A Travel Price Comparison for China Tiger Leaping Gorge vs. Chengdu for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Tiger Leaping Gorge 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 Tiger Leaping Gorge 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: Tiger Leaping Gorge or Chengdu?

Tiger Leaping Gorge

One of the deepest gorges in the world, Tiger Leaping Gorge gets its name from legend, where a tiger used a great rock in the center of the gorge as a stepping stone to leap from one side to the other. It is surrounded by stunning mountain scenery on either side with the Yangtze River rushing down through its center. Visitors come to Tiger Leaping Gorge to hike and witness its natural beauty.

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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Beijing, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Lhasa, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Shanghai, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing.


Which place is cheaper, Chengdu or Tiger Leaping Gorge?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Tiger Leaping Gorge is $42, 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 Tiger Leaping Gorge and Chengdu in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Tiger Leaping Gorge $13
    Chengdu $21
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Tiger Leaping Gorge $26
    Chengdu $42
Compare Hotels in Tiger Leaping Gorge and Chengdu

Looking for a hotel in Tiger Leaping Gorge 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 Tiger Leaping Gorge


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.
    Tiger Leaping Gorge $17
    Chengdu $5.97

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chengdu

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chengdu:

  • Arrival Transfer Chengdu Airport CTU to Chengdu City by Sedan: $52
  • Chengdu Airport (CTU) to Chengdu - Arrival Private Transfer: $21
  • Chengdu Airport (CTU) to Chengdu - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $42
  • Chengdu City to Chengdu Shuangliu Airport (CTU) - Departure Private Transfer: $19
  • Chengdu Panda & Giant Buddha Day Tour With Private Transfer: $240
  • Chengdu Private Transfer from Chengdu central to Chengdu Airport (CTU): $81
  • Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport: Private Transfer to/from Chengdu: $78
  • Chengdu to Chengdu Airport (CTU) - Departure Private Transfer: $21
  • Downtown to Leshan or Mount Emei round way transfer for 2-day service: $251
  • Private Airport Transfer: Chengdu Airport to Hotel up to 5pax: $120
  • Private Arrival Transfer: Chengdu Airport (CTU or TFU) to Hotel: $34
  • Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chengdu Airport (CTU or TFU): $34

Is it cheaper to fly into Tiger Leaping Gorge or Chengdu?

Prices for flights to both Chengdu and Tiger Leaping Gorge 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
    Tiger Leaping Gorge $16
    Chengdu $22

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.
    Tiger Leaping Gorge $15
    Chengdu $16

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
    Tiger Leaping Gorge $6.40
    Chengdu $3.96


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Tiger Leaping Gorge and Chengdu, we can see that Chengdu is more expensive. And not only is Tiger Leaping Gorge much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Tiger Leaping Gorge would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Tiger Leaping Gorge 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 Chengdu would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Chengdu than you might in Tiger Leaping Gorge.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Tiger Leaping Gorge Expensive? and Is Chengdu Expensive?.