Which place is cheaper, Shangri-La or Okinawa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Okinawa 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 Okinawa 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: Okinawa or Shangri-La?
Okinawa
Okinawa is the southernmost prefecture of Japan and includes hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands. The chain of islands is off the southern mainland portion of the country and is made up of 49 inhabited islands and over one hundred uninhabited islands. Naha is Okinawa's capital, which is located in the southern part of Okinawa Island.
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 G Adventures Tours to Japan, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Tokyo, 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 dayOkinawa $104Shangri-La $46
The average daily cost (per person) in Okinawa is $104, 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 Okinawa and Shangri-La in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personOkinawa $72Shangri-La $19
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomOkinawa $144Shangri-La $38
Compare Hotels in Okinawa and Shangri-La
Looking for a hotel in Okinawa 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Okinawa $9.32Shangri-La $10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Okinawa
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Okinawa:
- Naha hotels to Okinawa Naha Airport (ОКА) - Departure Transfer: $59
- Private Transfer from Naha City Hotels to Nakagusuku Cruise Port : $59
- Okinawa Naha Airport (OKA) to Naha hotels - Arrival Transfer: $59
- Private Transfer from Nakagusuku Cruise Port to Naha City Hotels : $66
- Private Transfer from Naha City Hotels to Nakagusuku Cruise Port : $66
- Private Transfer from Okinawa Airport (OKA) to Nakagusuku Port: $85
- Private Transfer from Nakagusuku Port to Okinawa Airport (OKA): $85
- Private Transfer from Nakagusuku Port to Okinawa Airport (OKA): $94
- Okinawa Naha Airport (OKA) to Naha Hotels - Round-Trip Transfer: $118
- Airport Transfer! Naha Airport (OKA) to Center of Naha: $124
- Airport Transfer! Center of Naha to Naha Airport (OKA): $125
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 Okinawa or Shangri-La?
Prices for flights to both Shangri-La and Okinawa 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 dayOkinawa $23Shangri-La $19
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Okinawa $14Shangri-La $16
Tours and Activities in Okinawa
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Okinawa are as follows:
- Beautiful sunset kayak tour in Okinawa: $36
- Mangrove Kayaking Tour: $38
- Okinawa Hot spot walk and local food ＆ beer tour(All include): $46
- Jungle River Trek: private tour in Yanbaru, north Okinawa: $49
- Kayak Mangroves or Coral Reef: private tour in north Okinawa : $53
- North Okinawa Bus Day Tour Manzamo Kouri Island Ocean Expo Park American Village: $57
- Mangrove Kayak ＆ Sea Fishing Experience in Okinawa: $57
- Sakaemachi Market Bar Hopping Tour: $58
- Naha: Full-Day Snorkeling Experience in the Kerama Islands, Okinawa: $66
- 2-Hour Private Gorilla Go Kart Experience in Okinawa: $68
- Kerama Islands 1 day snorkeling tour from Okinawa Naha: $72
- Sushi Making Experience Class in Naha Makishi Public Market: $74
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 dayOkinawa $14Shangri-La $13
Sample the Local Flavors in Okinawa
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Okinawa:
- Naha Local Pub Crawl: $110
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Okinawa and Shangri-La, we can see that Okinawa 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 Okinawa would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Okinawa 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 Okinawa 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.