Which place is cheaper, Chengdu or Yangshuo?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Yangshuo or Chengdu?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Yangshuo and Chengdu can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Yangshuo or Chengdu?
Yangshuo
A county of the city, Guilin, Yangshuo is located in a region famous for its karst topography. Surrounded by jagged mountain peaks and bordered on one side by the Li River, Yangshuo has become a popular home base for tourists looking to explore the region's natural wonders. Backpackers and tourists, both foreign and domestic, come to Yangshuo every year making it a city of many cultures. Most locals are even able to speak English, which is fairly uncommon for Chinese cities.
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 Budget Tours to China, The Best Tours for Seniors to China, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Beijing, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Lhasa.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayYangshuo $74Chengdu $52
The average daily cost (per person) in Yangshuo is $74, while the average daily cost in Chengdu is $52. 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 Yangshuo and Chengdu in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personYangshuo $26Chengdu $21
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomYangshuo $52Chengdu $42
Compare Hotels in Yangshuo and Chengdu
Looking for a hotel in Yangshuo 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Yangshuo $43Chengdu $6.09
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Yangshuo
Also for Yangshuo, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Impression Liu Sanjie - Ticket Booking (including Round-trip Transfer): $75
- Private Airport Transfer: Yangshuo Hotel to Guilin Liangjiang Airport: $45
- Private Impression Sanjie Liu Evening Show with Hotel Transfer: $88
- Private Transfer from Yangshuo hotel to Guilin hotel: $37
- Private Yangshuo Transfer from Hotel to Longji terraces Hotel: $96
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chengdu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chengdu:
- Downtown to Leshan or Mount Emei round way transfer for 2-day service: $251
- 1-Day Chengdu Layover Tour: Panda Base, city central with Round Airport Transfer: $240
- Chengdu Panda & Giant Buddha Day Tour With Private Transfer: $240
- Chengdu Airport to Hotel: Private Transfer for up to 40 pax: $230
- 1-Day Chengdu Layover Tour: Leshan Giant buddha with Round Airport Transfer: $205
- Private Transfer from Chengdu to TFU or CTU Airport: $171
- Private Transfer from Chengdu to Mount Emei and Stops at Leshan Giant Buddha: $160
- Private Transfer from Chengdu to Sanxingdui Museum: $143
- Private Transfer from Chengdu Downtown to Airport: $140
- Chengdu Airport to Hotel: Private Transfer for up to 5 pax: $120
- Chengdu Tianfu Airport Private Transfer: $119
- Round-Trip Private Transfer between Emei Shan and Chengdu City: $113
Is it cheaper to fly into Yangshuo or Chengdu?
Prices for flights to both Chengdu and Yangshuo 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 dayYangshuo $19Chengdu $22
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Yangshuo
For Yangshuo, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Full-day Cultural Experience: Taichi, Cooking & Painting Lessons: $100
- The impression Liu sanjie show and local dinner in town : $145
- Yangshuo Full Day Tour: Cooking class, River boat, Light Show: $259
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
- Eat with Locals Chengdu Dinner Tour : $61
- Tuktuk Food Tour Through Chengdu's Local Eats: $69
- Half-Day Professional Mapo Tofu Cooking Class with Local Spice Market Visit: $69
- Half day Sichuan Cuisine Cooking Class Tour(Cooking 3 dishes): $75
- Half-Day Chengdu Cooking Class with Local Market Visit: $75
- Half-Day Chengdu Farm Cooking Class & Spice Market Exploration: $75
- Chengdu Evening Food Tour: $76
- Tuk Tuk Food Tour with Unlimited Beer and Soda: $79
- Half-Day Chinese Bun Cooking Class with Local Spice Market Visit: $80
- Spicy Local Food Tour through Chengdu: $80
- Cooking Class with Fresh Market Half Day Experience: $81
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Yangshuo $24Chengdu $16
Tours and Activities in Yangshuo
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Yangshuo.
- Impression Sanjie Liu Show Ticket: $45
- Yangshuo Impression Liusanjie Show Ticket: $45
- Impression Liusanjie Show Ticket: $48
- Yangshuo Ruyi peak & round way cable car ticket: $55
- Half/Full-Day Yangshuo Countryside Moderate Cycling and Sightseeing Private Tour: $60
- 4-Hour Small Group Rock Climbing Tour in Yangshuo: $61
- Entry Ticket to Liu San Jie Impression Show: $71
- Qixianfeng Tea Plantation Tour in Yangshuo: $79
- 1 Day - Yangshuo Bike Tour: $80
- Private Half-Day Bike and Bamboo Raft Tour in Yangshuo: $80
- Gullin: Li River Cruise with Pickup and Yangshuo: $81
- All Inclusive Private Hiking Tour in Yangshuo: $84
Tours and Activities in Chengdu
Here are a few actual costs in Chengdu for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Chengdu Leshan Buddha and Drop off off Railway Station Day Tour: $226
- Chengdu Private Day Tour to the Leshan Giant Buddha and Huanglongxi Old Town: $248
- Chinese Traditional Massage Experience In Chengdu: $90
- Private Chengdu Panda Base and Sichuan Cuisine Museum Day Tour: $120
- Private Chengdu day Tour of panda base with Leshan giant Buddha: $298
- Private Full Day Chengdu Panda Base and Jinsha Site Museum Tour: $136
- Private Leshan Buddha Day Tour with Local Market visiting: $160
- 1 Day Wolong Panda Nature Reserve Tour: $218
- 1 day Chengdu City Highlights Mini Group tour: $102
- 1-Day Chengdu Ancient History and Culture City Tour: $179
- 1-Day Chengdu Cultural Discovery:Jinsha,Shu Brocade Museum & Dufu Cottage Tour : $189
- 1-Day Chengdu Leshan Giant Buddha Private Tour With the Lunch and Boat tour: $242
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayYangshuo $34Chengdu $4.04
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Yangshuo and Chengdu, we can see that Yangshuo 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 Yangshuo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Yangshuo 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 Yangshuo Expensive? and Is Chengdu Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Yangshuo or Chengdu?
Chengdu has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Yangshuo. When comparing the sizes of Yangshuo 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.