Which place is cheaper, Guatemala City or Shanghai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Shanghai or Guatemala City?
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 Shanghai and Guatemala City. 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: Shanghai or Guatemala City?
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest and most modern city in China. With a population of over 23 million, it is the economic and financial hub of the country. It also continues to be one of the fastest growing cities in China with regular changes to the city's layout and skyline. It is not uncommon for buildings to be torn down, rebuilt and then torn down and rebuilt again. The city also has skyscrapers that rank among the tallest in the world. It has an ever changing downtown and street scape. In Shanghai, the general mantra remains "out with the old, in with the new".
Guatemala City
Referred to by the locals as "Guate," Guatemala City is the largest and most modern city in Guatemala, as well as its capital. While the atmosphere of the place is big, dirty, and dangerous with city fumes and skyscrapers, it is the hub of the country. It is the place where travelers first step foot into Guatemala and, though it is a place of modern chaos, it does have some of the best galleries and museums as well as a selection of bars, cafes, and restaurants.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Guatemala City, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Guatemala.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayShanghai $115Guatemala City $44
The average daily cost (per person) in Shanghai is $115, while the average daily cost in Guatemala City is $44. 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 Shanghai and Guatemala City in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personShanghai $81Guatemala City $24
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomShanghai $162Guatemala City $48
Compare Hotels in Shanghai and Guatemala City
Looking for a hotel in Shanghai or Guatemala City? 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: Guatemala City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Shanghai $3.87Guatemala City $6.18
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Shanghai
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Shanghai:
-
Taxi Ride$3.59
-
Two Subway Tickets$0.83
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Shanghai
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Shanghai:
- Yiwu Railway Station Private Arrival Transfer to City Area: $18
- Shanghai Hongqiao Airport Private Departure Transfers: $18
- Shanghai Hongqiao Airport Private Arrival Transfers: $18
- Yiwu Airport Private Arrival Transfer to City Area : $20
- Yiwu Airport Private Departure Transfer from City Area : $20
- Shanghai Pudong Airport Private Departure Transfers: $20
- Shanghai Pudong Airport Private Arrival Transfers: $20
- Private Transfer to Shanghai Railway Station from City Hotels or Outskirts: $22
- Private Transfer from Shanghai Cruise Port to Shanghai Hotels: $24
- Private Transfer to Huangpu River Cruise Terminal: $24
- Shanghai Hongqiao Airport Chauffeur Service, Shanghai Airport Transfer: $25
- Shanghai Maglev Train Station Private Transfer from City Area : $25
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guatemala City
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Guatemala City:
- Shared Arrival Transfer: Guatemala City Airport to Antigua: $16
- PRIVATE Group Transfer From Guatemala City to La Antigua: $20
- Private Ground Transfer Airport - Antigua Guatemala: $23
- Private Airport Transfer La Aurora airport to Guatemala: $24
- Shared Arrival Transfer: Guatemala City Airport to Hotels: $43
- Private Airport Transfer to Antigua Guatemala: $45
- Guatemala Airport Roundtrip Transfer to Antigua Guatemala: $56
- Guatemala City Airport (GUA) to Quetzaltenango-Arrival Transfer: $66
- One way private transfer to Antigua: $74
- Private Transfer from Guatemala City to Antigua: $74
- Transfer from Guatemala City hotel to INTL Airport La Aurora: $75
- Guatemala City Airport GUA to San Felipe de Lara-Arrival Transfer: $77
Is it cheaper to fly into Shanghai or Guatemala City?
Prices for flights to both Guatemala City and Shanghai 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
-
Food Meals for one dayShanghai $21Guatemala City $15
Typical Food Prices in Shanghai
Some typical examples of dining costs in Shanghai are as follows:
-
Dumpling Breakfast$1.38
-
Desserts in Jinmao Building Observatory$20
-
Ajisen Lunch for Two$7.18
-
Cantelope$1.66
-
Dumplings and Soup$2.07
-
Duck Dinner$4.14
-
Pastries$2.90
-
Barbeque Dinner$8.83
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Shanghai
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Shanghai.
