Which place is cheaper, Chengdu or Tanah Rata?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Tanah Rata or Chengdu?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Tanah Rata 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: Tanah Rata or Chengdu?
Tanah Rata
Tanah Rata is one of the main tourist towns in the Cameron Highlands. The Cameron Highlands are in western Malaysia and are a popular retreat for Malaysian residents and international travelers alike. The area's higher elevation offers an often much needed break from the country's oppressive heat. It also has a beautiful setting that is rich in agriculture and has rolling hills that are beautifully covered in tea plantations. Tanah Rata has many of the area's tourist amenities. ATMS, banks, and the area's main hospital are all found in town. For some, the area feels too touristy, but if you linger longer, and explore on your own, you can easily escape the mass tourism and see the area for what it is.
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 Malaysia, The Best 2-Week Tours in Malaysia, The Best Cultural Tours in China, and The Best Luxury Tours to China.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTanah Rata $137Chengdu $50
The average daily cost (per person) in Tanah Rata is $137, 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 Tanah Rata and Chengdu in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTanah Rata $67Chengdu $21
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTanah Rata $134Chengdu $42
Compare Hotels in Tanah Rata and Chengdu
Looking for a hotel in Tanah Rata 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: Tanah Rata Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Tanah Rata $29Chengdu $5.93
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tanah Rata
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tanah Rata:
- Cameron Highland to KUL Hotel (One Way Transfer): $153
- Cameron Highlands City To Kuala Lumpur City Transfer: $94
- Cameron Highlands City to Kuala Lumpur City One-way Transfer: $92
- Cameron Highlands Hotels to Kuala Lumpur City 1-way Transfer: $94
- Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur Airport Departure Transfer: $110
- Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur City 1-way Transfer: $93
- Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur City 1-way Transfer: $93
- CameronHighland CityHotel to KualaLumpur Airport One-way Transfer: $109
- Chauffeur: Cameron Highlands to Singapore Van Transfer: $118
- Departure Transfer from Cameron Highland to KLIA/KLIA2: $169
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chengdu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chengdu:
- 1-Day Chengdu Layover Tour: Panda Base, city central with Round Airport Transfer: $192
- Airport transfer between Tianfu(TFU) and Chengdu downtown: $40
- Arrival Transfer Chengdu Airport CTU to Chengdu by Luxury Sedan: $91
- Chengdu Airport (CTU) to Chengdu - Arrival Private Transfer: $21
- Chengdu Airport (CTU) to Chengdu - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $41
- Chengdu Airport to Hotel: Private Transfer for up to 40 pax: $230
- Chengdu Airport to Hotel: Private Transfer for up to 5 pax: $120
- Chengdu City to Chengdu Shuangliu Airport (CTU) - Departure Private Transfer: $19
- Chengdu Panda Breeding Base Ticket w/ Optional Transfer or Guide: $20
- Chengdu Panda Breeding Base Ticket w/ Private Transfer/Guide: $23
- Chengdu Private Transfer from Chengdu central to Chengdu Airport (CTU): $80
- Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport Transfer to Downtown Hotel: $32
Is it cheaper to fly into Tanah Rata or Chengdu?
Prices for flights to both Chengdu and Tanah Rata 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 dayTanah Rata $44Chengdu $22
Typical Food Prices in Tanah Rata
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Tanah Rata:
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Dinner for Two$5.66
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Dessert$0.63
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Lunch$3.98
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Afternoon tea$3.88
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
- 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
- Half-Day Private Sichuan Hot-Pot Cooking Class with Local Spice Market Visit: $80
- Spicy Local Food Tour through Chengdu: $80
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Tanah Rata $34Chengdu $16
Typical Entertainment Prices in Tanah Rata
Here are a few typical costs in Tanah Rata for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Tea Factory Visit$5.66
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Tour of Orang Asli Village$21
Tours and Activities in Tanah Rata
Here are a few actual costs in Tanah Rata for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Cameron Highlands Sightseing Tour: $33
- Cameron Highlands: Agro Delight Tour: $61
- Cameron Highlands Full Day Tour: $75
- Cameron Highlands City to Kuala Lumpur Airport EN-ROUTE Batu Caves Tour: $109
- Cameron Highlands City Hotels to Kuala Lumpur Airport EN-ROUTE Batu Caves Tour: $110
- Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur International Airport EN-ROUTE Batu Caves Tour: $110
- Special Cameron Highlands ~ Day tour;Solo;Couple;Group: $292
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 Panda Base and Dujiangyan One-Day Private Tour: $17
- Chengdu Sichuan Opera Show Ticket - Shu Feng Ya Yun: $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
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTanah Rata $19Chengdu $3.93
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Tanah Rata and Chengdu, we can see that Tanah Rata is more expensive. And not only is Chengdu much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Chengdu would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Chengdu 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 Tanah Rata would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tanah Rata than you might in Chengdu.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Tanah Rata Expensive? and Is Chengdu Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Tanah Rata or Chengdu?
Chengdu has a larger population, and is about 560 times larger than the population of Tanah Rata. When comparing the sizes of Tanah Rata 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.