Which place is cheaper, Chengdu or Krabi?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Krabi 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 Krabi and Chengdu can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Krabi or Chengdu?
Krabi
Krabi is both a large town and region in southern Thailand. While the region is covered in beaches, if you're more interested in immersion in Thai culture than the salty ocean, consider a trip to "Krabi Town". Pronounced "Grabee," this small, but bustling city is just up the river from the coast, and is the gateway to the beaches in the surrounding Province of Krabi (where you'll find famous places such as Railay, Ao Nang, Haad Yao, and plenty of others). Krabi Town is full of hotels, agencies, and western restaurants, but if you look hard enough, you'll easily see the energy and life of Thailand. While there are no beaches in the town itself, there is plenty of Thai culture to experience. There's a good chance you'll be passing through on your way to one of the famous beaches, so take advantage of your brief time here.
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 10-Day Tours in Thailand, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Thailand, The Best Cultural Tours in China, and The Best Luxury Tours to China.
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Krabi Prices
Thailand PricesChengdu Prices
China Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKrabi $70Chengdu $71
The average daily cost (per person) in Krabi is $70, while the average daily cost in Chengdu is $71. 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 Krabi and Chengdu in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKrabi $40Chengdu $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKrabi $80Chengdu $44
Compare Hotels in Krabi and Chengdu
Looking for a hotel in Krabi 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: Krabi Hotel Prices and Chengdu Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Krabi $4.15Chengdu $6.37
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Krabi
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Krabi are as follows:
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Scooter Rental$8.95
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Short Tuk-Tuk Ride$2.98
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2 Bottles of Gasoline$2.39
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Longboat Taxi from Town$5.97
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Krabi
Also for Krabi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- ATV Jungle Adventure in Krabi with Roundtrip Transfer: $37
- Air-Conditioned Van Charter for Krabi Airport Transfers & More: $26
- Ao Nang Kayaking at Klong Rud with Hotel Transfer: $29
- Ao Nang Krabi Thai Boxing Stadium Admission Ticket with Return Transfer: $136
- Ao Nang to Krabi Private Transfer: $30
- Aonang : Ferry Transfer from Aonang to Koh Phi Phi: $28
- Aonang any hotel to Khao Lak Private transfer: $104
- Aonang any hotel to Koh Lanta any hotel Private transfer: $97
- Aonang any hotel to Krabi airport Private transfer: $26
- Aonang any hotel to Phuket Airport Private transfer: $88
- From Khao Sok: Private Transfer to Ao Nang/Koh Lanta/Krabi: $64
- From Koh Lanta: Speedboat Transfer to/from Ao Nang: $63
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chengdu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chengdu:
- Sichuan Face Changing Opera With Door to Door Private Transfer: $75
- Private Transfer from Chengdu hotel to Chengdu Train Station: $27
- Private Transfer from Chengdu Hotel to Chengdu Shuangliu Airport: $52
- Private Departure Transfer:City Hotel to Any Railway Station in Chengdu: $28
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chengdu International Airport (CTU): $23
- Private Day Tour of Giant Pandas and Kuanzhai Alley with Transfer: $168
- Private Chengdu Tianfu Airport Transfer with English Support: $109
- Private Arrival Transfer:Any Chengdu Railway Station to City Hotel: $28
- Private Arrival Transfer: Chengdu Airport (CTU or TFU) to Hotel: $34
- Leshan Giant Buddha Entry Ticket with Optional Guide & Transfer: $18
- Downtown to Sichuan Opera round way transfer: $39
- Downtown to Mountain Emei round way transfer for one day service: $189
Is it cheaper to fly into Krabi or Chengdu?
Prices for flights to both Chengdu and Krabi 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 dayKrabi $24Chengdu $40
Typical Food Prices in Krabi
For Krabi, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$7.46
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Drinks on the Beach$7.16
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Sit Down Dinner (for Two)$18
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Nice Dinner (for Two)$33
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Mango Shake$1.49
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Pad Thai$2.98
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Fruit from the Market$1.79
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Pancakes$2.98
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Coffee & Cake$2.24
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Krabi
For Krabi, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- 7 Islands Sunset Tour with Buffet Dinner & Snorkeling: $32
- Krabi 7 Islands Sunset Cruise with Buffet Dinner: $33
- 7 Islands Sunset & Plankton Swim with BBQ Dinner: $35
- Krabi 7 Islands Sunset Island Hopping with BBQ Dinner by Big Boat: $36
- Half Day Thai Cooking Class in Ao Nang, Krabi: $36
- 7 Islands Sunset Tour with Buffet Dinner & Night Snorkeling: $40
- Krabi Best of 7 islands Adventure Tour with Beachside BBQ Dinner: $40
- Half Day Thai Cooking Class in Ao Nang: $40
- Krabi 7 Island Sunset & BBQ Dinner (Join Tour): $43
- Traditional Thai Cooking Class with Smart Cook: $45
- 4 Islands Sunset Longtail Boat Tour with BBQ Dinner: $45
- Hong Island & Ko Pak Bia Tour with Sunset Dinner: $46
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chengdu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Chengdu.
