Which place is cheaper, Chengdu or Guilin?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Guilin or Chengdu?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Guilin and Chengdu can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Guilin or Chengdu?
Guilin
Guilin is a city in Southern China situated on the west bank of the Li River with Hunan to the north. Its name means, "Forest of Sweet Osmanthus," owing to the large number of fragrant Sweet Osmanthus trees located in the city. Products like tea, sugar, and wine, can be made from the tree and are found in many shops throughout Guilin. A popular tourist destination, the city is renowned for its scenery of karst topography with unique mountains jutting out of the urban landscape.
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 Hiking & Trekking Tours in China, The Best Historical Tours in China, The Best 10-Day Tours in China, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in China.
-
Guilin Prices
China PricesChengdu Prices
China Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGuilin $84Chengdu $67
The average daily cost (per person) in Guilin is $84, while the average daily cost in Chengdu is $67. 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 Guilin and Chengdu in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGuilin $35Chengdu $21
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGuilin $70Chengdu $42
Compare Hotels in Guilin and Chengdu
Looking for a hotel in Guilin 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.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Guilin $5.85Chengdu $6.02
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Guilin
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Guilin are as follows:
-
Taxi$2.80
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guilin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Guilin:
- 2-hours Yangshuo Yulong Bamboo Boat Tour with the Round-way Private Transfers: $83
- Guangzhou Baiyun Airport Chauffeur Service , to Dongguan Transfer: $71
- Guilin Airport to Yangshuo: Private Transfer for up to 15 Pax: $190
- Guilin Private Transfer in English-speaking Services: Airport to Hotel Roundtrip: $99
- Guilin Railway stations Transfer Service: $37
- Guilin Transfer Services: Airport,train station & hotel: $18
- Guilin liangjiang Airport Chauffeur Service,Guilin Airport Transfer: $57
- Four Lakes Night Cruise with Round-trip Transfer: $58
- Haikou Meilan Airport Chauffeur Service, Haikou Airport Transfer, Pick up: $54
- Haikou Meilan International Airport Chauffeur Service ,Haikou Airport Transfer: $50
- Haikou Meilan International Airport Chauffeur Service, Haikou Airport Transfer: $50
- One Way Transfer Service between Guilin city and airport: $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chengdu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chengdu:
- Authentic Chengdu Dining Experience with with Private Transfers: $60
- 1-Day Chengdu Layover Tour: Leshan Giant buddha with Round Airport Transfer: $205
- Chengdu Airport (CTU) to Chengdu - Arrival Private Transfer: $31
- Chengdu Airport (TFU) to Chengdu - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $65
- Chengdu Airport (TFU) to Chengdu city - Arrival Private Transfer: $32
- Chengdu Airport Private Transfer With English Speaking Driver: $35
- Chengdu Airport to Hotel: Private Transfer for up to 40 pax: $230
- Chengdu Airport to Hotel: Private Transfer for up to 5 pax: $120
- Chengdu Panda Breeding Base Ticket w/ Optional Transfer or Guide: $20
- Chengdu Private Round Trip Transfer to Emei Mountain: $128
- Chengdu Private Transfer from Chengdu central to Chengdu Airport (CTU): $43
- Chengdu Shuangliu Airport (CTU) to Chengdu City - Arrival Private Transfer: $30
Is it cheaper to fly into Guilin or Chengdu?
Prices for flights to both Chengdu and Guilin 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 dayGuilin $39Chengdu $38
Typical Food Prices in Guilin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Guilin:
-
Fresh Coconut Drink$1.40
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guilin
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Guilin.
- Half day Yangshuo Cooking lesson Small Group Tour: $62
- Full-Day Li-River with the 4 Star Luxury Boat VIP Room and Yangshuo Cooking Tour: $286
- Countryside Cycling 1-day Tour with Cooking Class: $306
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chengdu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Chengdu.
- Discovery more Chengdu evening food tour with locals : $55
- Chengdu Hidden Street Food Tour Spice Trails: $60
- Tuktuk Food Tour Through Chengdu's Local Eats: $69
- Half-Day Professional Mapo Tofu Cooking with a Local Market Visit: $69
- Market Tour and Sichuan Cooking Class: $70
- Half-Day Chengdu Cooking Class with a Local Market Visit: $75
- Half day Sichuan Cuisine Cooking Class Tour(Cooking 3 dishes): $75
- Half-Day Private Hot-Pot Cooking Class with a Local Market Visit: $80
- Chengdu Food Tour with Wenshu Yuan Monastery Visit: $82
- Eat with Locals Chengdu Dinner Tour : $83
- Half-Day Sichuan Cooking Class Experience in Chengdu: $84
- Half-day Chengdu Handmade Tofu Making and Mapo Tofu Cooking Class: $90
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Guilin $28Chengdu $16
Typical Entertainment Prices in Guilin
Here are a few typical costs in Guilin for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
-
Entrance to the Caves$17
Tours and Activities in Guilin
Here are a few actual costs in Guilin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Guilin Four lakes night cruise with the English speaking driver from Guilin hotel: $47
- Kayaking Adventure with Local Guide(beginner friendly): $51
- Half-Day Self-Guided Yangshuo Xianggong Hill Sunrise Tour: $52
- 1-Day tour of Guilin-LiRiver cruise-Yangshuo Xianggong hill : $55
- GUILIN:kayaking adventure with local guide: $60
- Private Full-Day City Tour with Fubo Hill: $61
- Guilin English tour guide service : $62
- Private Day Tour: Longji Terraces Cultural Villages and Hike : $69
- Full-Day Guilin Essence and Lifestyle Walking Tour: $69
- Private day tour :Guilin-LiRiver bamboo boat-Yangshuo Highlights : $70
- 1-DAY Private Longji Rice Terraces and Minority Villages Tour: $70
- City Tour with Elephant Hill & Ming Tea Tasting: $71
Tours and Activities in Chengdu
Here are a few actual costs in Chengdu for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Customize Your China Tour 2024/2025: $5.00
- Chengdu Museum Tours & Tickets : $10
- Ticket reservation for Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Base: $15
- Chengdu Panda Research Base Tickets And Optional Private Tour: $16
- Private Chengdu Panda Breeding Research Base Ticket and Guide opt: $16
- Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base Ticket: $17
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding Ticket pre-booking: $20
- Evening Show Tickets for Sichuan Opera: $26
- Shu Feng Ya Yun Sichuan Opera Ticket: $27
- Chengdu Sichuan Opera Evening Show Ticket-Shu Feng Yan Yun : $27
- Wenshu Monastery Culinary Tour Zen and Chengdu Delights: $28
- Sichuan Opera Tickets Booking: $33
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayGuilin $5.81Chengdu $3.99
Sample the Local Flavors in Chengdu
Also in Chengdu, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Tipsy Travel: Chengdu Local Food and Bar Crawl Night Tour : $128
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Guilin and Chengdu, we can see that Guilin is more expensive. And not only is Chengdu much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Chengdu would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Chengdu 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 Guilin would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Guilin than you might in Chengdu.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Guilin Expensive? and Is Chengdu Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Guilin or Chengdu?
Chengdu has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Guilin. When comparing the sizes of Guilin 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.