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

Should you visit Coffs Harbour or Shangri-La?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Coffs Harbour and Shangri-La can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Coffs Harbour or Shangri-La?

Coffs Harbour

Coffs Harbour is in New South Wales between Brisbane and Sydney. Historically, Coffs Harbour has been a popular vacation destination among families, particularly Australian families. Most visitors today are families that are carrying on a longstanding tradition and bringing their children to the holiday destination of their childhood. You'll also find backpackers who spend up to a week here, dividing the trip between Sydney and Brisbane. The area has a well established tourist infrastructure that is not as trendy as that in Byron Bay, but it remains a wonderful community to visit if you're not looking for the party atmosphere.

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 Adventure Tours to Australia, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Australia, The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China.


Which place is cheaper, Shangri-La or Coffs Harbour?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Coffs Harbour is $135, 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 Coffs Harbour and Shangri-La in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Coffs Harbour $63
    Shangri-La $19
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Coffs Harbour $126
    Shangri-La $38
Compare Hotels in Coffs Harbour and Shangri-La

Looking for a hotel in Coffs Harbour 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 Coffs Harbour


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: Coffs Harbour Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Coffs Harbour $22
    Shangri-La $10

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 Coffs Harbour or Shangri-La?

Prices for flights to both Shangri-La and Coffs Harbour 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
    Coffs Harbour $51
    Shangri-La $19

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Coffs Harbour $41
    Shangri-La $16
Typical Entertainment Prices in Coffs Harbour

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Coffs Harbour's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Surfing Museum (for 2)
    $7.14

Tours and Activities in Coffs Harbour

For Coffs Harbour, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Daytime Kayak Eco Tour of New South Wales: $40
  • Sunset Kayak Eco Tour with Marine Scientist: $40
  • Coffs Harbour Whale Watch Experience: $63
  • Sunset Experience: $77
  • Rainforest & Waterfall Experience: $126
  • Coastal Adventure: $126

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
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Coffs Harbour $8.34
    Shangri-La $13


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Coffs Harbour and Shangri-La, we can see that Coffs Harbour is more expensive. And not only is Shangri-La much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Coffs Harbour is in Pacific 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 Coffs Harbour would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Coffs Harbour 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 Coffs Harbour Expensive? and Is Shangri-La Expensive?.