Which place is cheaper, Chongqing or Shenzhen?
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 Shenzhen or Chongqing?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Shenzhen and Chongqing can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Shenzhen or Chongqing?
Shenzhen
Located in the Guangdong Province of southeastern China, Shenzhen is a metropolis that connects Hong Kong to China's mainland. It is one of China's most populous cities, inhabited by vast array of people from other Chinese regions. It is perhaps best known for it shopping, collection of amusement parks, green parks, museums and galleries, and a few historic sites. It is on UNESCO's Creative Cities list.
Chongqing
Chongqing, China is a large city in central China and one of only four cities in the country that are not part of a province. While Chongqing is famous for being an economically important city, brush away its industrial surface and you'll find a naturally beautiful city with plenty of hidden wonders. Although you'll find many expats in the city, English is rarely spoken, meaning knowing some basic Mandarin will come in handy.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in China, The Best Cultural Tours in China, The Best Luxury Tours to China, and The Best Budget Tours to China.
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Shenzhen Prices
China PricesChongqing Prices
China Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayShenzhen $149Chongqing $112
The average daily cost (per person) in Shenzhen is $149, while the average daily cost in Chongqing is $112. 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 Shenzhen and Chongqing in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personShenzhen $97Chongqing $53
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomShenzhen $194Chongqing $106
Compare Hotels in Shenzhen and Chongqing
Looking for a hotel in Shenzhen or Chongqing? 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: Shenzhen Hotel Prices and Chongqing Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Shenzhen $16Chongqing $20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Shenzhen
Also for Shenzhen, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- A One-Way Disneyland Pick-Up Transfer to Hong Kong Hotel: $33
- AIRPORT TRANSFER service Kowloon with Mercedes Benz: $39
- Bicycle Airport Transfer Service | Hong Kong: $196
- Disneyland Private 2-Way Transfer Service: $88
- HK Airport to Cruise Terminal Rounded-Trip Private Transfer by Lexus Luxury Car: $139
- Hong Kong Airport (HKG) Transfer to Shenzhen by Toyota Alphard: $220
- Hong Kong Airport (HKG) to Hong Kong - Arrival Private Transfer: $50
- Hong Kong Airport (HKG) to Hong Kong -Round-Trip Private Transfer: $87
- Hong Kong Airport (HKG) to Hong Kong hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $101
- Hong Kong Airport (HKG) to Kai Tak Cruise Terminal - Arrival Private Transfer: $67
- Hong Kong Airport Chauffeur Service, Hong Kong Airport Transfer: $66
- Hong Kong Airport Private Transfer To HongKong and Disneyland: $37
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chongqing
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chongqing:
- [Airport Transfer] Chongqing Airport ⇔ Chongqing City Transfer ☆ High reputation for service! : $23
- Private Transfer: Chongqing Jiangbei Airport (CKG) to Chaotianmen Cruise Pier: $29
- Private Transfer: Chongqing Chaotianmen Cruise Pier to Airport (CKG): $30
- Private Transfer from Chongqing hotel to Chongqing Train Station: $27
- Private Transfer from Chongqing Railway Station to City Hotel: $52
- Private Round-Trip Transfer: Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport(CKG): $60
- Private One Way Transfer (English Service) between Airport & Hotel & Cruise Port: $99
- Private Departure Transfer:Hotel to Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport CKG: $39
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chongqing Jiangbei Airport (CKG): $29
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chongqing Chaotianmen Cruise Pier: $29
- Private Departure Transfer from City Hotel to Chongqing Railway Station: $49
- Private Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport Arrival Transfer to City Hotels: $49
Is it cheaper to fly into Shenzhen or Chongqing?
