Which place is cheaper, Shangri-La or Picton?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Picton 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 Picton 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: Picton or Shangri-La?
Picton
Picton, New Zealand is located in the picturesque Marlborough Region on the South Island. With beachfront access in a central location and near the Marlborough Sounds, Picton is an ideal place for anyone looking for both adventure and relaxation in one of the most naturally beautiful countries in the world.
The weather in Picton is fairly mild, ranging from the low fifties to high sixties, Fahrenheit, throughout the year. Their summer months are December through March, this is when you'll find temperatures in the high sixties. During the winter, June through August, Picton experiences averages of fifty degree Fahrenheit. This means you can visit any time of the year without having to worry about weather inhibiting any of your outdoor activities!
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 from Auckland, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to New Zealand, 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 dayPicton $87Shangri-La $46
The average daily cost (per person) in Picton is $87, 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 Picton and Shangri-La in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPicton $37Shangri-La $19
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPicton $74Shangri-La $38
Compare Hotels in Picton and Shangri-La
Looking for a hotel in Picton 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: Picton Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Picton -Shangri-La $10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Picton
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Picton:
- Private Transfer from Blenheim city hotels to Picton Cruise Port: $38
- Private Transfer from Picton Cruise Port to Blenheim City Hotels: $38
- Private Transfer from Blenheim Airport (BHE) to Picton Port: $46
- Private Transfer from Picton Port to Blenheim Airport (BHE): $46
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 Picton or Shangri-La?
Prices for flights to both Shangri-La and Picton 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 dayPicton $20Shangri-La $19
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Picton $109Shangri-La $16
Tours and Activities in Picton
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Picton are as follows:
- Skip the Line: Dangerous Skies WWII Exhibition - Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre: $15
- Picton Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
- Hinterland Cycling Tour, Havelock: $25
- Skip the Line:WWI & WWII Combo Exhibitions at the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre: $30
- Winery Express Tour: $39
- Queen Charlotte Track: Cruise & Self-Guided Hike from Picton: $52
- Kayaking Mangrove Adventure at Havelock: $56
- Marlborough Sounds and Ship Cove Cruise from Picton: $57
- Motuara Island Bird Sanctuary and Ship Cove Cruise from Picton: $58
- Half-Day Cruise in Marlborough Sounds from Picton: $58
- Cruise Ship Day - Marlborough: $60
- Queen Charlotte Sound Mail Boat Cruise from Picton: $67
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 dayPicton $35Shangri-La $13
Sample the Local Flavors in Picton
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Picton:
- Self-Guided Biking Wine Tour (full day) in the Marlborough Region.: $37
- Self-Guided Wine Tours by Bike with Steve & Jo in Marlborough : $40
- Marlborough: Hop On Hop Off Wine, Brewery, and Wonders Tour: $53
- Hop on Hop off Wine Tours Marlborough: $54
- Marlborough Afternoon Wine Tour with Tastings: $70
- Half-Day Wine Tour from Blenheim: $87
- Half-Day Wine Tour from Picton: $88
- Discover Marlborough Wine - Afternoon Marlborough Wine Tour : $90
- Morning Guided with Afternoon Self-Guided Biking Wine Tour: $91
- Marlborough Discovery Sampler Wine Tour - 1/2Day Blenheim: $97
- Taste the Valley Wine Tour in Marlborough with Wine Tasting: $100
- Half-Day Marlborough Wine Tour & Beer Tour : $109
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Picton and Shangri-La, we can see that Picton is more expensive. And not only is Shangri-La much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Picton 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 Picton would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Picton 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 Picton 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.