Which place is cheaper, Shangri-La or Datong?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Datong or Shangri-La?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Datong 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: Datong or Shangri-La?
Datong
If you're looking for an old world city, with a renovated feel, you might want to spend some time in Datong, China. This city was once walled-in and the newest initiative is to rebuild their great wall to maintain their old world charm. Datong is definitely done a lot to make itself a contender in the world of vacation destinations.
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 dayDatong $56Shangri-La $46
The average daily cost (per person) in Datong is $56, 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 Datong and Shangri-La in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDatong $23Shangri-La $19
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDatong $46Shangri-La $38
Compare Hotels in Datong and Shangri-La
Looking for a hotel in Datong 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.Datong $12Shangri-La $10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Datong
Also for Datong, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Datong Yungang Airport Chauffeur Service , to Datong Transfer: $12
- Private Transfer Service from Yungang Airport to Datong Hotel: $29
- Transfer from Datong Railway Stations to Hotels in City Center: $35
- Datong Hanging Temple Private Transfer from Hotel or Station: $69
- Private Round-Trip Transfer to Hanging Temple: $98
- Dunhuang Private Round Trip Transfer to Jiayuguan and Xuanbi Great Wall : $100
- Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Hanging Temple and Hengshan from Datong: $118
- Chengdu: Private Round-Trip Transfer to Leshan Budda: $128
- Private One Way Transfer from Datong to Beijing : $211
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 Datong or Shangri-La?
Prices for flights to both Shangri-La and Datong 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 dayDatong $20Shangri-La $19
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Datong $25Shangri-La $16
Tours and Activities in Datong
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Datong.
- Yungang Grottoes Entrance Ticket with Optional Guided Service: $22
- Datong Private Self-guided Tour with Chartered Car: $26
- YungangGrottoe HangingTemple Private Self-guided Tour by Car: $79
- Datong Hanging Temple Wooden Pagoda Self-guided Tour by Car: $95
- 4-8 hours Private Datong Great Wall Tour: $99
- Private Datong Day Tour Arranged by Local Tour Guide Nancy: $129
- Temples and Grottoes Private Full–Day Tour: $149
- Private Tour: Yungang Grottoes and Hanging Monastery From Datong: $160
- Private city tour Datong Yungang grottoes and Huayan Monastery: $160
- Private Custom Tour: Datong City in One Day: $180
- All Inclusive Private Day Tour to Hanging Temple at Hengshan from Datong : $188
- Datong Private Day Tour to Deshengbu and Zhenchuankou Great Wall with Lunch: $190
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 dayDatong $12Shangri-La $13
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Datong and Shangri-La, we can see that Datong 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 Datong would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Datong 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 Datong 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.