A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Kolkata (Calcutta) vs. Royal Chitwan National Park for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Kolkata (Calcutta) or Royal Chitwan National Park?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Kolkata (Calcutta) or Royal Chitwan National Park, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Kolkata (Calcutta) or Royal Chitwan National Park?

Kolkata (Calcutta)

Formerly known as Calcutta, Kolkata is the capital of West Bengal, India. Featuring colonial architecture, galleries, temples, and festivals, the city has flourished from its roots as an East India Company trading post in the 18th Century to a thriving metropolis. Today Kolkata is a diverse center of culture and bustling activity.

Royal Chitwan National Park

The majestic elephant, the silly monkey and dozens of soaring birds call the Royal Chitwan National Park home. At the foot of the Himalayas, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is 932 square kilometers of animal and plant life preservation in Nepal.

Once the favorite hunting ground for Nepal's ruling class, the area began seeing the endangerment of all the area animals. So in 1957, Nepal passed its first conservation law to protect the rhinos and their habitat. At the end of the 1960s, however, DDT had cleared 70% of Royal Chitwan National Park jungles, thousands of people had created moved in on the land and only 95 rhinos were left. By 1977 the park was under complete protection, enlarged to the present-day size and is one of the last refuges of the Bengal tiger.

This park, also known as "the heart of the jungle," provides over 70,000 annual visitors with opportunities to get close and personal with animals they've only seen in movies. Fair warning, however, the weather is quite hot and humid for most of the year.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 4-Week (1-Month) Tours in India, The Best Bicycle Tours in India, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Pokhara, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Nepal.


Which place is cheaper, Royal Chitwan National Park or Kolkata (Calcutta)?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Kolkata (Calcutta) is $37, while the average daily cost in Royal Chitwan National Park is $35. 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 Kolkata (Calcutta) and Royal Chitwan National Park in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Kolkata (Calcutta) $17
    Royal Chitwan National Park $11
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Kolkata (Calcutta) $34
    Royal Chitwan National Park $22
Compare Hotels in Kolkata (Calcutta) and Royal Chitwan National Park

Looking for a hotel in Kolkata (Calcutta) or Royal Chitwan National Park? 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 Kolkata (Calcutta)


Hotels in Royal Chitwan National Park


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: Kolkata (Calcutta) Hotel Prices and Royal Chitwan National Park Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Kolkata (Calcutta) $5.11
    Royal Chitwan National Park $22

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kolkata (Calcutta)

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kolkata (Calcutta):

  • Private Transfer Kolkata Airport CCU To Kolkata Hotels Drop: $22
  • Path of Knowledge: A Heritage Walking Tour of Kolkata with Private Transfer: $165
  • Build Your Own: custom private tour of Kolkata with transfers: $69

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Royal Chitwan National Park

Also for Royal Chitwan National Park, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Chitwan to Kathmandu One Way Transfer by Private AC Car : $75

Is it cheaper to fly into Kolkata (Calcutta) or Royal Chitwan National Park?

Prices for flights to both Royal Chitwan National Park and Kolkata (Calcutta) 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
    Kolkata (Calcutta) $14
    Royal Chitwan National Park $9.44

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kolkata (Calcutta)

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Kolkata (Calcutta).

  • Bengali Nights Kolkata Food Tour with 13+ Tastings: $35
  • Cooking experience in Authentic Bengali House with Lunch/Dinner: $41
  • Alleyway Food Tour: $42
  • Traditional Bengali Cooking Class in Kolkata in a Local Home: $64

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Kolkata (Calcutta) $15
    Royal Chitwan National Park $9.63

Tours and Activities in Kolkata (Calcutta)

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Kolkata (Calcutta) are as follows:

  • 02 Days Guided Private Tour of Kolkata : $225
  • 2 days private tour of kolkata city and Bishnupur by car: $280
  • All inclusive full day tour of kolkata: $105
  • Capturing the City of Joy; Full Day Kolkata Street Photography Tour: $85
  • Cultural Confluence of Kolkata - Culture Kaleidoscope Tour: $37
  • Custom Private Guided Kolkata Sightseeing Trip w/ Optional Add ons: $147
  • Explore Kolkata- Private Full Day Tour: $90
  • Full Day City Tour Of Kolkata With Guide: $55
  • Full Day Kolkata City Tour : $76
  • Full Day Pilgrimage Tour of Ganga Sagar from Kolkata: $100
  • Full Day Private Sightseeing Tour of Kolkata: $284
  • Guided Kolkata Sightseeing Trip by Car, Walk & Sunset Cruise Excursion Trip: $111

Tours and Activities in Royal Chitwan National Park

For Royal Chitwan National Park, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Experience the ride in Lowlands of Nepal: $62
  • 1 Night 2 Days Chitwan Safari Tour: $118
  • Chitwan Jungle Safari Tour: $140
  • 2 Nights 3 Days Chitwan Jungle Safari Tour : $154
  • Chitwan Safari Tour : $160
  • 3 Nights 4 Days Comfortable Chitwan Safari Tour: $195
  • Chitwan Tour Packages: $200

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Kolkata (Calcutta) $8.27
    Royal Chitwan National Park $6.49

Sample the Local Flavors in Kolkata (Calcutta)

Also in Kolkata (Calcutta), these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Pub Crawl Kolkata: $39


When comparing the travel costs between Kolkata (Calcutta) and Royal Chitwan National Park, we can see that Kolkata (Calcutta) 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 Kolkata (Calcutta) Expensive? and Is Royal Chitwan National Park Expensive?.