Class: Make from Scratch: $62
- Discovery more Chengdu evening food tour with locals : $65
- Tuktuk Food Tour Through Chengdu's Local Eats: $69
- Half-Day Professional Mapo Tofu Cooking Class with Local Spice Market Visit: $69
- Half-Day Dandan Noodles Cooking Class with Local Spice Market Visit: $70
- Sichuan Opera Show VIP Seat Tickets w/ Transfer or Dinner: $71
- Half Day Chengdu Tofu Making Class with Mapo Tofu Cooking: $72
- Half-Day Private Sichuan Hot-Pot Cooking Class with Local Spice Market Visit: $80
- Spicy Local Food Tour through Chengdu: $80
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Da Nang $13Chengdu $16
Tours and Activities in Da Nang
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Da Nang are as follows:
- The private tour to Golden Bridge and Marble mountain: $2.05
- Vietnamese Tradition Combo Ao dai Coffee and Banh mi Private Tour: $2.83
- From Monkey Mountain Hidden Gems Full-Day Tour: $4.10
- Local Food Private Walking Tour: $4.10
- Han River by night on boat cruise in Da Nang: $5.50
- Han River Cruise & Cham Dancing by Phu Quy Cruise: $6.15
- Scenic Han River Night Cruise On My Xuan Cruise.: $6.15
- Han River Local Cruise by Night: $6.15
- Super cheap and distinguished Ao Dai Experience in 2 hours - Ao dai retal: $6.16
- Han River Cruise Evening Ticket in Danang City: $7.50
- Da Nang Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.65
- Da Nang Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.78
Tours and Activities in Chengdu
Here are a few actual costs in Chengdu for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- local people's opera house experience: $10
- Chengdu Panda Research Base Tickets And Half Day Tour(Private): $16
- Chengdu Panda Base and Dujiangyan One-Day Private Tour: $17
- Chengdu Sichuan Opera Show Ticket - Shu Feng Ya Yun: $17
- Skip the Line: Sichuan Opera Chengdu Ticket: $21
- Giant Panda Breeding Research Base Ticket: $22
- Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base Ticket: $22
- Shu Feng Ya Yun Sichuan Opera House Tickets Booking: $29
- Sichuan Opera Shu Feng Yan Yun Evening Show Ticket: $29
- Chengdu Sichuan Opera Evening Show Ticket-Shu Feng Yan Yun : $29
- Private Half-Day Walking Tour Unveil Night Life of Chengdu: $30
- Sichuan Opera Tickets Booking: $33
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDa Nang $9.39Chengdu $3.93
When comparing the travel costs between Da Nang and Chengdu, we can see that Chengdu is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Da Nang Expensive? and Is Chengdu Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Da Nang or Chengdu?
Chengdu has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Da Nang. When comparing the sizes of Da Nang and Chengdu, 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.