Which place is cheaper, Chengdu or Yangshuo?
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 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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Yangshuo Prices
China PricesChengdu Prices
China Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayYangshuo $92Chengdu $71
The average daily cost (per person) in Yangshuo is $92, while the average daily cost in Chengdu is $71. 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 $27Chengdu $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomYangshuo $54Chengdu $44
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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Chengdu Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Yangshuo $46Chengdu $6.39
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Yangshuo
Also for Yangshuo, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Guilin: Li River Cruise with Transfer to Yangshuo: $80
- Liusanjie Light Show with Round way private transfer from Xingping hotel: $69
- Private Impression Sanjie Liu Evening Show with Hotel Transfer: $88
- Private One Way Transfer Service to Guilin City Hotel or Airport from Yangshuo: $48
- Private One Way Transfer Service to Longsheng (Ping'an / Dazhai ) from Yangshuo: $78
- Private Transfer from Xingping hotel to Guilin hotel: $64
- Private Transfer from Xingping hotel to Yangshuo hotel: $21
- Private Transfer from Yangshuo hotel to Guilin hotel: $37
- Visit 100% primitive cave with Transfer: $97
- Yangshuo Via Ferrata with Round way private transfer from Xingping hotel: $67
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chengdu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chengdu:
- Chengdu 3-Day Self-Guided Jiuzhaigou&Huanglong with Transfer: $412
- Algou Valley Hiking Tour with Roundtrip Transfer: $289
- Downtown to Mountain Emei round way transfer for one day service: $189
- Private Day Tour of Giant Pandas and Kuanzhai Alley with Transfer: $168
- Leshan Buddha Optional Tours w/ Transfer or Guide: $156
- Chengdu Airport to Hotel: Private Transfer for up to 5 pax: $120
- Private Transfer from Chengdu to Mount Emei and Stops at Leshan Giant Buddha: $110
- Chengdu Private Arrival Transfer: Railway Station to Hotel: $88
- Sichuan Face Changing Opera With Door to Door Private Transfer: $75
- Chengdu Airport (TFU) to Chengdu - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $64
- Chengdu Shuangliu Airport (CTU) to Chengdu City - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $59
- Airport transfer between Tianfu(TFU) and Chengdu downtown: $45
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 $35Chengdu $40
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Yangshuo
For Yangshuo, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Yangshuo Cooking Class with Market Trip: $45
- Yangshuo Cooking Class with Local Market Experience: $88
- Full-day Cultural Experience: Taichi, Cooking & Painting Lessons: $100
- The impression Liu sanjie show and local dinner in town: $145
- Combo Impression Sanjie Liu Show and Authentic Cooking Experience: $199
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chengdu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Chengdu.
- Chengdu Night: VIP Seat Opera Show or Back Alley Food Tour: $40
- Eat Like a Local! Food Tour in the Hidden Alleys: $67
- Discovery more Chengdu evening food tour with locals: $69
- Tuktuk Food Tour Through Chengdu's Local Eats: $73
- Evening Food Tour with Local Guide: $78
- Chengdu Evening Food Tour: $79
- Chengdu Cooking Class with a Local Market Visit: $80
- Cooking Class with Fresh Market Half Day Experience: $80
- Eat with Locals Chengdu Dinner Tour: $82
- Chengdu Food Tour with Wenshu Yuan Monastery Visit: $82
- Private Chengdu Evening Food Tour with Local Route Options: $85
- Half-Day Private Hot-Pot Cooking Class with a Local Market Visit: $90
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Yangshuo $25Chengdu $17
Tours and Activities in Yangshuo
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Yangshuo.
- Impression Sanjie Liu Show Ticket Booking: $39
- Impression Sanjie Liu Night Show Ticket in Yangshuo: $42
- Impression Sanjie Liu Show Ticket: $45
- Impression Sanjie Liu Show Ticket: $45
- Impression Sanjie Liu Show Ticket Booking: $45
- Yangshuo Impression Liusanjie Show Ticket: $45
- Impression Liusanjie Show Ticket: $48
- Yangshuo Via Ferrata Ticket: $49
- Yulong River Bamboo Rafting Experience: $52
- Yangshuo Impression Sanjie Liu Show Ticket: $54
- Yangshuo Ruyi peak & round way cable car ticket: $55
- Yangshuo Impression Liu Sanjie Half Day Tour with Hotel Pickup: $56
Tours and Activities in Chengdu
Here are a few actual costs in Chengdu for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1 Day Panda Breeding Center Plus Chengdu City Tour: $175
- 1 Day Tea Trip in Mount Mengding with Tea Making Experience: $150
- 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
- 1-Day Chengdu Panda Base and Leshan Giant Buddha Private Tour with the Lunch: $246
- 1-Day Chengdu Panda Research Base and Sanxingdui Archeological Museum Tour: $256
- 1-Day Leshan Giant Buddha Private Tour with the Lunch from Chengdu: $229
- 1-Day Mount Qingcheng and Dujiangyan Irrigation System Private Tour from Chengdu: $272
- 1-Day Panda Base and Huanglongxi old town Private Tour from Chengdu: $234
- 1-Day Panda Base and Mount Qingcheng Private tour from Chengdu: $262
- 1-Day Self-Guided Dujiangyan Tour: Panda Volunteer Program and Mount Qingcheng: $150
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayYangshuo $36Chengdu $4.23
Sample the Local Flavors in Chengdu
Also in Chengdu, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Chengdu Pub Crawl: $14
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.