Which place is cheaper, Shanghai or Kampala?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Kampala or Shanghai?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Kampala or Shanghai? 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: Kampala or Shanghai?
Kampala
Kampala is the capital of Uganda in the South part of the country near Lake Victoria. It is the largest city in Uganda, with a population of over two million people. This city is very safe and the locals are known to be very kind and approachable.
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest and most modern city in China. With a population of over 23 million, it is the economic and financial hub of the country. It also continues to be one of the fastest growing cities in China with regular changes to the city's layout and skyline. It is not uncommon for buildings to be torn down, rebuilt and then torn down and rebuilt again. The city also has skyscrapers that rank among the tallest in the world. It has an ever changing downtown and street scape. In Shanghai, the general mantra remains "out with the old, in with the new".
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Camping Tours in Uganda, The Best Safaris in Uganda, 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 dayKampala $69Shanghai $115
The average daily cost (per person) in Kampala is $69, while the average daily cost in Shanghai is $115. 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 Kampala and Shanghai in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKampala $59Shanghai $81
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKampala $118Shanghai $162
Compare Hotels in Kampala and Shanghai
Looking for a hotel in Kampala or Shanghai? 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: Kampala Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kampala $2.48Shanghai $3.87
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kampala
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Kampala are as follows:
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Taxi around town$3.96
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kampala
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kampala:
- Entebbe Airport taxi. For a safe, affordable and reliable 24/7 airport transfer.: $45
- Entebbe Airport Transfers: $80
- Private Transfer from Entebbe Airport (EBB) Uganda to Kampala: $127
- Full-Day Kampala Trip with Lunch and Hotel Transfers: $200
- From 3-Day Murchison Falls Safari with Transfer: $2,200
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Shanghai
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Shanghai:
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Taxi Ride$3.59
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Two Subway Tickets$0.83
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Shanghai
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Shanghai:
- Private Transfer between Shanghai Pudong Int'l Airport & Hongqiao Airport : $45
- Private Transfer from Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station to City Center : $30
- 1 Day-Pass for Disneyland Shanghai and Private Transfer Package: $245
- 3-hour Private Transfer to Shanghai ERA Acrobatic Show from City Center: $53
- Arrival Private Transfer Pudong Airport PVG to Shanghai City by Standard Sedan: $74
- Arrival Private Transfer: Pudong Airport PVG to Shanghai in Business Car : $112
- Arrival Transfer by High-Speed Maglev Train: Shanghai Pudong International Airport to Hotel: $79
- Chauffeur service, Limousine airport transfer in Shanghai-English speaking: $51
- Departure Private Transfer: Shanghai to Pudong Airport PVG in Business Car: $112
- Departure Transfer by High-Speed Maglev Train: Hotel to Shanghai Pudong International Airport: $79
- Flexible Hours of Private Shanghai Layover or Transfer Tour: $129
- Flexible Hours of Shanghai Layover and Transfer Tour with Driver Only: $119
Is it cheaper to fly into Kampala or Shanghai?
Prices for flights to both Shanghai and Kampala 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 dayKampala $8.33Shanghai $21
Typical Food Prices in Kampala
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Kampala:
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Lunch for 2$1.58
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kampala
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Kampala.
- Like a local cooking Tours: $26
- Cooking Class for Typical Ugandan Food in Kampala: $31
- Three-Hour Food Tour: $41
- Private Cooking Class with a Local Host: $47
- Momma Ida's Ugandan Cuisine Cooking Tour: $75
- Kampala City Walking Food Tour: $77
- Night-time Boda Boda Street Food Tour: $91
- uganda fun time (bed,breakfast, lunch and dinner ) : $154
Typical Food Prices in Shanghai
Some typical examples of dining costs in Shanghai are as follows:
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Dumpling Breakfast$1.38
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Desserts in Jinmao Building Observatory$20
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Ajisen Lunch for Two$7.19
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Cantelope$1.66
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Dumplings and Soup$2.07
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Duck Dinner$4.15
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Pastries$2.90
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Barbeque Dinner$8.85
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Shanghai
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Shanghai.
- Online Cooking Class General Tso's Chicken by Sunflower Li: $20
- Online Cooking Class Sesame Chicken by Sunflower Li: $20
- Online Cooking Class Fried Rice by Sunflower Li : $20
- Online Cooking Class Dim Sum by Sunflower Li: $20
- 3-Hour Biking and Local Food Tour: $69
- 2.5hrs Chinese Kitchen Cooking Class: Xiaolongbao Soup Dumplings: $70
- Authentic Local Food Tour in Central Shanghai: $79
- Late night food tour in Shanghai's French Concession: $85
- Shanghai Evening Food Tour/Shanghai tour gastronomico nocturno : $85
- Late Night Food Tour in the Shanghai's French Concession: $89
- Eat Like A Local: Shanghai Night Food Tour: $90
- Shanghai's Koreatown Food Tour: $91
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kampala -Shanghai $8.44
Tours and Activities in Kampala
Here are a few actual costs in Kampala for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Uganda Community Tour: $15
- African Fabric Market Tour : $18
- Best Kampala group Walking Tour.: $20
- Kampala Half-Day Walking Tour with Local Female Guides: $20
- 3-Hour Walking Tour with Optional Gaddafi Mosque: $24
- Entebbe Walking Tour (3 Hours) with Zoo and Botanical Gardens Options: $25
- Kampala:Guided walking tour: $25
- Tombs, King’s palace and Gaddafi mosque walk tours: $26
- Steve Kampala Walking tours: $27
- 3 Hours Walking Tour in Kampala: $28
- Kampala Guided walking Tour: $30
- Free Female Guided Walking Tours Kampala (3 Hours): $30
Typical Entertainment Prices in Shanghai
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Shanghai are as follows:
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30 Minute River Cruise for Two$28
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Zoo for Two$14
Tours and Activities in Shanghai
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Shanghai are as follows:
- The History of the French Concession: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
- Shanghai Yu Garden Ticket Booking: $14
- Hop-on Hop-off Bus Ticket and Optional Attractions: $14
- Shanghai Yu Garden Tour：Harmony & Spirituality in Garden Art: $20
- Shanghai French Concession Walking Tour: $29
- Like a Local Customized Guided Tour: $35
- Shanghai Hotels to Wusongkou Cruise Port:Private with Meet & Great service: $38
- Shanghai Downtown Hotel to Baoshan Cruise Port:Private with Meet & Greet service: $38
- Shanghai Wusongkou Cruise Port to Hongqiao Airport:Private with Meet service: $40
- Fudan University Student Guide Tour: $42
- Haipai Culture Tour｜Shanghai's Past, Present & Future On One Road: $43
- Shanghai Tower Tickets Booking: $43
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKampala -Shanghai $7.36
Sample the Local Flavors in Kampala
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Kampala:
- Entebbe and club,pub and bar crawl experiences: $35
- Kampala Pub Crawl | Uganda | 4 hours: $65
Sample the Local Flavors in Shanghai
Also in Shanghai, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Shanghai Pub Crawl: unique bar-hopping tour 2024: $20
- Shanghai Luxury Bar Crawl in 5-star Hotel or Boutique Hotel: $255
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kampala and Shanghai, we can see that Shanghai is more expensive. And not only is Kampala much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Kampala is in Africa and Shanghai 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 Kampala would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Kampala 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 Shanghai would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Shanghai than you might in Kampala.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Kampala Expensive? and Is Shanghai Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kampala or Shanghai?
Shanghai has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Kampala. When comparing the sizes of Kampala and Shanghai, 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.
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.