Which place is cheaper, Shangri-La or Dunedin?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Dunedin or Shangri-La?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Dunedin or Shangri-La? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Dunedin or Shangri-La?
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second largest city on the South Island of New Zealand. It is situated on the southeast coast and is largely Scottish in its heritage. It is part of the Otago region and has mild temperatures during the spring and summer, but extremely cold temperatures during the end of fall and winter. Dunedin is a university town; The University of Otago is the oldest in New Zealand, established in 1869. The students make up over a tenth of the entire city's population.
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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand, The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand, 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 dayDunedin $109Shangri-La $48
The average daily cost (per person) in Dunedin is $109, while the average daily cost in Shangri-La is $48. 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 Dunedin and Shangri-La in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDunedin $55Shangri-La $19
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDunedin $110Shangri-La $38
Compare Hotels in Dunedin and Shangri-La
Looking for a hotel in Dunedin 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: Dunedin Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dunedin $29Shangri-La $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dunedin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Dunedin:
- Dunedin to Dunedin Int Airport (DUD) - Departure Private Transfer: $37
- Dunedin Intl Airport (DUN) to Dunedin - Arrival Private Transfer: $37
- Private Transfer from Chalmers Cruise Port to Dunedin City Hotels: $45
- Private Transfer from Chalmers Port to Dunedin Airport (DUD): $45
- Momona Airport: One-Way Private Transfer to Momona: $90
- ONE WAY MOMONA: Transfer from /to Dunedin Airport: $125
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 Dunedin or Shangri-La?
Prices for flights to both Shangri-La and Dunedin 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 dayDunedin $30Shangri-La $19
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dunedin $18Shangri-La $16
Tours and Activities in Dunedin
Here are a few actual costs in Dunedin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Dunedin Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
- Explore Self-Guided Audio Tour Adventure: $14
- Olveston Historic Home Guided Tour: $16
- Quickie Tours 1 Hour City Sights Tour CRUISE PASSENGERS ONLY: $25
- Skip the Line: Larnach Castle & Gardens Admission Ticket: $29
- Garden and City tour: $38
- Wildlife and Penguin Tour: $40
- Heritage Dunedin City Walking Guided Tour: $41
- Monarch Wildlife Cruise: $42
- Shore Excursion: V8 Trike, Peninsula and City Tour: $51
- Nature and City Tour: $57
- A 2 hour Small Group Dunedin City Highlights Tour: $59
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 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 dayDunedin $15Shangri-La $13
Sample the Local Flavors in Dunedin
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Dunedin:
- Emerson's Brewery Tour: $25
- Speight's Brewery Tour & Guided Tasting: $29
- Speight's Brewery Guided Tour with Tasting: $29
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dunedin and Shangri-La, we can see that Dunedin is more expensive. And not only is Shangri-La much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Dunedin 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 Dunedin would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dunedin 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 Dunedin 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.