Prices for flights to both Chongqing and Shenzhen 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 dayShenzhen $37Chongqing $46
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Shenzhen
For Shenzhen, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Shenzhen Food Tour with Locals: $46
- Hong Kong: 7-Course Hong Kong Street & Restaurant Food Tour: $59
- Hong Kong's Tin Hau Hidden Gems Food Tour with 7+ Local Tastings: $107
- Hong Kong Food Tour: Central and Sheung Wan Districts: $107
- Temple Street Night Market Tour plus Victoria Harbour Dinner Cruise: $131
- Hong Kong Market Walking Tour & Chinese Cooking Class: $131
- Hong Kong Sightseeing Tour With Dinner Cruise From Shenzhen: $136
- Hong Kong Best Street Food Tour with Local Guide: $143
- Private Authentic Hong Kong's Food Tour with 7+ Local Tastings: $159
- Kowloon Street Food Tour Private & Personalized with a Local: $169
- Hong Kong Tour, Victoria Harbour Dinner Cruise & TurboJet Transfers from Macau: $170
- Hong Kong Private & Personalized Food Tour with a Local: $175
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chongqing
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Chongqing.
- Qingyu Banquet Experience with Show and Dinner: $51
- Half-Day Cultural Immersion with Cooking Class: $80
- Chongqing Local Food Tour Adventure: $86
- Be a Chongqinger - wet market tour &cooking class & paper cutting: $89
- Food Tour with Old Town and Magical Night Views: $93
- Chongqing Food Tour: $93
- Private Food Tour and Magical Night View: $107
- Chongqing Like A Local Explore LocalMarket and Cooking byYourself: $120
- Chongqing City Tour with Lunch and Dinner Transportation: $140
- Chongqing Cyberpunk City Night Tour Including Dinner: $140
- Chongqing Liangjiang Night Cruise Including Authentic Hot Pot Dinner: $183
- Private Chongqing Night View Tour with Hot Pot or Local Dinner: $199
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Shenzhen $18Chongqing $14
Tours and Activities in Shenzhen
For Shenzhen, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Introduction to Hong Kong: Central Tip Based Walking Tour: $2.61
- Secret Hong Kong: Hidden Local Spots Self Guided Adventure: $3.43
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Hong Kong: $4.58
- Skip the Line! Walk to the Peak: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.00
- Hong Kong Ghost Tour (Self-Guided Audio Tour): $5.00
- Victoria Peak: Climb to the summit via the Mid-Levels escalato on an audio tour: $6.99
- Markets in Motion: Audio Tour of Mong Kok: $6.99
- Hong Kong International Airport Rail Experience: $9.52
- Kowloon Tong: An Audio Tour of Hong Kong: $9.99
- Hong Kong Walking Tour with Audio Guide on your Smartphone: $11
- Monopoly Dreams Hong Kong Ticket Peak Galleria 4D Fun: $13
- Explore Lovely Hong Kong: Self-Guided Audio Tour: $16
Tours and Activities in Chongqing
Here are a few actual costs in Chongqing for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1 Day Chongqing Culture Tour Art Street Tea House and Folk Alleys: $173
- 1 Day Private Tour to UNESCO Dazu Rock Carvings from Chongqing: $261
- 1 Day Private tour to Chongqing Wulong National Geology Park: $179
- 1 Day Tour at Chongqing Dazu Rock Carvings Ancient Town: $248
- 1-Day Chongqing City Private Tour with the Hot pot Lunch: $157
- 3-hour Chongqing Back Alley Walking Tour: $65
- 3Days Chongqing Cyber City✖ Wulong Karst Cave Adventure: $750
- 4D3N Yangtze River Victoria Cruise: Chongqing to Yichang: $628
- 7 Hour Private Car Tour of Chongqing Eling Park: $170
- All In One Chongqing Trendy Spots Private Tour: $230
- Authentic Chongqing Walking Tour: Explore History & Local Vibe: $98
- Best of Chongqing One Day Tour: Stilwell Museum, Arhat Temple, Eling Park, Panda: $197
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayShenzhen $21Chongqing $7.47
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Shenzhen and Chongqing, we can see that Shenzhen is more expensive. And not only is Chongqing much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Chongqing would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Chongqing 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 Shenzhen would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Shenzhen than you might in Chongqing.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Shenzhen Expensive? and Is Chongqing Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Shenzhen or Chongqing?
Chongqing has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Shenzhen. When comparing the sizes of Shenzhen and Chongqing, 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.