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

Should you visit Hyderabad or Shangri-La?

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

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Hyderabad and Shangri-La can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Hyderabad or Shangri-La?

Hyderabad

Hyderabad, located in Southern India, is the capital of the state of Telangana. It is a city rich with history and tradition as well as booming in the technology industry, hosting the India headquarters for both Microsoft and Google. In addition to many upscale restaurants and shops, Hyderabad is also home to important historic sites and beautiful landmarks.

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 2-Week Tours in India, The Best 4-Week (1-Month) Tours in India, The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China.


Which place is cheaper, Shangri-La or Hyderabad?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Hyderabad is $50, 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 Hyderabad and Shangri-La in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Hyderabad $21
    Shangri-La $19
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Hyderabad $42
    Shangri-La $38
Compare Hotels in Hyderabad and Shangri-La

Looking for a hotel in Hyderabad 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 Hyderabad


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: Hyderabad Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Hyderabad $13
    Shangri-La $10

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hyderabad

Also for Hyderabad, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Hyderabad Airport Transfer: $16
  • Mumbai/Goa/Kochi/Bangalore - Private One-Way Transfer: $24
  • Hyderabad Rajiv Gandhi Airport(HYD) to Downtown hotels- Arrival Private Transfer: $39
  • US$ 40 Safe Transfer Airport To City Hotels In A Private Car Upto 3pax: $43
  • Private Transfer from Rajiv Gandhi (HYD) Airport to Hyderabad: $62
  • Private Transfer from Hyderabad to Rajiv Gandhi (HYD) Airport: $62
  • Private Transfer Round Trip Downtown to Hyderabad Airport: $87
  • 6-hours Golconda Fort & Qutub Shahi Tombs Tour with transfer: $97
  • Full Day Ramoji Film City Tour with Lunch and Transfers: $115

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 Hyderabad or Shangri-La?

Prices for flights to both Shangri-La and Hyderabad 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
    Hyderabad $18
    Shangri-La $19

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hyderabad

For Hyderabad, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Hyderabad Evening Tour with Boat Ride, Laser Show & Dinner: $97
  • Private Half Day Tour: Dinner cruise, Old city shopping ride & Laser show: $175
  • Cooking Demonstration of Ethnic Hyderabadi Cuisine at Private Residence (Dinner): $201

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Hyderabad $16
    Shangri-La $16

Tours and Activities in Hyderabad

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Hyderabad.

  • Charminar Skip the line Entry Ticket: $11
  • Heritage & Cultural Walk of Hyderabad (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $14
  • Night Walk Hyderabad (2 Hour Guided Walking Tour): $17
  • Heritage & Cultural Walk of Hyderabad (2 Hours Guided Tour): $17
  • Spiritual Trails of Hyderabad (2 Hours Guided Temples Tour): $17
  • Heritage Walking Tour of Old City and Charminar: $45
  • Private Half-Day Tour of Hyderabad Including Sound & Light Show: $48
  • Full-Day Private Guided Tour of Hyderabad: $52
  • Golconda Fort & Hyderabad City Tour: $53
  • Hyderabads Grand Heritage City Tour: $53
  • 4 hours Tour of Golkonda Fort and Qutb Shahi Tombs in Hyderabad: $60
  • Skip The Line Charminar E-Tickets with guide: $61

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
    Hyderabad $11
    Shangri-La $13


When comparing the travel costs between Hyderabad and Shangri-La, we can see that Hyderabad 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 Hyderabad Expensive? and Is Shangri-La Expensive?.


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