Which place is cheaper, Shangri-La or Sapporo?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sapporo 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 Sapporo 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: Sapporo or Shangri-La?
Sapporo
Capital of the northern Japanese island Hokkaido, Sapporo is a city surrounded by mountains and known for its beer, skiing, and annual snow festival with stunning ice sculptures. As host to the 1972 Winter Olympics, the city limits are dotted with ski jumps, hills, and popular ski resorts still in use today.
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 Coach Bus Tours in Japan, The Best Adventure Tours to Japan, 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 daySapporo $106Shangri-La $46
The average daily cost (per person) in Sapporo is $106, 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 Sapporo and Shangri-La in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSapporo $63Shangri-La $19
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSapporo $126Shangri-La $38
Compare Hotels in Sapporo and Shangri-La
Looking for a hotel in Sapporo 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: Sapporo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sapporo $15Shangri-La $10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sapporo
Also for Sapporo, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shin Chitose Airport to/from Sapporo City: Shared Transfer: $37
- New Chitose Airport ↔ Sapporo, Best Transfer Pick up Service : $66
- Private Transfer from Sapporo hotels to Otaru Cruise Port: $93
- Sapporo City: Private Transfer to/from New Chitose Airport: $119
- [Airport Transfer] Smoothly move between Sapporo and New Chitose Airport with a private car! one way: $135
- Airport Transfer! Hotel in center of Sapporo to New Chitose Airport (CTS): $140
- Private Transfer from Sapporo City Hotels to Muroran Cruise Port: $143
- Horseback-Riding in a Country Side in Sapporo - Private Transfer is Included: $154
- Private Transfer from Sapporo hotels to Muroran Cruise Port: $158
- SkyExpress Private Transfer: Sapporo to Otaru (8 Passengers): $289
- Private Transfer: between Sapporo and Upopoy: $467
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 Sapporo or Shangri-La?
Prices for flights to both Shangri-La and Sapporo 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 daySapporo $30Shangri-La $19
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sapporo
For Sapporo, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Private Market Tour, Cooking Class and Lunch with a Local in Sapporo: $82
- Sapporo Bar Hopping Food Tour: $82
- Japanese Cooking Lesson and Meal with a Local Professional in her Lovely Home: $88
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sapporo $16Shangri-La $16
Tours and Activities in Sapporo
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Sapporo.
- JR Tower Observatory Admission Ticket: $4.04
- Hand-rolled sushi experience tour at Sapporo Nijo Market: $44
- Sapporo Morning Walking Tour: $46
- Nopporo Forest Mountain Bike Tour from Sapporo, presenting a retro Cycle cap: $50
- Sapporo Afternoon Walking Tour 2h 30mins: $53
- Experience traditional Japanese cuisine, making soba noodles in Sapporo, in a fun and casual way.: $53
- Japanese buckwheat noodle making experience in Sapporo,japan: $57
- Popular No.1! Soba Making Experience and Tempura Plan: $60
- Mondo's most popular plan! Experience making soba noodles and the king of Japanese cuisine, tempura, in Sapporo!: $62
- Mountain Bike Tour from Sapporo Including Hoheikyo Onsen and Lunch: $68
- Personalized Experience with a Local: $69
- in Sapporo! Hand-made soba experience and shabu-shabu experience plan of Yezo deer meat (Gibier meat) from Hokkaido: $69
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 daySapporo $7.98Shangri-La $13
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sapporo and Shangri-La, we can see that Sapporo 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 Sapporo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Sapporo 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 Sapporo 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.