Which place is cheaper, Shangri-La or Katoomba?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Katoomba 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 Katoomba 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: Katoomba or Shangri-La?
Katoomba
Designated an UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000, the Blue Mountains are located just west of Sydney in the highlands of New South Wales, Australia.
This area can be generally expensive, but is on par with other destinations in Australia and around Sydney. Plenty of luxury places can be found here that cost more than average, but plenty of cheaper places to stay can be found here, too. Expect to pay for various activities such as tours and entrance fees, too.
The landscape is sprawling with majestic scenery over a rugged terrain of steep cliffs, forests, waterfalls, and villages. Whether you come to hike, climb, bike, or drive to the scenic viewpoints, a curtain of tranquility falls upon the mountains in a blue haze from which they get their name.
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 One Week (7-Day) Tours in Australia, The Best 10-Day Tours in Australia, 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 dayKatoomba $134Shangri-La $46
The average daily cost (per person) in Katoomba is $134, 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 Katoomba and Shangri-La in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKatoomba $77Shangri-La $19
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKatoomba $154Shangri-La $38
Compare Hotels in Katoomba and Shangri-La
Looking for a hotel in Katoomba 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: Katoomba Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Katoomba $50Shangri-La $10
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 Katoomba or Shangri-La?
Prices for flights to both Shangri-La and Katoomba 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 dayKatoomba $17Shangri-La $19
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Katoomba $53Shangri-La $16
Tours and Activities in Katoomba
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Katoomba are as follows:
- Blue Mountains Hop On Hop Off Tour: $32
- Blue Mountains BarNSW Local Produce Tasting Experience: $37
- Blue Mountains 90 Minute Army Truck Adventures: $65
- Army Truck Adventures - 90 Minute Guided Tour: $66
- Half-Day Abseiling Adventure in Blue Mountains National Park: $83
- Blue Mountains 3 Hour Army Truck Adventures: $97
- Army Truck Adventures - 3 Hour Guided Tour: $98
- Blue Mountains 1-Hour Trike Tour of Three Sisters: $107
- Small-Group Blue Mountains Tour with Bush Walks and Featherdale Wildlife Park: $116
- 4Hrs at Wolgan Valley Birdwatching Experience: $129
- Truffle Hunt and Taste Experience in Oberon, NSW Australia: $146
- Private Blue Mountains Rainforest and Waterfalls SUV Tour: $165
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 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
- 1 Day Shangri-la City Tour with Pudacuo National Park: $209
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKatoomba -Shangri-La $13
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Katoomba and Shangri-La, we can see that Katoomba is more expensive. And not only is Shangri-La much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Katoomba is in Pacific and Shangri-La 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 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 Katoomba would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Katoomba 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 Katoomba 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.