Which place is cheaper, Shangri-La or Darwin?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Darwin or Shangri-La?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Darwin or Shangri-La, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Darwin or Shangri-La?
Darwin
Darwin is a tropical city set against the Timor Sea in north central Australia. It is also the capital city of the Northern Territory. Despite being a relatively small city, Darwin is very diverse with residents from all over the world. The city itself has a very relaxed vibe with plenty to do. Visitors can enjoy everything from traditionally Asian style markets to culturally diverse events such as concerts, festivals or art shows.
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 Walking Tours in Australia, The Best Eco Tours in Australia, 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 dayDarwin $111Shangri-La $46
The average daily cost (per person) in Darwin is $111, 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 Darwin and Shangri-La in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDarwin $62Shangri-La $19
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDarwin $124Shangri-La $38
Compare Hotels in Darwin and Shangri-La
Looking for a hotel in Darwin 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: Darwin Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Darwin $12Shangri-La $10
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Darwin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Darwin:
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Shuttle to Train Station$9.73
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Darwin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Darwin:
- Private Transfer from Darwin City Hotels to Darwin Cruise Port: $59
- Private Transfer from Darwin Cruise Port to Darwin Airport (DRW): $59
- Private Transfer from Darwin Airport (DRW) to Darwin Cruise Port: $59
- Darwin to Darwin Int Airport (DRW) - Departure Private Transfer: $71
- Crocodile Jumping Boat Cruise with Transfer from Darwin: $92
- Darwin Int Airport (DRW) to Darwin - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $142
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 Darwin or Shangri-La?
Prices for flights to both Shangri-La and Darwin 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 dayDarwin $37Shangri-La $19
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Darwin
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Darwin.
- Sunset Harbour Cruise with Fish and Chips Dinner: $71
- Darwin Harbor Sunset Cruise with Buffet Dinner: $85
- Charles Darwin Dinner Cruise: $90
- Darwin Sunset Dinner Cruise on Cape Adieu: $96
- Sunset 3-Hour Cruise from Darwin with Dinner and Sparkling Wine: $112
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Darwin $15Shangri-La $16
Tours and Activities in Darwin
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Darwin are as follows:
- Darwin Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
- Crocosaurus Cove General Admission Ticket: $26
- 1 Hour Adelaide River Queen Jumping Crocodile Cruise: $26
- 1 Hour Jumping Crocodile Cruise on the Adelaide River: $30
- Big Bus Open-Top Hop-on Hop-off Tour: $31
- Darwin Shore Excursion: Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour: $31
- Darwin Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour: $31
- Darwin Harbour Bombing of Darwin Cruise: $39
- Jumping Crocodile Cruise At Crocodylus Park : $40
- 1-Hour Bombing of Darwin Cruise: $42
- Discover Darwin Harbour: Darwin Harbour Afternoon Cruise: $42
- Corroboree Billabong Wetland Cruises - 1.5 hour Morning cruise: $50
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 dayDarwin $13Shangri-La $13
Typical Alcohol Prices in Darwin
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Darwin from other travelers:
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Evening at a Bar$16
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Glass of Wine$4.54
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Darwin and Shangri-La, we can see that Darwin is more expensive. And not only is Shangri-La much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Darwin 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 Darwin would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Darwin 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 Darwin 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.