Which place is cheaper, Royal Chitwan National Park or Chennai?
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 Chennai or Royal Chitwan National Park?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Chennai or Royal Chitwan National Park? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Chennai or Royal Chitwan National Park?
Chennai
Formerly known as Madras from its colonial history, Chennai today is one of India's largest cities and capital of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the Bay of Bengal in southeastern India with an extensive stretch of sandy beaches, plenty of dining and shopping, a number of historic temples, monuments, and churches, plus amusement parks and more.
Royal Chitwan National Park
The majestic elephant, the silly monkey and dozens of soaring birds call the Royal Chitwan National Park home. At the foot of the Himalayas, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is 932 square kilometers of animal and plant life preservation in Nepal.
Once the favorite hunting ground for Nepal's ruling class, the area began seeing the endangerment of all the area animals. So in 1957, Nepal passed its first conservation law to protect the rhinos and their habitat. At the end of the 1960s, however, DDT had cleared 70% of Royal Chitwan National Park jungles, thousands of people had created moved in on the land and only 95 rhinos were left. By 1977 the park was under complete protection, enlarged to the present-day size and is one of the last refuges of the Bengal tiger.
This park, also known as "the heart of the jungle," provides over 70,000 annual visitors with opportunities to get close and personal with animals they've only seen in movies. Fair warning, however, the weather is quite hot and humid for most of the year.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to India, The Best Sightseeing Tours in India, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Pokhara, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Nepal.
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Chennai Prices
India PricesRoyal Chitwan National Park Prices
Nepal Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayChennai $32Royal Chitwan National Park $40
The average daily cost (per person) in Chennai is $32, while the average daily cost in Royal Chitwan National Park is $40. 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 Chennai and Royal Chitwan National Park in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personChennai $15Royal Chitwan National Park $11
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomChennai $30Royal Chitwan National Park $22
Compare Hotels in Chennai and Royal Chitwan National Park
Looking for a hotel in Chennai or Royal Chitwan National Park? 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: Chennai Hotel Prices and Royal Chitwan National Park Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Chennai $2.47Royal Chitwan National Park $21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chennai
Also for Chennai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Chennai to Vellore: Comfortable Travel: $156
- Private Transfer from Chennai to Thiruvannamalai: Ultimate Guide: $130
- Private Transfer from Chennai to Pondicherry: Comfortable Travel: $130
- Private Transfer from Chennai City to Chennai (MAA) Airport: $41
- Private Transfer from Chennai City Hotel to Chennai Airport: $30
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chennai International Airport: $27
- Private Arrival Transfer: Chennai Airport (MAA) to Pondicherry Hotels: $108
- Full Day Tour to Kanchipuram and UNESCO's Mahabalipuram with Private Transfer: $234
- Departure transfer: Chennai hotels to Chennai International Airport: $19
- Departure Transfer from Chennai Hotels to Chennai airport: $20
- 12-Day Guided Tour to Kochi with Transfers: $1,167
- Chennai International Airport to Hotel-Private Arrival transfer: $30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Royal Chitwan National Park
Also for Royal Chitwan National Park, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Chitwan to Kathmandu One Way Transfer by Private AC Car : $75
Is it cheaper to fly into Chennai or Royal Chitwan National Park?
Prices for flights to both Royal Chitwan National Park and Chennai 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 dayChennai $11Royal Chitwan National Park $15
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chennai
For Chennai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Ayurvedic or South Indian Cooking Class in Chennai with an Author: $30
- South Indian Cooking Class in Chennai with a Passionate Baker: $48
- South Indian Vegetarian Cooking Class in Chennai with Meena: $54
- South Indian Vegetarian Cooking Class Near the Chennai airport: $62
- Private Authentic Indian Cooking Class in Chennai with a Local: $76
- Traditional Indian Art, Craft and Cooking Tour: $76
- Traditional Cooking Class in Chennai in a Local Home with Sundari: $78
- Private tour to learn Traditional Indian Art, craft & Cooking: $80
- Private Chennai Market Tour and Cooking Class with a Fun Local: $89
- Authentic South Indian Cooking Class and Vegetarian Meal with a Local in Chennai: $122
- Private Market Tour and South Indian Cooking Class in Chennai: $152
- Food Trail In Sowcarpet With Transport And Dinner - Chennai: $200
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Chennai $2.63Royal Chitwan National Park $9.09
Tours and Activities in Chennai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Chennai.
- British Buildings & the Story of Chennai walking tour with guide: $90
- Chennai to Temple Trail: Srikalahasti & Sri Venkateswara Tour: $103
- Sowcarpet Street Food Walking Tour in Chennai with guide: $45
- 2 Day Royal Enfield Motorcycle tour from Chennai to Pondicherry & Mahabalipuram: $267
- 7-Day Spiritual Tamil Nadu Private Tour from Chennai: $586
- A Private Day tour from Chennai to Gingee & Thiruvannamalai: $96
- Agra Taj Tour from Chennai: $292
- Agra: Taj Mahal Skip-the-Line & Guided Private 3 Hours Tour: $4.51
- Auroville and Pondicherry Tour from Chennai: $134
- Best Of Chennai- Classic Tour on Royal Enfield Motorcycle: $160
- Big Fat Indian Wedding, shopping & bazaar walking tour in Chennai: $60
- Birds & Beyond: Chennai to Pulicat Bird Sanctuary Day Tour: $135
Tours and Activities in Royal Chitwan National Park
For Royal Chitwan National Park, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 1 Night 2 Days Chitwan Safari Tour: $118
- 2 Nights 3 Days Chitwan Jungle Safari Tour : $154
- 3 Nights 4 Days Comfortable Chitwan Safari Tour: $195
- 3-Day Chitwan Jungle Safari from Kathmandu – All-Inclusive Tour: $250
- Chitwan Jungle Safari Tour: $140
- Experience the ride in Lowlands of Nepal: $62
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayChennai $2.92Royal Chitwan National Park $6.13
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Chennai and Royal Chitwan National Park, we can see that Royal Chitwan National Park is more expensive. And not only is Chennai much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Chennai would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Chennai 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 Royal Chitwan National Park would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Royal Chitwan National Park than you might in Chennai.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Chennai Expensive? and Is Royal Chitwan National Park Expensive?.
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.