A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Can Tho vs. Shangri-La for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Can Tho or Shangri-La?

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 Can Tho and Shangri-La can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Can Tho or Shangri-La?

Can Tho

Can Tho is the largest city of Vietnam's Mekong Delta, and is best known for its canal network of floating markets, restaurants, bars, and hotels, Buddhist pagodas, and the beauty of the delta, which is illuminated in the evenings.

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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Ho Chi Minh City, The Best 10-Day Tours from Hanoi, The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China.


Which place is cheaper, Shangri-La or Can Tho?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Can Tho is $66, while the average daily cost in Shangri-La is $61. 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 Can Tho and Shangri-La in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Can Tho $26
    Shangri-La $19
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Can Tho $52
    Shangri-La $38
Compare Hotels in Can Tho and Shangri-La

Looking for a hotel in Can Tho 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.

Hotels in Can Tho


Hotels in Shangri-La


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: Can Tho Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Can Tho $12
    Shangri-La $11

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Can Tho

Also for Can Tho, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • PRIVATE CAR: Can Tho AIRPORT <=> CanTho Hotels (one way transfer): $30
  • Private Transfer: Can Tho Airport to/from Can Tho City Center: $35
  • Private Transfer from Can Tho City to Can Tho (VCA) Airport: $51
  • Can Tho To Ho Chi Minh Private Car Transfer: $75
  • Private Transfer from Can Tho City to Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport: $123
  • Private Transfer from Can Tho (VCA) Airport to Can Tho City: $135

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Shangri-La

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Shangri-La:

  • Private Transfer from Shangri-La to Lijiang and Stops at Tiger Leaping Gorge: $160
  • Private Transfer from Shangri-la(Diqing) hotel to Lijiang/Shuhe hotel : $149

Is it cheaper to fly into Can Tho or Shangri-La?

Prices for flights to both Shangri-La and Can Tho 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 day
    Can Tho $28
    Shangri-La $33
Typical Food Prices in Can Tho

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Can Tho:


  • Restaurant Dinner (for Two)
    $4.93
  • Coconut
    $0.27
  • Mango
    $1.02
  • Hot Pot Dinner (for Two)
    $6.60
  • Two Vietnamese Iced Coffees
    $0.61
  • Casual Lunch (for One)
    $2.65

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Can Tho

For Can Tho, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Boat tour on Mekong river see the sunset, small canal, Vegan dinner, street food: $29
  • Biking and Cooking Class in Can Tho Rural: $32
  • Explore Can Tho City tour combine Local Food tour - in afternoon: $35
  • Can Tho food tour voted by local - Vegan option is available: $38
  • Street food tour back of the bike in Can Tho: $39
  • Full-Day Experience in Mekong Cycling and Authentic Home Cooking: $60

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Can Tho $16
    Shangri-La $16
Typical Entertainment Prices in Can Tho

For Can Tho, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • Sunset Boat Ride
    $1.90
  • Half Day Floating Market Tour
    $7.96

Tours and Activities in Can Tho

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Can Tho.

  • Floating Market & Hidden Canals – Small Group Morning Boat Tour: $25
  • Can Tho Countryside Bike Tour with Fruit Garden Visit: $30
  • Mekong Delta and Cai Rang Floating Market 5-Hours Tour: $30
  • Victoria Sunset Cruise on Hau River: $35
  • Bicycle Tour Through Peaceful Villages: $37
  • Floating Market, Cacao Farm and Mekong' Tour from Can Tho: $40
  • Can Tho Sunset Tour : $41
  • Half-Day Private Cai Rang Floating Market & Small Canal Boat Tour: $42
  • Premium Can Tho Small Canal Tour in Mekong Delta: $45
  • Son Islet Experiences: $45
  • Tour for Nature lover- Lung Ngoc Hoang Nature Reserve in Can Tho: $45
  • Cycling in Village-Fruit Garden-Experience Local Ferry: $47

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 Songzanlin and Potatso National Park Tour: $280
  • 1 Day Shangri-la City Tour with Pudacuo National Park: $209
  • 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: $240
  • Shangri-La Day Tour Songzanlin Monastery and Napa Sea: $67
  • Tibetan Village Scenic E-Bike Tour: $117

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Can Tho $6.26
    Shangri-La $13
Typical Alcohol Prices in Can Tho

Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Can Tho from other travelers:


  • Beer
    $3.03


When comparing the travel costs between Can Tho and Shangri-La, we can see that Can Tho is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Can Tho Expensive? and Is Shangri-La Expensive?.


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