Which place is cheaper, Shangri-La or Adelaide?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Adelaide or Shangri-La?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Adelaide and Shangri-La can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Adelaide or Shangri-La?
Adelaide
Adelaide is the often overlooked capital city of the State of South Australia. It's also the fifth largest city in the country. Despite being skipped by most travelers, Adelaide is an interesting city to explore and has a decent amount to offer open minded travelers. It has some fascinating architecture, unique shopping, and wonderful cafes and restaurants. Part of the appeal of Adelaide is its location in the midst of Australia's wine regions, including McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, and Clare Valley. Any of these destinations could be visited as a day trip from Adelaide.
Shangri-La
The original Shangri-La existed in the fictional world of James Hilton's novel "The Lost Horizon." It was a hidden paradise, a place so beautiful that it couldn't possibly exist on earth. The Shangri-La that exists in Yunnan, China today was renamed from its former title Zhongdian in 2001 in order to associate the place with the mystical allure created in Hilton's novel. Visitors come to admire the traditional monasteries and temples set against a backdrop of mountain preserves and pristine lakes.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Australia, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Sydney, The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAdelaide $109Shangri-La $46
The average daily cost (per person) in Adelaide is $109, while the average daily cost in Shangri-La is $46. 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 Adelaide and Shangri-La in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAdelaide $65Shangri-La $19
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAdelaide $130Shangri-La $38
Compare Hotels in Adelaide and Shangri-La
Looking for a hotel in Adelaide or Shangri-La? 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: Adelaide Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Adelaide $18Shangri-La $10
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Adelaide
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Adelaide are as follows:
-
Shuttle from the Train Station$3.57
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Adelaide
Also for Adelaide, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Adelaide Airport(ADL)to Adelaide city - Arrival Private Transfer: $38
- Adelaide Airport: One-Way Private Transfer to Adelaide: $57
- Arrival Private Transfers: Adelaide Airport ADL to Adelaide in Business Car: $62
- Private Arrival Transfer: Adelaide Airport to Hotel: $66
- Adelaide Airport (ADL) to Adelaide - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $76
- Departure Private Transfers: Adelaide to Adelaide Airport ADL in Luxury Van: $92
- Adelaide Airport Transfers : Adelaide City to Airport ADL in Luxury Car: $106
- Adelaide Private Airport and City Transfer: $109
- Adelaide Airport (ADL): Private Transfer to Adelaide hotels: $218
- One Day Kangaroo Island Sip & See tour with return ferry transfers from Adelaide: $246
- Adelaide Airport (ADL): Private Transfer to Adelaide Port: $252
- Adelaide Cruise Port: Private Transfer to Adelaide city: $252
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Shangri-La
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Shangri-La:
- Private Transfer from Shangri-la(Diqing) hotel to Lijiang/Shuhe hotel : $149
- Private Transfer from Shangri-La to Lijiang and Stops at Tiger Leaping Gorge: $160
Is it cheaper to fly into Adelaide or Shangri-La?
Prices for flights to both Shangri-La and Adelaide 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
-
Food Meals for one dayAdelaide $31Shangri-La $19
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Adelaide
For Adelaide, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- HandleBar Bike Tour with Pub Stops & Dinner Option: $23
- Local Food Tour and Tastings with Guide: $78
- Cooking classes Goolwa: $129
- Small-Group River Murray Dark Sky and Sunset Tour with Dinner: $192
- Pipi Catching and Cooking Experience in Goolwa : $230
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Adelaide $13Shangri-La $16
Tours and Activities in Adelaide
For Adelaide, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Adelaide Self-Guided Audio Tour: $1.00
- Queer Adelaide History: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $12
- River Torrens Popeye Sightseeing Cruise: $17
- Torrens River Cruise in Adelaide: $17
- Adelaide Oval Stadium Guided Tour: $18
- Adelaide Oval Stadium Tour: $19
- An exciting, Tree Top Adventure for Our Littlest Adventurers : $23
- River Torrens Popeye Devonshire Tea Cruise: $25
- Adelaide Walking Tour: Hills, Squares and Parklands: $27
- Adelaide Gaol Adults Ghost Tour & Investigation: $28
- City Highlights Walking Tour with Guide: $29
- Private Home Style Indian Dining Experience: $30
Tours and Activities in Shangri-La
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Shangri-La are as follows:
- 1 Day Shangri-la City Tour with Pudacuo National Park: $209
- 1 day Shangri-La Highlights Mini Private Tour: $117
- 1-Day Shangri-La Private Tour: Potatso National Park and Baiji Temple: $169
- 1-Day Shangri-La Tour to Ganden Monastery, Nixi Pottery Village and Tibetan Town: $185
- 1-Day Shangri-La tour with Ganden Monastery, Napahai Lake and Tibetan Town: $190
- Private tour Songzanlin Monastry & Tibetan lunch from Zhongdian: $199
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayAdelaide $22Shangri-La $13
Sample the Local Flavors in Adelaide
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Adelaide:
- Private Pinot Noir Wine Tasting & Platter in Adelaide Hills: $30
- River Torrens Desserts And Wine Tour: $42
- McLaren Vale and Glenelg Wine Tasting Tour: $52
- McLaren Vale and Glenelg Wine Tasting and Sightseeing (Half-day Afternoon): $52
- Highlights, Hahndorf, & McLaren Vale Wine Tastings: $78
- Adelaide Highlights, Hahndorf & McLaren Vale Wine Tasting and Sightseeing Tour: $79
- The Barossa Valley Premium Wine Tour with Lunch: $110
- From Barossa Valley Food and Wine Tour: $110
- Barossa Valley Full-Day Wine Tasting Tour: $112
- Barossa Valley Food and Wine Tour: $131
- Barossa Small Group Wine Tours - Local Guide: $131
- Adelaide Hills Full Day Wine Tour: $131
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Adelaide and Shangri-La, we can see that Adelaide is more expensive. And not only is Shangri-La much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Adelaide is in Pacific and Shangri-La is in Asia, 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 Shangri-La would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Shangri-La 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 Adelaide would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Adelaide than you might in Shangri-La.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Adelaide Expensive? and Is Shangri-La 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.