Sichuan is a vast southwestern province of China renowned for its fiery cuisine, spectacular natural scenery, and rich cultural heritage. Home to UNESCO World Heritage Sites including Jiuzhaigou, Mount Emei, and the Leshan Giant Buddha, Sichuan captivates visitors with its dramatic landscapes ranging from lush river valleys to towering Tibetan-fringe highlands.
Local currency: Chinese Yuan Renminbi (CNY/RMB).
Daily budget by traveller style
Typical per-person daily spend in Sichuan.
Cost breakdown
Typical price ranges across major spending categories.
Accommodation
- Hostel
- $4–12/night (dormitory bed in Chengdu hostel)
- Budget
- $15–30/night (budget guesthouse or private room hostel)
- Midrange
- $40–90/night (3–4 star hotel)
- Luxury
- $150–500+/night (5-star hotel or boutique retreat)
Food
- Street
- $1–3 (street food, noodle stall, bun shop)
- Local
- $4–8 (local Sichuan restaurant meal)
- Midrange
- $12–25 (sit-down Sichuan restaurant with drinks)
- Fine
- $50–100+ (fine dining or hotpot with premium ingredients)
Transport
- Bus
- $0.30 (city bus anywhere in Chengdu)
- Taxi
- $3–10 (short Didi ride within Chengdu)
- Airport
- $28 (Didi from Chengdu Shuangliu/Tianfu Airport to city center)
- Daytrip
- $10–25 (bus or train to Leshan or Dujiangyan)
Activities
- Museum
- $6–13 (Sanxingdui, Jinsha Site Museum)
- Sites
- $8–30 (national parks and major scenic areas)
- Tour
- $30–80 (half-day guided tour from Chengdu)
- Excursion
- $50–150 (full-day private day trip with driver)
Trip budgets by length
What a typical trip to Sichuan costs end-to-end.
Budget traveller
$190 for 7 days (hostel, street food, public transport, free attractions)
Midrange traveller
$462 for 7 days (mid-range hotel, restaurant meals, some guided tours)
Luxury traveller
$1,260+ for 7 days (five-star hotels, fine dining, private driver, premium experiences)
Money-saving tips
Practical ways to stretch your budget further.
Use the Chengdu Metro — at $0.30–0.60 per ride it is by far the cheapest and fastest city transport
Eat street food and visit small local noodle houses rather than tourist-oriented restaurants
Book Jiuzhaigou tickets in advance online to avoid scalpers charging inflated last-minute prices
Visit the Leshan Giant Buddha by boat rather than paying the full scenic area entry — boat tours are cheaper
Buy a local SIM card at the airport for $5–10 rather than relying on expensive international roaming
Travel in shoulder season (April–May or October–November) for lower hotel and transport prices
Use Ctrip/Trip.com instead of international booking platforms for better Chinese hotel and train prices
Cook occasional meals using supermarket produce — Chengdu has excellent fresh food markets
Book bullet trains in advance for best prices on Chengdu to Leshan and Chengdu to Emeishan routes
Take the free hotel shuttle if your accommodation offers one to save on taxi fares
Free things to do
Memorable experiences that cost nothing.
People's Park (Renmin Park)
Stroll through the beautiful park and watch locals dance, do tai chi, and visit the teahouse
Kuanzhai Alley Walk
Free to walk through the restored Qing Dynasty lanes — only pay for food and tea
Jinli Ancient Street
Free entry to browse the Han Dynasty-style street — pay only for food and souvenirs
Wangjiaxiang Neighborhood
Explore authentic Chengdu hutong-style alley life away from tourist areas
Tianfu Square
Chengdu's main public square — free to visit, good for people-watching
Chunxi Road Shopping Stroll
Window shopping on Chengdu's main pedestrian shopping boulevard
Dujiangyan Fish Mouth Walk
The exterior viewing of the ancient water-splitting structure is partially free
Qingyang Palace
Minimal entry fee ($2) — practically free to access Chengdu's oldest Taoist temple
Jiuyan Bridge Night Market
Wander the riverside night market for free (pay only for food)
Chengdu Museum (Free on Mondays)
Chengdu's main city history museum waives admission on Mondays