Which place is cheaper, Shangri-La or Kobe?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Kobe 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.
Located between the sea and the Rokko mountain range, Kobe is a port city in Japan also considered to be one of the country's most attractive. Though it was devastated by a historic earthquake in 1995, known locally as the Great Hanshin Earthquake, Kobe has fully recovered to its cosmopolitan splendor with plenty for visitors to see and do.
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 from Tokyo, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Japan, The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Kobe is $103, 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 Kobe and Shangri-La in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Kobe 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.
Also for Kobe, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Shangri-La:
Prices for flights to both Shangri-La and Kobe 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.
For Kobe, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Kobe.
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Shangri-La are as follows:
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Kobe:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kobe and Shangri-La, we can see that Kobe 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 Kobe would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kobe 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 Kobe Expensive? and Is Shangri-La Expensive?.