Which place is cheaper, Shangri-La or Noosa Heads?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Noosa Heads or Shangri-La?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Noosa Heads and Shangri-La 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: Noosa Heads or Shangri-La?
Noosa Heads
A town and suburb located on Queensland, Australia's Sunshine Coast, Noosa is best known as a destination of pleasant weather, beautiful beachside scenery, shopping, dining, and outdoor adventure. Some of the top attractions of the area include Noosa National Park and Sunshine Beach.
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 Romantic Tours for Couples in Australia, The Best Contiki Tours to 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 dayNoosa Heads $110Shangri-La $46
The average daily cost (per person) in Noosa Heads is $110, 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 Noosa Heads and Shangri-La in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNoosa Heads $58Shangri-La $19
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNoosa Heads $116Shangri-La $38
Compare Hotels in Noosa Heads and Shangri-La
Looking for a hotel in Noosa Heads 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: Noosa Heads Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Noosa Heads $17Shangri-La $10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Noosa Heads
Also for Noosa Heads, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Sunshine Coast Airport Departure Transfer from Hotels: $18
- Sunshine Coast and Noosa Eumundi Markets Bus Transfer: $32
- Eumundi Markets Bus Transfer from Noosa, Noosaville & Mooloolaba: $32
- Brisbane Airport Departure shuttle Transfer from Sunshine Coast Hotels/addresses: $55
- Australia Zoo Transfer from Noosa, Coolum, Marcoola & Twin Waters: $79
- Private Morning Transfer From Noosa to Rainbow Beach: $89
- Private Transfers from Sunshine Coast Airport to Noosa (4pax): $99
- Private Transfer from Noosa to Sunshine Coast Airport up to 3 pax: $102
- Private Transfers from Sunshine Coast Airport to Noosa (6pax): $116
- Private Transfers from Sunshine Coast Airport to Noosa (8pax): $129
- Private Transfer from Sunshine Coast Airport to Hotels 11 pax: $218
- Premium Airport/ Cruise Terminal Transfers: $234
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 Noosa Heads or Shangri-La?
Prices for flights to both Shangri-La and Noosa Heads 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 dayNoosa Heads $33Shangri-La $19
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Noosa Heads
For Noosa Heads, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cooking Classes on Witta Maleny Sunshine Coast: $119
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Noosa Heads $40Shangri-La $16
Typical Entertainment Prices in Noosa Heads
For Noosa Heads, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Surf Lesson$42
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Sea Kayak Tour (for 2)$84
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Sunset Cruise (for 2)$13
Tours and Activities in Noosa Heads
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Noosa Heads.
- 2 Hours Sunset Experience on Noosa River: $21
- The Original 1-Hour Mooloolaba Canal Cruise: $23
- Maleny Botanic Gardens Bird Aviary Experience Ticket: $28
- Sunset Cruise Mooloolaba: $30
- River Cruise on Historical Vessel: $32
- Aquaduck Sunshine Coast - 1hr Mooloolaba Amphibious Tour: $33
- 1 Hour Self Guided Water Bike Tour of the Noosa River: $33
- Seafood Lunch Cruise: $43
- River to River, Land and Sea E-bike Tour in Brisbane: $46
- Bushtucker Cruise: $50
- Sunset Tour with Live Music: $50
- Noosa Oceanrider - Adventure Tour: $52
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 dayNoosa Heads $10Shangri-La $13
Sample the Local Flavors in Noosa Heads
Also in Noosa Heads, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Eumundi Market and Distillery Experience Market Days Wednesday & Saturday: $92
- Sunshine Coast Brewery Tour with Lunch: $162
- Hinterland Cheese & Wine Tasting Tour - with 2 course lunch included: $165
- Sunshine Coast & Noosa Scenic Food & Wine Tour Inc. Lunch: $182
- Noosa Hinterland Tour with Gourmet Lunch, Wine Tasting & Everglades Lake: $191
- Noosa Hinterland Drinks Tour- visit 2 distilleries, a winery and a brewery : $195
- Noosa Hinterland Drinks Private Tour with Gin, Beer, Mead & Wine Tastings: $277
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Noosa Heads and Shangri-La, we can see that Noosa Heads is more expensive. And not only is Shangri-La much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Noosa Heads 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 Noosa Heads would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Noosa Heads 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 Noosa Heads 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.