Which place is cheaper, Shangri-La or Hue?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Hue 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 Hue 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: Hue or Shangri-La?
Hue
Hue is a major city in central Vietnam and was historically the imperial capital. The city was the base for the imperial Nguyen Dynasty, which ruled from 1802 to 1945. During the Vietnam War the city faced many challenges. It was conquered by the Viet Cong and held for 24 days. During this time about 3,000 people were slaughtered for their political views, education level, or religious affiliation.
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 Sightseeing Tours in Vietnam, The Best Cultural Tours in Vietnam, The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China.
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Hue Prices
Vietnam PricesShangri-La Prices
China Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHue $56Shangri-La $61
The average daily cost (per person) in Hue is $56, while the average daily cost in Shangri-La is $61. 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 Hue and Shangri-La in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHue $22Shangri-La $19
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHue $44Shangri-La $38
Compare Hotels in Hue and Shangri-La
Looking for a hotel in Hue 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: Hue Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Hue $12Shangri-La $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Hue
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Hue:
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Cyclo$0.45
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Short Taxi Ride$0.83
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Taxi Ride to Tombs$13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hue
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hue:
- Hue Airport: Private Transfer to/or from Hue City Center: $4.72
- Phu Bai Airport to Hue City: Private Transfer: $5.90
- Privated Hue Airport Transfer - Airport to Hotels or vice versa: $6.75
- Transfer from Hue airport to Hue city center or vice versa: $6.81
- Transfer between Hue Hotels and Hue Airport: $7.11
- Airport Transfer to/from City Center: $7.68
- Hue city Airport transfer - All Inclusive : $9.60
- Shared Car Transfer from Phu Bai Airport to City Center: $9.84
- Hue Car Rental with Driver for Transfer Trip and Sightseeing: $11
- Private Transfer: Hue City Center - Hue Train Station: $11
- HUI: Transfer Phu Bai airport to Hue city center: $11
- Phu Bai Airport Arrival Or Departure by Private Transfer: $12
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 Hue or Shangri-La?
Prices for flights to both Shangri-La and Hue 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 dayHue $25Shangri-La $33
Typical Food Prices in Hue
Some typical examples of dining costs in Hue are as follows:
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River Night Market Dinner (for Two)$7.58
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Two Sugarcane Drinks$0.76
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Quick Lunch (for Two)$2.08
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Sitdown Dinner (for Two)$4.17
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hue
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Hue.
- Hue Food Tour by Walking or Cyclo or Motorbike with Driver: $21
- Walking Street Food tour in Hue: $26
- Hue Walking Street Food Tour: $27
- Hue City: Cyclo, Market Tour & Cooking Class at Madam Thu: $27
- Eat Like a Local with a Local Hue Food Tour : $30
- Home Cooking Class and Dinner with Local Chef in Hue City: $31
- HUE : NIGHT WALKING AND STREET FOOD TOUR: $31
- Hue : Cooking Class with Local Family: $33
- Street Food Tour with a Local Guide: $33
- Cooking Class with Local Family: $33
- Hue : Night Street Food Tour with a Local Guide: $33
- Guided Local Food Tour with Tastings: $33
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Hue $11Shangri-La $16
Typical Entertainment Prices in Hue
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Hue are as follows:
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Boat Ride$7.39
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Bicycle Rental (One Day)$1.06
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Imperial Citadel Entrance$3.03
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Massage at Institute for the Blind$1.52
Tours and Activities in Hue
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Hue are as follows:
- Eat like a local with a local - Walking Tour: $2.00
- Hue Imperial Ancient City Walking Tour: $2.00
- Traditional Singing on Huong River Ticket: $4.03
- Private City Tour By Car - English Speaking Driver: $4.72
- Vietnam Song Lab Digital Art Center Entry Ticket: $7.66
- Hue Imperial City 3 Hour Walking Tour for Budget Travelers: $8.00
- City Tour with Driver - Customized Your Own Itinerary: $8.66
- Experience Paper Flower Making in Hue for a Cause: $10
- Private City Tour by Car with English-Speaking Driver: $10
- Imperial City Walk, Motorbike Tour & Private Car Options: $10
- Hue Royal Tombs Tour Visit 3 Best Tombs & Pagoda: $13
- Royal Tombs Private Tour with 3 Best Tombs & Pagoda: $13
Tours and Activities in Shangri-La
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Shangri-La are as follows:
- Shangri-La Day Tour Songzanlin Monastery and Napa Sea: $67
- Tibetan Village Scenic E-Bike 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
- 1 Day Shangri-la City Tour with Pudacuo National Park: $209
- Private tour Songzanlin Monastry & Tibetan lunch from Zhongdian: $240
- 1 Day Shangri-La Songzanlin and Potatso National Park Tour: $280
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHue $5.49Shangri-La $13
Typical Alcohol Prices in Hue
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Hue:
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Beer$0.95
When comparing the travel costs between Hue and Shangri-La, we can see that Shangri-La 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 Hue 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.