Should you visit Shanghai or Madrid?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Shanghai and Madrid. 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. So, let's dig into it.
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".
Madrid
Madrid, the capital of Spain, overs visitors countless opportunities to experience Spain's culture, art, cuisine, and nightlife. It is the largest city in Spain, and as such has much to explore. The city is situated on the Iberian Peninsula on the Spanish central Castillian plateau. If you're flying into Spain, you'll likely fly into the Madrid airport as it's one of the largest airports in Europe. Madrid is well connected to the rest of Spain with planes, trains and buses, making it a popular place to visit for many travelers doing a European tour.
Which city is cheaper, Madrid or Shanghai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Shanghai is $101, while the average daily cost in Madrid is $113. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Shanghai and Madrid in more detail.
Accommodation
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $142 for a double occupancy room in Shanghai.
Travelers usually pay around $124 for a double occupancy room in Madrid If you want to be in a premiere location or have high end amenities, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Shanghai is $3.39 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
To get around in Madrid, the average visitor spends $16 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Shanghai
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Shanghai:
-
Taxi Ride
$3.93
-
Two Subway Tickets
$0.91
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Shanghai
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Shanghai:
-
Private Day tour of Xi'an From Shanghai Including Transfer Service:
$1,100
-
Private Mutianyu Great Wall Tour From Shanghai's Hotel Including Transfer:
$1,100
-
Private Beijing One Day Tour From Shanghai 's Hotel Including Transfer Service:
$1,036
-
Private Day Trip Of Xi'an From Your Shanghai's hotel Including Transfer Service:
$1,000
-
Private Day Tour Of Beijing From Shanghai's Hotel Including Flight And Transfer:
$1,000
-
2-Day Huangshan Tour by Cable Car with Private Transfer and Lunch from Shanghai:
$653
-
3 Days Shanghai Suzhou Tour Package with Airport Transfer:
$555
-
1-way Transfer Between Shanghai Pudong Airport and Yiwu Per Vehicle Price:
$388
-
Shanghai Luxury Airport Transfer:
$332
-
Transfer from Shanghai Pudong Airport to Nantong Downtown Per Vehicle Price:
$265
-
Shanghai Disneyland with Transfers Plus 2-Night Accommodation in 4-Star Hotels:
$264
-
Super High-End Luxury Private Transfers Between City and Shanghai Airports:
$240
Typical Local Transportation prices in Madrid
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Madrid are as follows:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Madrid
Also for Madrid, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Ultra - Madrid Private Airport Transfer from Madrid airport MAD to city centre:
$9.41
-
Ultra - Madrid Private Airport Transfer from city centre to Madrid airport MAD:
$9.41
-
Hotel Madrid City Private Transfer To Madrid Barajas Airport:
$29
-
Private Airport Transfer: Madrid-Barajas Adolfo Suárez Airport (MAD) to Madrid:
$29
-
Private Airport Transfer: Madrid to Madrid-Barajas Adolfo Suárez Airport (MAD):
$29
-
Transfer in private vehicle from Madrid City to Madrid Barajas Airport:
$31
-
Transfer in Private Vehicle from Madrid Barajas Airport to City:
$31
-
Madrid Barajas Airport Private Transfer To Alcorcón, & cities close to Madrid:
$33
-
Madrid to Madrid Airport (MAD) - Departure Private Van Transfer:
$34
-
Madrid Airport (MAD) to Madrid - Arrival Private Van Transfer:
$34
-
Madrid Barajas Airport Private Transfer To Madrid City:
$34
-
Premium Private Transfer from Madrid Airport to Madrid Hotels:
$37
Is it cheaper to fly into Shanghai or Madrid?
Prices for flights to both Madrid 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
The average traveler spends about $19 per day in Shanghai for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
The price of a meal in Madrid can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $29 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $12 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Shanghai $19
Madrid $29
Typical Food prices in Shanghai
Some typical examples of dining costs in Shanghai are as follows:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Shanghai
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Shanghai.
