A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Sandakan vs. Chengdu for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Sandakan or Chengdu?

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

Should I visit Sandakan 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: Sandakan or Chengdu?

Sandakan

Located on the Northeast side of the state of Sabah in Borneo is the city of Sandakan, which is the 2nd largest city in the country. Sandakan was a prosperous port town in the 1800s because of its exports of tobacco, timber, pearls, and ivory. However, this booming town that was formerly the administrative capital in North Borneo was bombed practically out of existence at the end of World War II.

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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Malaysia, The Best Adventure Tours to Malaysia, The Best Cultural Tours in China, and The Best Luxury Tours to China.


Which place is cheaper, Chengdu or Sandakan?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Sandakan is $58, 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 Sandakan and Chengdu in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Sandakan $20
    Chengdu $21
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Sandakan $40
    Chengdu $42
Compare Hotels in Sandakan and Chengdu

Looking for a hotel in Sandakan 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 Sandakan


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.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Sandakan Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Sandakan $33
    Chengdu $5.93

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 to Chengdu Airport (CTU) - Departure Private Transfer: $21
  • Chengdu Airport (CTU) to Chengdu - Arrival 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 Arrival Transfer: Chengdu International Airport (CTU) to Hotel: $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

Is it cheaper to fly into Sandakan or Chengdu?

Prices for flights to both Chengdu and Sandakan 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
    Sandakan $19
    Chengdu $22

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sandakan

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

  • Mangrove Cruise with Fireflies Tour Including Dinner from Sandakan: $64

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
  • Private Sichuan Cooking Class including Local Wet Market Visit: $59
  • Sichuan cooking class half day tour: $60
  • 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

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Sandakan $7.19
    Chengdu $16

Tours and Activities in Sandakan

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

  • Private Tour: Half Day Sandakan City Tour Including Local Lunch: $51
  • Borneo Kinabatangan River Cruise Day Trip: $78
  • Kinabatangan River Cruise from Sandakan: $90
  • Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre & Sepilok Orang Utan Rehab Centre Tour: $105
  • Private Full Day Sepilok Orang Utan, Bornean Sun Bear and Rainforest Discovery Center Tour: $125
  • Labuk Proboscis, Sepilok, Sun Bear, Sandakan City Tour & Lunch: $138
  • Sepilok Orang Utan & Bornean Sun Bear Centre with Sandakan City Tour with Lunch: $191
  • Borneo Wildlife Tour 2 Days 1 Night At Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp Kinabatangan: $197
  • Borneo Wildlife Tour 3 Days 2 Nights At Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp Kinabatangan: $241
  • 2D1N Sandakan Private Tour with Kinabatangan River Cruise: $290

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 Sichuan Opera Show Ticket - Shu Feng Ya Yun: $17
  • Chengdu Panda Base and Dujiangyan One-Day Private Tour: $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
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Sandakan $6.59
    Chengdu $3.93


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


Which is Bigger, Sandakan or Chengdu?

Chengdu has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Sandakan. When comparing the sizes of Sandakan 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.