Which place is cheaper, Shangri-La or Amman?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Amman or Shangri-La?
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 Amman and Shangri-La. 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: Amman or Shangri-La?
Amman
Amman is the largest city in of the Hashemite Kingdom of the country of Jordan. It is also the capital city of Jordan and has a population of over four million people. Many people use Amman as a base for venturing out into the rest of Jordan and other surrounding countries. There are many things to see and do in Amman.
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 Luxury Tours to Jordan, The Best Budget Tours to Jordan, The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAmman $110Shangri-La $46
The average daily cost (per person) in Amman is $110, 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 Amman and Shangri-La in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAmman $49Shangri-La $19
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAmman $98Shangri-La $38
Compare Hotels in Amman and Shangri-La
Looking for a hotel in Amman 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: Amman Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Amman $24Shangri-La $10
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Amman
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Amman:
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Bus Ride (for Two)$0.71
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RIde to Airport$28
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Amman
Also for Amman, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Amman Airport to Amman Hotel : $20
- Queen Alia Airport Transfer : $21
- Airport pickup or drop off transfer from or to Amman city: $23
- Amman Airport private Transfers From/To multi destinations : $24
- From Amman :Private transfer to Airport, Dead Sea and Petra.: $25
- Amman Airport Private Arrival Transfer: $27
- Amman Airport: Private Transfer to Amman Hotels: $27
- Private Transfer from / to Amman Airport to Amman Hotel: $28
- Petra Private Transfer to or from Amman or Airport or Dead Sea or K.H.B: $30
- Private departure transfer from Amman to airport: $30
- Private Transfer From Amman To Different Cities: $33
- Airport Transfer to Any Hotel In Amman: $37
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 Amman or Shangri-La?
Prices for flights to both Shangri-La and Amman 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 dayAmman $34Shangri-La $19
Typical Food Prices in Amman
For Amman, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Pastries$4.23
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Tea$5.64
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Amman
For Amman, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Amman:Home resturant lunch and dinner: $37
- Private Day or Night Amman Sightseeing - Optional Cooking or Wine Tasting Tour : $51
- 3 course dinner with a sommelier: $56
- Private Lunch or Dinner at a Local Traditional Restaurant in Amman: $71
- Private Jordan Heritage Restaurant Lunch or Dinner Experience : $109
- 3-Hours Guided Food Tour in Amman: $130
- Private Jordan Heritage Restaurant Lunch or Dinner with Wine Experience : $173
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Amman $32Shangri-La $16
Tours and Activities in Amman
For Amman, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- the apple bottom jeans experience 3: $1.14
- Discover the hidden gems of Amman's Rainbow street on a self-guided audio tour: $5.00
- JR The Wine Experience: $26
- Amman Safe Tour: Authentic Cuisine, Local Experience & Souv.: $35
- Private Sightseeing City Tour: $40
- Amman : Must-See attractions Private walking tour: $43
- History & Culture Immersion, City Tour Of Amman : $43
- Half Day Private Tour to Iraq al-Amir (Qasr al-‘Abed): $45
- Half Day Private tour to Dead Sea From Amman. : $50
- Half Day Tour: Jerash From Amman.: $52
- Downtown (Amman city) sightseeing 5 hours : $53
- From Private Jerash, Ajloun Castle, and Umm Qais Tour: $53
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
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAmman $14Shangri-La $13
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Amman and Shangri-La, we can see that Amman is more expensive. And not only is Shangri-La much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Amman is in Middle East 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 Amman would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Amman 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 Amman 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.