Which place is cheaper, Shangri-La or Can Tho?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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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 Bicycle Tours in Vietnam, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Vietnam, 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 dayCan Tho $57Shangri-La $46
The average daily cost (per person) in Can Tho is $57, 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 Can Tho and Shangri-La in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCan Tho $27Shangri-La $19
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCan Tho $54Shangri-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.
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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Can Tho $13Shangri-La $10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Can Tho
Also for Can Tho, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Can Tho City to Can Tho (VCA) Airport: $25
- Private Transfer from Can Tho (VCA) Airport to Can Tho City: $25
- PRIVATE CAR: Can Tho AIRPORT <=> CanTho Hotels (one way transfer): $30
- Private Transfer: Can Tho Airport - Can Tho City Center: $40
- Private Transfer: Can Tho Airport to/from Can Tho City Center: $43
- Private Transfer from Vinh Long to Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport: $105
- Private Transfer from Thanh Thoi to Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport: $106
- Private Transfer from Can Tho (VCA) Airport to Ho Chi Minh: $112
- Private Transfer from Can Tho City to Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport: $112
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
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Food Meals for one dayCan Tho $17Shangri-La $19
Typical Food Prices in Can Tho
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Can Tho:
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Restaurant Dinner (for Two)$5.19
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Coconut$0.28
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Mango$1.08
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Hot Pot Dinner (for Two)$6.95
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Two Vietnamese Iced Coffees$0.64
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Casual Lunch (for One)$2.80
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
- Explore Can Tho City tour combine Local Food tour - in afternoon: $35
- Can Tho food tour designed by local chef: $38
- Street food tour back of the bike in Can Tho: $39
- Eco Cooking Class and Market Tour: $47
- Walking street food tour designed by local chef: $47
- Full-Day Experience in Mekong Cycling and Authentic Home Cooking: $60
- Can Tho Cooking Class - Motorbike trip in the countryside: $69
- 2 Days Tour in Can Tho with Boat Trip and Cooking Class : $139
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Can Tho $17Shangri-La $16
Typical Entertainment Prices in Can Tho
For Can Tho, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Sunset Boat Ride$2.00
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Half Day Floating Market Tour$8.39
Tours and Activities in Can Tho
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Can Tho.
- Mekong Delta and Cai Rang Floating Market 5-Hours Tour: $32
- The hidden Fabulous Floating Market and small canal (Non-tourist small canal): $33
- Half-Day Private Cai Rang Floating Market & Small Canal Boat Tour: $33
- Mekong Delta and Cai Rang Floating Market 5-Hours Tour: $33
- Discover Can Tho Floating Market and Small Canal Adventure: $35
- Can Tho Sunset Tour : $35
- From Cai Rang Floating Market Group tour: $39
- Private Half Day Tour - Cái Răng Floating Market: $39
- Private Half Day Tour - Sơn Islet: $39
- Bicycle Tour Through Peaceful Villages: $40
- Cai Rang Floating Market Tour -Amazing Can Tho : $45
- Rural and Tropical Island Tour at Can Tho: $48
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 dayCan Tho $6.59Shangri-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:
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Beer$3.20
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Can Tho and Shangri-La, we can see that Can Tho is more expensive. And not only is Shangri-La much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Can Tho would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Can Tho 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 Can Tho 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.