Which place is cheaper, Te Anau 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 Te Anau?
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 Te Anau. 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 Te Anau?
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.
Te Anau
Te Anau is a town on the South Island of New Zealand, best-known as a gateway to Fiordland National Park and Milford Sound. The region is a major destination for ecotourism as it is home to rare species like the endangered flightless takahe bird and natural features like caves, waterfalls, forests, lakes, glacial valleys, and mountains.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in China, The Best Luxury Tours to China, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand, and The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand.
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Chengdu Prices
China PricesTe Anau Prices
New Zealand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayChengdu $67Te Anau $118
The average daily cost (per person) in Chengdu is $67, while the average daily cost in Te Anau is $118. 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 Te Anau in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personChengdu $21Te Anau $44
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomChengdu $42Te Anau $88
Compare Hotels in Chengdu and Te Anau
Looking for a hotel in Chengdu or Te Anau? 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: Te Anau Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Chengdu $6.02Te Anau $27
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chengdu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chengdu:
- Sichuan Face Changing Opera With Door to Door Private Transfer: $75
- Round-Trip Private Transfer between Emei Shan and Chengdu City: $113
- Private Transfer from Chengdu to Mount Emei and Stops at Leshan Giant Buddha: $160
- Private Transfer from Chengdu hotel to Chengdu Train Station: $27
- Private Transfer from Chengdu Railway Station to City Hotel: $36
- Private Transfer from Chengdu Hotel to Chengdu Shuangliu Airport: $52
- Private Transfer from Chengdu City Hotels to Airport: $35
- Private Departure Transfer:City Hotel to Any Railway Station in Chengdu : $28
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chengdu Train Stations: $23
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chengdu International Airport (CTU): $23
- Private Chengdu International Airport Departure Transfer from City Hotels: $40
- Private Arrival Transfer:Any Chengdu Railway Station to City Hotel: $28
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Te Anau
Also for Te Anau, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Lake Marian Guided Hike with Transfers, Lunch & Morning Tea: $184
- Te Anau to Invercargill Small Group Transfer: $53
- Kepler Water Taxi Transfer across Lake Te Anau: $18
Is it cheaper to fly into Chengdu or Te Anau?
Prices for flights to both Te Anau 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 $38Te Anau $46
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Chengdu $16Te Anau $47
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 Te Anau
For Te Anau, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Glowworm Caves Guided Tour: $76
- Te Anau Glow Worm Caves Tour: $76
- Evening Champagne Cruise on Historic 1935 Motor Yacht.: $85
- Scenic Cruise & Guided Walk on Historic Motor Yacht Lake Te Anau: $86
- Scenic Cruise & Guided walk on Historic Motor Yacht Lake Te Anau: $86
- Champagne Sightseeing Cruise on Lake Te Anau: $98
- From Milford Sound Coach Tour and Cruise: $108
- Fiordland: Jet Boat & Nature Walk Experience from Te Anau: $114
- Milford Sound Coach & Cruise Tour from Te Anau : $122
- Award Winning Milford Sound Full Day Tour & Cruise from Te Anau: $128
- From Milford Sound Cruise & Scenic Coach Tour: $128
- From Milford Sound Cruise and Coach Day Trip: $129
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayChengdu $3.99Te Anau $14
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Chengdu and Te Anau, we can see that Te Anau is more expensive. And not only is Chengdu much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Chengdu is in Asia and Te Anau is in Pacific, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. 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 Te Anau would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Te Anau 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 Te Anau Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Chengdu or Te Anau?
Chengdu has a larger population, and is about 1900 times larger than the population of Te Anau. When comparing the sizes of Chengdu and Te Anau, 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.