- Chengdu Vegetarian Cooking Class at a Local Home: $39
- Chengdu Night: VIP Seat Opera Show or Back Alley Food Tour: $40
- Chengdu Food Tour Local Delicacies and Ear Cleaning: $59
- Private Chengdu TukTuk Food Tour: Hidden Alleys & Local Eats: $59
- Chengdu Hidden Street Food Tour Spice Trails: $60
- Eat Like a Local! Food Tour in the Hidden Alleys: $67
- Tuktuk Food Tour Through Chengdu Local Eats: $68
- Discovery more Chengdu evening food tour with locals: $69
- Half-Day Professional Mapo Tofu Cooking with a Local Market Visit: $69
- Tuktuk Food Tour Through Chengdu's Local Eats: $73
- Evening Food Tour with Local Guide: $78
- Chengdu Evening Food Tour: $79
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Krabi $11Chengdu $17
Typical Entertainment Prices in Krabi
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Krabi's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Thai-English Book$9.84
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Thai Massages (for Two)$24
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Bikini & Sarong$18
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Yoga Class (1 Hour)$13
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Backgammon Set (travel size)$7.46
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Kayak Trip (for Two)$57
Tours and Activities in Krabi
For Krabi, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- DIY tour - Finest selection of Krabi Hidden Gems: $7.93
- 4 Island Tour by Longtail Boat Krabi + Lunch + Pick Up + Drop Off: $19
- Blue Dragon Cabaret Show Tickets Krabi: $22
- 4 Islands Snorkeling Tour by Longtail Boat: $23
- 4 Islands Tour by Longtail Boat & Thai Buffet Lunch: $23
- Blue Dragon Cabaret Ticket Dazzling Night from Krabi: $23
- Klong Root Kayaking and Swimming with ATV Tour From Krabi: $23
- Jurassic World Filming Tour Kayak and ATV Adventure in Krabi: $23
- Ao Thalane Mangrove Kayaking Tour with Pickup: $24
- Popular 4 Islands Tour By Classic Longtail Boat From Krabi: $25
- Krabi 4 Islands Tour and Snorkeling with Shared boat: $25
- Krabi 4 Islands Shared Tour with Lunch and Guide: $25
Tours and Activities in Chengdu
Here are a few actual costs in Chengdu for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1 Day Panda Breeding Center Plus Chengdu City Tour: $175
- 1 Day Tea Trip in Mount Mengding with Tea Making Experience: $150
- 1 Day Wolong Panda Nature Reserve Tour: $204
- 1 day Chengdu City Highlights Mini Group tour: $102
- 1-Day Chengdu Leshan Giant Buddha Private Tour With the Lunch and Boat tour: $242
- 1-Day Chengdu Panda Base and Leshan Giant Buddha Private Tour with the Lunch: $246
- 1-Day Chengdu Panda Research Base and Sanxingdui Archeological Museum Tour: $256
- 1-Day Chengdu Private Tour: Dujiangyan Ancient River Irrigation and Temple Site: $213
- 1-Day Chengdu tour with Panda Base, Renmin Park,Wenshu Temple and Hot Pot Lunch: $193
- 1-Day Leshan Giant Buddha Private Tour with the Lunch from Chengdu: $229
- 1-Day Mount Qingcheng and Dujiangyan Irrigation System Private Tour from Chengdu: $272
- 1-Day Panda Breeding Center plus Chengdu City Tour: $189
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKrabi $4.75Chengdu $4.22
Typical Alcohol Prices in Krabi
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Krabi are as follows:
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Beer$2.68
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Cocktails (for Two)$8.95
Sample the Local Flavors in Krabi
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Krabi:
- Krabi Pub Crawl - The Best Nightlife Tour in Ao Nang!: $15
- Krabi Pub Crawl: $15
- Railay Pub Crawl: $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Chengdu
Also in Chengdu, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Chengdu Pub Crawl: $10
- Tipsy Travel: Chengdu Evening Food and Bar Crawl with Local Guide: $138
When comparing the travel costs between Krabi 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 Krabi Expensive? and Is Chengdu Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Krabi or Chengdu?
Chengdu has a larger population, and is about 130 times larger than the population of Krabi. When comparing the sizes of Krabi 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.