A Travel Price Comparison for China Jinghong vs. Shenzhen for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Jinghong or Shenzhen?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Jinghong and Shenzhen 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: Jinghong or Shenzhen?

Jinghong

Located in the southernmost part of the Yunnan Province, Jinghong is a city that attracts visitors each year with its rich culture and folklore, Buddhist temples, and tropical rainforest scenery of palms and mango trees amongst others. It is also an area popular with backpackers as well as a waypoint for travelers passing between China and Laos.

Shenzhen

Located in the Guangdong Province of southeastern China, Shenzhen is a metropolis that connects Hong Kong to China's mainland. It is one of China's most populous cities, inhabited by vast array of people from other Chinese regions.  It is perhaps best known for it shopping, collection of amusement parks, green parks, museums and galleries, and a few historic sites. It is on UNESCO's Creative Cities list.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Beijing, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Lhasa, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Shanghai, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing.


Which place is cheaper, Shenzhen or Jinghong?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Jinghong Prices
    China Prices
    Shenzhen Prices
    China Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Jinghong $87
    Shenzhen $147

The average daily cost (per person) in Jinghong is $87, while the average daily cost in Shenzhen is $147. 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 Jinghong and Shenzhen in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Jinghong $21
    Shenzhen $95
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Jinghong $42
    Shenzhen $190
Compare Hotels in Jinghong and Shenzhen

Looking for a hotel in Jinghong or Shenzhen? 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 Jinghong


Hotels in Shenzhen


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Jinghong $27
    Shenzhen $15

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Shenzhen

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

  • A One-Way Disneyland Pick-Up Transfer to Hong Kong Hotel: $33
  • A One-Way Hotel Pick-Up Transfer to Hong Kong Disneyland: $36
  • A Premium Airport Transfer Service Hong Kong with Mercedes Benz: $39
  • AIRPORT TRANSFER service Kowloon with Mercedes Benz: $39
  • Bicycle Airport Transfer Service | Hong Kong: $196
  • HK Airport to Cruise Terminal Rounded-Trip Private Transfer by Lexus Luxury Car: $140
  • HK City, Cruise Terminal and Train Station Transfer Luxury MPV: $92
  • HK: Lantau Priority Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car with City Transfer: $50
  • Hong Kong Airport (HKG) Transfer to Shenzhen by Toyota Alphard: $220
  • Hong Kong Airport (HKG) to Hong Kong - Arrival Private Transfer: $52
  • Hong Kong Airport (HKG) to Hong Kong - Arrival Private Transfer: $45
  • Hong Kong Airport (HKG) to Hong Kong -Round-Trip Private Transfer: $90

Is it cheaper to fly into Jinghong or Shenzhen?

Prices for flights to both Shenzhen and Jinghong 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
    Jinghong $50
    Shenzhen $37

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Shenzhen

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

  • Shenzhen Food Tour and Expat Services: $48
  • Hong Kong Street Food Tour with Locals - Dim Sum, Wonton & more: $59
  • Best Street Food Tour With a Local Guide in Hong Kong: $97
  • Hong Kong's Tin Hau Hidden Gems Food Tour with 7+ Local Tastings: $107
  • Hong Kong Food Tour: Sham Shui Po District: $107
  • Small-Group Hong Kong Island Food Tour: $115
  • Hong Kong Market Walking Tour & Chinese Cooking Class: $131
  • Hong Kong Sightseeing Tour With Dinner Cruise From Shenzhen: $136
  • Hong Kong Best Street Food Tour with Local Guide: $149
  • Kowloon Street Food Tour Private & Personalized with a Local: $172
  • Kowloon Night Street Food Tour with a Local: Private & Customized: $198
  • Private Hong Kong Top Night Tour: Cruise, Aquarium Dinner, Peak: $249

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Jinghong $9.75
    Shenzhen $18

Tours and Activities in Jinghong

Here are a few actual costs in Jinghong for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Best of Dai Villages | 20km E-Bike Tour: $41

Tours and Activities in Shenzhen

For Shenzhen, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Introduction to Hong Kong: Central Tip Based Walking Tour: $2.62
  • Between Capitalism & Communism: Hong Kong History Tip Based Tour: $2.62
  • Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Hong Kong: $4.74
  • Skip the Line! Walk to the Peak: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.34
  • Victoria Peak: Climb to the summit via the Mid-Levels escalato on an audio tour: $5.40
  • Yau Ma Tei: A Self-Guided Audio Tour in the Heart of Kowloon: $5.40
  • Hong Kong Observation Wheel Ticket: $5.45
  • Hong Kong Ghost Tour: $6.00
  • Hong Kong Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.00
  • Hong Kong Observation Wheel Ticket: $7.70
  • Secret Hong Kong: Hidden Local Spots Self Guided Adventure: $8.31
  • Markets in Motion: Audio Tour of Mong Kok: $8.99

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Jinghong $5.66
    Shenzhen $20

Sample the Local Flavors in Shenzhen

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Shenzhen:

  • Hong Kong Pub Crawl at Lan Kwai Fong (LKF): $13


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Jinghong and Shenzhen, we can see that Shenzhen is more expensive. And not only is Jinghong much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Jinghong would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Jinghong 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 Shenzhen would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Shenzhen than you might in Jinghong.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Jinghong Expensive? and Is Shenzhen Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Jinghong or Shenzhen?

Shenzhen has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Jinghong. When comparing the sizes of Jinghong and Shenzhen, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.

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