Which place is cheaper, Shanghai or Bangalore?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Bangalore or Shanghai?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Bangalore and Shanghai can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Bangalore or Shanghai?
Bangalore
Bangalore is the capital city of the state of Karnataka, in India. It's also India's third largest city with a population of about 8.5 million. It's considered one of the most liveable cities in the country and was historically known for its many gardens and lush green spaces. Today those areas are all but gone, having given way to the growing population and sprawling metropolises. Bangalore is also the information technology hub of the country and is sometimes referred to as India's Silicon Valley.
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest and most modern city in China. With a population of over 23 million, it is the economic and financial hub of the country. It also continues to be one of the fastest growing cities in China with regular changes to the city's layout and skyline. It is not uncommon for buildings to be torn down, rebuilt and then torn down and rebuilt again. The city also has skyscrapers that rank among the tallest in the world. It has an ever changing downtown and street scape. In Shanghai, the general mantra remains "out with the old, in with the new".
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in India, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in India, 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 dayBangalore $44Shanghai $117
The average daily cost (per person) in Bangalore is $44, while the average daily cost in Shanghai is $117. 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 Bangalore and Shanghai in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBangalore $20Shanghai $82
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBangalore $40Shanghai $164
Compare Hotels in Bangalore and Shanghai
Looking for a hotel in Bangalore or Shanghai? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Bangalore $9.65Shanghai $3.95
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bangalore
Also for Bangalore, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Affordable Bangalore Airport Transfer: $16
- Bangalore airport to Hotel Transfer: $18
- From City to Airport Private Transfer: $22
- VIP Bangalore Airport Transfer: Comfort & Convenience: $24
- Affordable Bangalore Airport Transfer: $28
- Bangalore - private arrival transfer from airport to hotel: $35
- All-Inclusive Taj Mahal and Agra Private Tour with Transfers: $38
- Private One Way Transfer from Bangalore Airport to Bangalore: $39
- Bengaluru to Bengaluru Airport (BLR) - Departure Private Transfer: $45
- One-Way Private City Transfer Mysore & Bangalore: $50
- Private Arrival Transfer: Bengaluru International Airport to Bangalore Hotels: $54
- Bannerghatta Park Day Tour Safari with Private Transfer: $55
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Shanghai
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Shanghai:
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Taxi Ride$3.66
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Two Subway Tickets$0.84
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Shanghai
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Shanghai:
- [Airport Transfer] Shanghai Pudong Airport / Hongqiao Airport ⇔ Shanghai City Transfer ☆ High reputation for service! <Charter charter>: $27
- Zhujiajiao Water Town and Shanghai City Self-Guide 10-Hour Private Transfer Tour: $138
- Zhujiajiao Water Town Self-Guided Tour with Private Transfer from Shanghai: $75
- Zhujiajiao Water Town Private Round-Trip Transfers: $72
- Yiwu Railway Station Private Departure Transfer from City Area : $18
- Yiwu Railway Station Private Arrival Transfer to City Area: $18
- Xitang Water Town Self-Guided Tour from Shanghai with Private Transfer: $100
- Wuzhen and Xitang Water Town Private Transfer from Shanghai: $132
- Wusongkou Cruise Terminal to Pudong Airport Chauffeur Service, Port Transfer: $95
- Wusongkou Cruise Terminal to Hongqiao Airport Chauffeur Service, Port Transfer: $87
- Wusongkou Cruise Terminal Share Transfer Service, Baoshan Port Pick up Service: $29
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in Shanghai APT-HTL (PVG,SHA): $51
Is it cheaper to fly into Bangalore or Shanghai?
Prices for flights to both Shanghai and Bangalore 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 dayBangalore $13Shanghai $22
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bangalore
For Bangalore, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Bangalore : Street Food tour and Local Market Visit.: $17
- Traditional Cooking Classes & Dinner with Family: $33
- Indian Cooking Class in Bangalore with an Award Winning Chef: $54
- Discover Bangalore's Cuisine: Private Half-Day Cooking Experience: $60
- Private South Indian Cooking Class in Bangalore with a Local: $62
- South Indian Cooking Class in Mysore with Devika: $66
- Private In-Home Cooking Demonstration and Meal in Bangalore: $68
- 3-Hour Private Cooking Lesson and Meal in a Bangalore Home: $74
- Cooking experience in Bangalore, a half day tour: $101
- Authentic Indian Cooking Class: $149
Typical Food Prices in Shanghai
Some typical examples of dining costs in Shanghai are as follows:
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Dumpling Breakfast$1.41
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Desserts in Jinmao Building Observatory$21
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Ajisen Lunch for Two$7.32
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Cantelope$1.69
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Dumplings and Soup$2.11
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Duck Dinner$4.22
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Pastries$2.96
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Barbeque Dinner$9.01
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Shanghai
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Shanghai.
