A Travel Price Comparison for China Pingyao vs. Chengdu for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Pingyao or Chengdu?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Pingyao and Chengdu. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Pingyao or Chengdu?

Pingyao

Pingyao is a small city in the Shanxi Province of China, dating back over 2700 years. The city is most famous for their old town, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The old town is one of the best preserved ancient walled cities in the world dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

The climate in Pingyao is influenced by monsoons, and therefore gets hot and humid summers and chillier springs. Autumn is a great time to visit as temperatures are fairly mild-in the 50-60's Fahrenheit- and you can avoid the heavy rains of summer. Winter is also a pleasant time to visit, especially since temperatures tend not to dip below 30 and there is not much snow or bad weather.

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 Historical Tours in China, The Best 10-Day Tours in China, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in China, and The Best 2-Week Tours in China.


Which place is cheaper, Chengdu or Pingyao?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Pingyao is $54, while the average daily cost in Chengdu is $51. 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 Pingyao and Chengdu in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Pingyao $23
    Chengdu $21
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Pingyao $46
    Chengdu $42
Compare Hotels in Pingyao and Chengdu

Looking for a hotel in Pingyao 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.

Hotels in Pingyao


Hotels in Chengdu


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.
    Pingyao $13
    Chengdu $5.97
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Pingyao

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Pingyao:


  • Taxi to Train Station
    $1.39

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pingyao

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pingyao:

  • Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Wutaishan from Pingyao: $190
  • Private Transfer Servcie to Mianshan (Mian Mountain) from Pingyao: $60
  • Privater Transfer from Datong to Pingyao with driver: $115

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 Airport (CTU) to Chengdu - Arrival Private Transfer: $21
  • Chengdu to Chengdu Airport (CTU) - Departure Private Transfer: $21
  • Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chengdu Train Stations: $23
  • Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chengdu International Airport (CTU): $23
  • Private Transfer from Chengdu hotel to Chengdu Train Station: $27
  • Private Arrival Transfer: Chengdu Airport (CTU or TFU) to Hotel: $34
  • Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chengdu Airport (CTU or TFU): $34
  • Private Transfer from Chengdu City Hotels to Airport: $35
  • Chengdu Airport (CTU) to Chengdu - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $42
  • Arrival Transfer Chengdu Airport CTU to Chengdu City by Sedan: $52
  • Private Transfer from Chengdu Shuangliu Airport to Chengdu Hotel: $52

Is it cheaper to fly into Pingyao or Chengdu?

Prices for flights to both Chengdu and Pingyao 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
    Pingyao $20
    Chengdu $22
Typical Food Prices in Pingyao

Some typical examples of dining costs in Pingyao are as follows:


  • Casual Lunch (for 2)
    $5.00
  • Mango Juice
    $0.69

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chengdu

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Chengdu.

  • Half-Day Chinese Bun Cooking Class with Local Spice Market Visit: $56
  • Sichuan cooking class half day tour: $60
  • 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
  • Half Day Chengdu Tofu Making Class with Mapo Tofu Cooking: $72
  • Half-Day Chengdu Farm Cooking Class & Spice Market Exploration: $75
  • Half-Day Chengdu Courtyard Cooking Class with Local Market Visit: $80
  • Chengdu Food Tour with Wenshu Yuan Monastery Visit: $82
  • Half-Day Sichuan Cooking Class Experience in Chengdu: $84
  • Private Half-Day Tour in Sichuan Culture Show with Hot Pot Dinner in Chengdu: $100

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Pingyao $19
    Chengdu $16
Typical Entertainment Prices in Pingyao

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Pingyao are as follows:


  • All Day Bike Rental (for 2)
    $2.78
  • Temple Entrance Fee (for 2)
    $6.95
  • Bike Parking Fee (for 2)
    $0.56

Tours and Activities in Pingyao

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Pingyao are as follows:

  • Half-Day Private Walking Tour of Pingyao Ancient City: $59
  • 2-Hour Guided Private Bike Tour to see the Hidden Pingyao & Tea Break: $60
  • Pingyao Food Walking Tour : $67
  • Half Day Private Pingyao Ancient Town Walking Tour: $70
  • 1-Day Pingyao Ancient Town Sightseeing Walking Tour: $113
  • Wang Family Compound and Shuanglin Temple Tour from Pingyao by Private Tour: $113
  • Pingyao Day Tour: Wang Family Mansion and Zhangbi Ancient Castle: $120
  • 3-Hour Private Walking Tour of Pingyao Highlights: $125
  • All Inclusive Pingyao Private Tour to Qiao Family Compound and Shuanglin Temple: $142
  • Private Day Tour: Pingyao Highlights of Old Town and City Wall: $154
  • Private Day Tour in Pingyao Including Zhenguo and Shuanglin Temple: $164
  • One Day Tour Exploration of Pingyao Old Town and Wang Family Mansion: $183

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 Giant Panda Breeding Research Base Ticket: $22
  • Chengdu Sichuan Opera Evening Show Ticket-Shu Feng Yan Yun : $29
  • 1.5-Hour VIP Manicure Experience in Chengdu Panda Style: $38
  • Private Bamboo Bicycle Tour in Chengdu: $41
  • Private Chengdu Dining Experience in Chilli Cool House: $46
  • One day tour of Chengdu Panda Base and Sanxingdui Museum: $48
  • Chengdu Giant Panda Base and Global Center Shopping Private Day Tour: $48
  • Chengdu Panda tour Guide/tickets service option DJY panda keeper: $55
  • Traditional Chinese Painting Experience-ONLY ONE IN CHENGDU NOW!: $58
  • Chengdu Private Day Tour: Du jiang yan Panda Base and Qingcheng Mountain: $60

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Pingyao $13
    Chengdu $3.96


When comparing the travel costs between Pingyao and Chengdu, we can see that Pingyao 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 Pingyao Expensive? and Is Chengdu Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Pingyao or Chengdu?

Chengdu has a larger population, and is about 90 times larger than the population of Pingyao. When comparing the sizes of Pingyao 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.