- Online Cooking Class General Tso's Chicken by Sunflower Li: $20
- Online Cooking Class Sesame Chicken by Sunflower Li: $20
- Online Cooking Class Fried Rice by Sunflower Li : $20
- 3-Hour Biking and Local Food Tour: $70
- Authentic Local Food Tour in Central Shanghai: $79
- Late night food tour in Shanghai's French Concession: $85
- Shanghai Evening Food Tour/Shanghai tour gastronomico nocturno : $85
- Late Night Food Tour in the Shanghai's French Concession: $89
- Chinese Cooking Class and Wet Market Visit: $90
- Shanghai's Koreatown Food Tour: $91
- 4-Hour Food Tour in Qibao Water Town from Shanghai by Subway: $95
- 3-Hour Flexible Private Shanghai Night Tour with Local Dinner Option: $100
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guatemala City
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Guatemala City.
- Cooking class/Pepian Workshop: $35
- Taste Antigua Guatemala Walking Food Tour : $75
- Small-Group Cooking Class in Antigua from Guatemala City: $120
- Antigua Market, Cooking Class and Choco Museum from Guatemala City: $178
- Pacaya Volcano Vistas + Enjoy Pizza Cooked Under Volcanic Heat: $180
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Shanghai $8.42Guatemala City $1.21
Typical Entertainment Prices in Shanghai
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Shanghai are as follows:
-
30 Minute River Cruise for Two$28
-
Zoo for Two$14
Tours and Activities in Shanghai
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Shanghai are as follows:
- The History of the French Concession: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
- Shanghai Yu Garden Ticket Booking: $14
- Hop-on Hop-off Bus Ticket and Optional Attractions: $14
- Shanghai Yu Garden Tour：Harmony & Spirituality in Garden Art: $20
- Shanghai Highlights Walking Tour: $29
- Shanghai French Concession Walking Tour: $29
- Shanghai Like a Local: Customized Private Tour: $35
- Like a Local Customized Guided Tour: $35
- Shanghai Hotels to Wusongkou Cruise Port:Private with Meet & Great service: $38
- Shanghai Downtown Hotel to Baoshan Cruise Port:Private with Meet & Greet service: $38
- Fudan University Student Guide Tour: $42
- Shanghai Tower Tickets Booking: $43
Tours and Activities in Guatemala City
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Guatemala City are as follows:
- Culinary Experience in Guatemala City: $15
- Half Day Antigua Guatemala Tour: $17
- Guided Walking Tour in Guatemala City: $25
- Half Day Guatemala City Tour: $27
- Guatemala city Walking Tour and public bus: $30
- Half-Day Guatemala City Explorer Tour: $34
- Graffiti Walking Tour in 4 Grados Norte Guatemala City : $35
- UNESCO JEWELS: Antigua Half Day Tour from Guatemala City: $38
- Tour around antigua's villages: $50
- 3-hour Bike Tour Guatemala City South: $55
- El mejor Tour Ciudad De Guatemala (el Mas Completo): $55
- Half-Day Guatemala City Tour : $55
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayShanghai $7.35Guatemala City $6.85
Sample the Local Flavors in Shanghai
Also in Shanghai, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Shanghai Pub Crawl - Bar-hopping/Night life tour: $27
- Shanghai Luxury Bar Crawl in 5-star Hotel or Boutique Hotel: $255
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Shanghai and Guatemala City, we can see that Shanghai is more expensive. And not only is Guatemala City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Shanghai is in Asia and Guatemala City is in Central America, 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 Guatemala City would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Guatemala City 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 Shanghai would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Shanghai than you might in Guatemala City.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Shanghai Expensive? and Is Guatemala City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Shanghai or Guatemala City?
Shanghai has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Guatemala City. When comparing the sizes of Shanghai and Guatemala City, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
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.