Which place is cheaper, Sapporo or Chengdu?
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 Chengdu or Sapporo?
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 Chengdu and Sapporo. 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: Chengdu or Sapporo?
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.
Sapporo
Capital of the northern Japanese island Hokkaido, Sapporo is a city surrounded by mountains and known for its beer, skiing, and annual snow festival with stunning ice sculptures. As host to the 1972 Winter Olympics, the city limits are dotted with ski jumps, hills, and popular ski resorts still in use today.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in China, The Best Luxury Tours to China, The Best Coach Bus Tours in Japan, and The Best Adventure Tours to Japan.
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Chengdu Prices
China PricesSapporo Prices
Japan Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayChengdu $67Sapporo $132
The average daily cost (per person) in Chengdu is $67, while the average daily cost in Sapporo is $132. 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 Chengdu and Sapporo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personChengdu $21Sapporo $65
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomChengdu $42Sapporo $130
Compare Hotels in Chengdu and Sapporo
Looking for a hotel in Chengdu or Sapporo? 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: Sapporo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Chengdu $6.02Sapporo $16
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
- 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 Mount Emei and Stops at Leshan Giant Buddha: $160
- Leshan Buddha Optional Tours w/ Transfer or Guide: $156
- Chengdu Private Round Trip Transfer to Emei Mountain: $128
- Chengdu Airport to Hotel: Private Transfer for up to 5 pax: $120
- Round-Trip Private Transfer between Emei Shan and Chengdu City: $113
- Private Airport Transfer – Chengdu Tianfu: $110
- Downtown to Sichuan Opera round way transfer: $99
- Sichuan Face Changing Opera With Door to Door Private Transfer: $75
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sapporo
Also for Sapporo, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer! Hotel in center of Sapporo to New Chitose Airport (CTS): $140
- Private Departure Transfer : Sapporo City to New Chitose Airport: $237
- Private Transfer from Muroran Cruise Port to Sapporo Airport(CTS): $274
- Private Transfer from Sapporo City Hotels to Otaru Cruise Port: $113
- Sapporo City: Private Transfer to/from New Chitose Airport: $132
- New Chitose Airport (CTS) Private Transfer: $284
- Shin Chitose Airport to/from Sapporo City: Shared Transfer: $93
Is it cheaper to fly into Chengdu or Sapporo?
Prices for flights to both Sapporo and Chengdu 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 dayChengdu $38Sapporo $54
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
- Discovery more Chengdu evening food tour with locals : $55
- Chengdu Hidden Street Food Tour Spice Trails: $60
- Eat Like a Local! Food Tour in the Hidden Alleys: $67
- Tuktuk Food Tour Through Chengdu's Local Eats: $69
- Half-Day Professional Mapo Tofu Cooking with a Local Market Visit: $69
- Market Tour and Sichuan Cooking Class: $70
- Half-Day Chengdu Cooking Class with a Local Market Visit: $75
- Half day Sichuan Cuisine Cooking Class Tour(Cooking 3 dishes): $75
- Evening Food Tour with Local Guide: $78
- Chengdu Evening Food Tour: $79
- Half-Day Private Hot-Pot Cooking Class with a Local Market Visit: $80
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sapporo
For Sapporo, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Private Japanese Cooking Class in Sapporo with Local Host Kanae: $72
- Japanese Cooking Class in the Heart of Sapporo with Sakura: $72
- Private Market Tour and Cooking Class with Kanae, a Sapporo Local: $82
- Sapporo Bar Hopping Food Tour: $97
- Hands-on Japanese Home Cooking Class in Sapporo with Noriko: $108
- Sapporo Night Food Tour: 3 Hidden Restaurants with a Foodie Guide: $218
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Chengdu $16Sapporo $17
Tours and Activities in Chengdu
Here are a few actual costs in Chengdu for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 3-Hour Private Tour of Antique Furniture and Flea Market : $51
- 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 with Healthy Lunch: $68
- Dujiangyan Irrigation System and Panda Base Day tour: $238
- Private Chengdu Panda Base and Sichuan Cuisine Museum Day Tour: $120
- Private Day Tour Chengdu Panda Base and The Leshan Giant Buddha: $230
- Private Full Day Chengdu Panda Base and Jinsha Site Museum Tour: $136
- Private Leshan Buddha Day Tour with Local Market visiting: $227
- 1 Day Panda Breeding Center Plus Chengdu City Tour: $175
- 1 Day Tea Trip in Mount Mengding with Tea Making Experience: $135
- 1 Day Wolong Panda Nature Reserve Tour: $218
Tours and Activities in Sapporo
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Sapporo.
- JR Tower Observatory Admission Ticket: $4.33
- Sapporo TV Tower Admission Ticket: $6.76
- Historical Village of Hokkaido Entry Ticket: $6.76
- JR Tower Observation Deck T38 Ticket in Hokkaido: $9.00
- Sapporo Highlights: Golden Route Morning Guided Walking Tour: $30
- Sapporo Highlights: Golden Route Morning Walking Tour: $31
- Hokkaido Shrine Tour with Rituals, History & Sweets: $43
- Tour of the Historic Red Brick Government Office: $50
- Sapporo Afternoon Walking Tour 2h 30mins: $55
- Beer Museum Tour with Tasting of Local Brews: $57
- Sapporo Walking Tour: $61
- Authentic Nijo Market Seafood Lunch & History Tour: $64
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayChengdu $3.99Sapporo $8.26
Sample the Local Flavors in Chengdu
Also in Chengdu, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Tipsy Travel: Chengdu Local Food and Bar Crawl Night Tour : $128
Sample the Local Flavors in Sapporo
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Sapporo:
- Sapporo Tour in the Port City of Otaru and Local beer brewery: $174
- 1-Day Tour The port city of Otaru & Local Brewery: $178
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Chengdu and Sapporo, we can see that Sapporo 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 Sapporo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Sapporo 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 Chengdu Expensive? and Is Sapporo Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Chengdu or Sapporo?
Chengdu has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Sapporo. When comparing the sizes of Chengdu and Sapporo, 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.