- Online Cooking Class Sesame Chicken by Sunflower Li: $20
- Online Cooking Class Fried Rice by Sunflower Li : $20
- Online Cooking Class Handmade Noodles by Sunflower Li: $20
- Online Cooking Class General Tso's Chicken by Sunflower Li: $20
- Aunthentic Local Food Tour in Downtown Shanghai : $32
- Evening Walking Food Tour: $69
- 3-Hour Biking and Local Food Tour: $72
- Authentic Local Food Tour in Central Shanghai: $79
- Private Cooking Class: Make Your Own Dim Sum In Shanghai: $88
- Late night food tour in Shanghai's French Concession: $88
- Eat Like A Local: Shanghai Night Food Tour: $90
- Shanghai's Koreatown Food Tour: $91
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Bangalore $11Shanghai $8.59
Tours and Activities in Bangalore
For Bangalore, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Bangalore Basavanagudi Heritage Self Guided Walking Tour: $8.54
- FLOWER and FRUIT market tour: $13
- Bangalore Night Walking Tour: $13
- Bangalore Walking Tour (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $13
- Cubbon Park Heritage Walk: A self-guided tour of Bangalore's unique history: $15
- Walk of Divinity Bangalore (2 hours guided walking tour): $18
- Bangalore Night Walking Tour (2 hours guided walking tour): $18
- Hire a guide for full day Bangalore city tour with own transport: $24
- Experience Bangalore - Evening City Walk Tour & Market Visit: $32
- Bangalore Private Tour: $35
- Tales of Bangalore a Walking Tour: $35
- Old City Walking Tour: $36
Typical Entertainment Prices in Shanghai
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Shanghai are as follows:
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30 Minute River Cruise for Two$28
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Zoo for Two$14
Tours and Activities in Shanghai
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Shanghai are as follows:
- Half-Day Private Tour of Shanghai Bund with River Cruise or Tower View: $90
- Private Shanghai Full Day City Tour with Old and New Highlights: $108
- Yiwu International Trade City Private Day Tour from Shanghai by Bullet Train: $183
- Yuyuan Garden and Shanghai Museum Private Shanghai Day Tour: $175
- Zhouzhuang Water Town Self-Guided Day Tour from Shanghai: $88
- water village of shagnhai tour: $248
- 1 Day Shanghai Airport Layover Private Tour for City Highlights: $202
- 1 Day Shanghai Private Tour: $180
- 1 day Shanghai City Mini Group tour: $92
- 1-Day Private Tour to Shanghai Museum,Yu Garden,the Bund & Huangpu River Cruise : $213
- 1-Day Private Tour to Shanghai Zhujiajiao Water Town,Nanjing Road and the Bund: $221
- 1-Day Private Tour to Suzhou from Shanghai: $272
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBangalore $9.03Shanghai $7.49
Sample the Local Flavors in Bangalore
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Bangalore:
- pub crawl Bangalore tours: $24
- Pub Crawl Bangalore (3 Hours Guided Nightlife Experience): $35
- Pub Crawl Bangalore: $39
- Pub Crawl with Welcome Drinks, Games & Discounts: $43
Sample the Local Flavors in Shanghai
Also in Shanghai, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- 4-Hour Shanghai Pub Crawl (bars & nightclub hopping): $21
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bangalore and Shanghai, we can see that Shanghai is more expensive. And not only is Bangalore much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Bangalore would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Bangalore 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 Shanghai would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Shanghai than you might in Bangalore.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Bangalore Expensive? and Is Shanghai Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Bangalore or Shanghai?
Shanghai has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Bangalore. When comparing the sizes of Bangalore and Shanghai, 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.