Which place is cheaper, Shangri-La or Chengdu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Chengdu 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 Chengdu 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: Chengdu or Shangri-La?
Chengdu
Chengdu is in China's Sichuan Provence and is in what is known as the Red Basin. It is a particularly fertile region in China that is known for its agriculture. For this reason it is sometimes referred to as the "Land of Milk and Honey". The Funan River cuts through the city but has almost no boat traffic anymore. The city itself has a wonderful relaxed vibe compared to the rest of China and is filled with green parks and places to relax. It is considered one of the most livable cities in China.
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 Cultural Tours in China, The Best Luxury Tours to China, The Best Budget Tours to China, and The Best Tours for Seniors to China.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayChengdu $50Shangri-La $46
The average daily cost (per person) in Chengdu is $50, 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 Chengdu and Shangri-La in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personChengdu $21Shangri-La $19
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomChengdu $42Shangri-La $38
Compare Hotels in Chengdu and Shangri-La
Looking for a hotel in Chengdu 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Chengdu $5.94Shangri-La $10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chengdu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chengdu:
- Chengdu Airport (CTU) to Chengdu - Arrival Private Transfer: $21
- Chengdu to Chengdu Airport (CTU) - Departure Private Transfer: $21
- Chengdu Panda Breeding Base Ticket w/ Private Transfer/Guide: $23
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chengdu International Airport (CTU): $23
- Private Arrival Transfer: Chengdu International Airport (CTU) to Hotel: $23
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chengdu Train Stations: $23
- Private Transfer Chengdu (TFU & CTU) Airport Pickup Service: $29
- Departure Transfer from City Hotel to Chengdu Railway Station: $30
- Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport Transfer to Downtown Hotel: $32
- Private Arrival Transfer: Chengdu Airport (CTU or TFU) to Hotel: $34
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chengdu Airport (CTU or TFU): $34
- Private Transfer from Chengdu City Hotels to Airport: $35
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 Chengdu or Shangri-La?
Prices for flights to both Shangri-La and Chengdu 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 dayChengdu $22Shangri-La $19
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chengdu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Chengdu.
- Sichuan Opera Face-Changing Show And Hotpot Dinner Evening Tour: $40
- Half-Day Chinese Bun Cooking Class with Local Spice Market Visit: $56
- Private Sichuan Cooking Class including Local Wet Market Visit: $59
- Sichuan cooking class half day tour: $60
- Chengdu evening food tour by local guide: $60
- Discovery more Chengdu evening food tour with locals : $65
- Tuktuk Food Tour Through Chengdu's Local Eats: $69
- Half-Day Dandan Noodles Cooking Class with Local Spice Market Visit: $70
- Sichuan Opera Show VIP Seat Tickets w/ Transfer or Dinner: $72
- Half Day Chengdu Tofu Making Class with Mapo Tofu Cooking: $72
- Half-Day Chengdu Farm Cooking Class & Spice Market Exploration: $75
- Half-Day Private Sichuan Hot-Pot Cooking Class with Local Spice Market Visit: $80
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Chengdu $16Shangri-La $16
Tours and Activities in Chengdu
Here are a few actual costs in Chengdu for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- local people's opera house experience: $10
- Chengdu Panda Research Base Tickets And Half Day Tour(Private): $16
- Chengdu Sichuan Opera Show Ticket - Shu Feng Ya Yun: $17
- Chengdu Panda Base and Dujiangyan One-Day Private Tour: $17
- Skip the Line: Best Sichuan Opera Show in Chengdu Ticket: $19
- Skip the Line: Sichuan Opera Chengdu Ticket: $21
- Giant Panda Breeding Research Base Ticket: $22
- Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base Ticket: $22
- Panda Breeding Center (Panda Base) & Taoism temple tour: $28
- Sichuan Opera Shu Feng Yan Yun Evening Show Ticket: $29
- Chengdu Sichuan Opera Evening Show Ticket-Shu Feng Yan Yun : $29
- Private Half-Day Walking Tour Unveil Night Life of Chengdu: $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 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
- 1 Day Shangri-la City Tour with Pudacuo National Park: $209
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayChengdu $3.94Shangri-La $13
When comparing the travel costs between Chengdu and Shangri-La, we can see that Chengdu 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 Chengdu 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.