Which place is cheaper, Shangri-La or Jakarta?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Jakarta or Shangri-La?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Jakarta and Shangri-La. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Jakarta or Shangri-La?
Jakarta
As Indonesia's capital and largest city, Jakarta rests on the northwest coast of the island of Java. It is the country's economic, cultural, and political center with plenty of opportunities for sightseeing, nightlife, shopping, and entertainment.
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 Indonesia, The Best Adventure Tours to Indonesia, 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 dayJakarta $64Shangri-La $46
The average daily cost (per person) in Jakarta is $64, 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 Jakarta and Shangri-La in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personJakarta $33Shangri-La $19
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomJakarta $66Shangri-La $38
Compare Hotels in Jakarta and Shangri-La
Looking for a hotel in Jakarta 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: Jakarta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Jakarta $20Shangri-La $10
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Jakarta
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Jakarta are as follows:
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Taxi to Station$1.09
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Jakarta
Also for Jakarta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer Airport Soekarno Hatta (CGK) to All City Destination: $13
- One Way Private Transfer Airport to Jakarta City: $16
- Easy & Simple Transfer Airport Jakarta: $17
- Airport Private Transfer Jakarta, Best Price: $19
- CGK - Private Airport Transfer Service: $20
- Jakarta Airport Transfer Service: $20
- Private Airport Transfer Jakarta (CGK) To All Destination : $20
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Jakarta HTL-APT (CGK): $21
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Jakarta APT-HTL (CGK): $21
- Private Transfer from Soekarno Hatta Airport to Jakarta Hotels: $22
- Airport Jakarta Soekarno - Hatta ( Private Transfer ): $22
- Private Transfer from Soekarno Hatta Airport: $22
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 Jakarta or Shangri-La?
Prices for flights to both Shangri-La and Jakarta 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 dayJakarta $17Shangri-La $19
Typical Food Prices in Jakarta
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Jakarta:
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Dinner$2.73
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Dinner$0.74
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Jakarta
For Jakarta, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Fun Food Tour Jakarta: $30
- Mangga Besar Food Tour: $49
- Cikini Heritage Food Tour: $49
- Jakarta Night Life Tour with highlight and food tour: $54
- Jakarta Night Tour: Guided Sightseeing & Street food tour: $56
- Kota Tua Food Tour: $64
- Melawai Night Street Food Tour: $67
- 10-Tasting Private Food Tour with a Local Host: $96
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Jakarta $13Shangri-La $16
Tours and Activities in Jakarta
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Jakarta.
- Jakarta City Center: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.20
- Jakarta Walkingtour : Explore Jakarta as the locals do: $19
- Private custom tour with a local guide: $33
- Private Custom Walking Tour with a Local Guide in Jakarta: $34
- Like a Local Customized Guided Tour: $35
- Half-Day Highlights Tour: $38
- Highlight Noon Batavia Tour By Walk : $40
- guided tour of highlights in german language: $42
- 3 Hours Jakarta City Tour (Jakarta's Iconic Places): $45
- Highlights of Jakarta City: Half-Day Tour: $45
- Best Jakarta Tours, your best friend in travelling.: $47
- Private Half-Day Tour Highlight of Jakarta: $49
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 dayJakarta $4.23Shangri-La $13
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Jakarta and Shangri-La, we can see that Jakarta 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 Jakarta would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Jakarta 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 Jakarta 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.