-
Online Chinese Cooking Class:
$22
-
Old Shanghai Breakfast Food Tour:
$52
-
3-Hour Shanghai Summer Night Local Dinner and Shopping Private Tour:
$65
-
Private Chinese Cooking Class in Shanghai with Vegetarian Option:
$69
-
Private Authentic Chinese Cooking Class in Shanghai with a Lovely Local:
$70
-
3-Hour Shanghai City Walking Tour with Dinner:
$74
-
Shanghai yummy food tour:
$75
-
A Bite of Shanghai Small-Group Food Tour:
$80
-
Shanghai Hairy Crab Dinner:
$85
-
Shanghai Evening Food Tour/Shanghai tour gastronomico nocturno:
$85
-
Night Market & Street Food Tour in Shanghai:
$95
-
3-Hour Flexible Private Shanghai Night Tour with Local Dinner Option:
$100
Typical Food prices in Madrid
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Madrid:
-
Coffee
$2.11
-
Ice Cream
$3.16
-
Kebabs (for 2)
$17
-
Croissant
$1.58
-
Lunch at Airport (for 2)
$17
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Madrid
For Madrid, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Virtual Cooking Class: The Spanish Paella Experience:
$24
-
Florida Retiro Dinner Show:
$38
-
Murder Mystery Dinner Experience:
$49
-
Virtual cooking - spanish "tortilla de patatas":
$50
-
Murder Mystery Dinner Experience:
$50
-
Flamenco Workshop and Show with Dinner and Drinks:
$51
-
Skip the Line: Flamenco Show with Dinner and Workshop in Madrid Ticket:
$52
-
Homemade pasta cooking class and lunch in the heart of Madrid:
$58
-
Mamaz Social Italian Dinner in Madrid:
$60
-
3-hour Virtual Spanish Cooking Class in Madrid:
$62
-
Iberico Ham and Spanish Wine Small-Group Food Tour:
$67
-
Authentic Italian Dinner in Madrid:
$68
Entertainment
Shanghai's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $7.39 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
In Madrid, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $28 per person, per day.
Typical Entertainment prices in Shanghai
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Shanghai are as follows:
Tours and Activities in Shanghai
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Shanghai are as follows:
-
1 Day Bus Tour in Amazing Shanghai Highlights:
$113
-
1 Day Hangzhou Private Tour:
$312
-
1 Day Shanghai Airport Layover Private Tour for City Highlights:
$202
-
1 Day Shanghai Highlight Small Group Tour:
$124
-
1 Day of Shanghai Premiere Experience:
$730
-
1 day Nanjing tour from Shanghai by train:
$400
-
1 day Shanghai City Mini Group tour:
$92
-
1-Day Authentic Shanghai Tour by Walking & Metro:
$193
-
1-Day Private Shanghai City Tour to See Its Past, Present and Future:
$204
-
1-Day Private Shanghai to Wuzhen Tour to Admire the Classical Water Town:
$271
-
1-Day Private Tour to Hangzhou by car from Shanghai:
$305
-
1-Day Private Tour to Shanghai Museum,Yu Garden, the Bund and Nanjing Road:
$178
Tours and Activities in Madrid
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Madrid.
-
Prado Museum Self-Guided Audio Tour App:
$3.97
-
Madrid's Private Tour with your Family: Highlights & Hidden Gems:
$4.04
-
A local's Tuck into the city's history and some tapas on an audio tour:
$5.00
-
History Tour of The Town Too High To Die Walking Audio Tour by VoiceMap:
$5.13
-
Let's Tapear! The Madrid Tapas Route Walking Audio Tour by VoiceMap:
$5.43
-
Madrid from the Inquisition to Multiculturalism Walking Audio Tour by VoiceMap:
$5.43
-
Madrid Private Tour: Fun Old Town Exploration Game:
$7.45
-
Skip the Line: Museo Lázaro Galdiano Admission Ticket:
$8.71
-
Madrid 90 Minutes Kickstart Private Tour:
$9.95
-
Skip the Line: Ticket for the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid:
$9.95
-
Tours from Home: Intro to Madrid:
$10
-
2 Hours Secrets of Madrid Retiro Park Tour:
$11
Alcohol
The average person spends about $6.44 on alcoholic beverages in Shanghai per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Madrid, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $17.
Sample the Local Flavors in Shanghai
Also in Shanghai, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
Shanghai Luxury Bar Crawl in 5-star Hotel or Boutique Hotel:
$255
-
3 Hour Local Craft Beer Crawl with Brewery Tour:
$350
Typical Alcohol prices in Madrid
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Madrid are as follows:
-
Beer
$5.27
-
Drinks and Tapas (for 2)
$14
Sample the Local Flavors in Madrid
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Madrid:
-
Pub Crawl in Madrid:
$15
-
Pub Crawl Madrid by Madpartycrew:
$19
-
Wine Tasting near Plaza Mayor:
$20
-
Wine Tasting Experience:
$32
-
Wine Tasting Experience:
$43
-
Madrid Tapas and Mysteries Walking Tour with Private Option and Pub Crawl:
$47
-
Wine Tasting and Flamenco Master Class in Madrid:
$58
-
Segovia and Spanish Versailles Full-Day Tour with Wine Tasting:
$62
-
Old Town Madrid Gourmet Tapas and Wine Tasting Walking Tour:
$82
-
Gourmet Tapas & Wine Tasting Experience In Madrid:
$91
-
Madrid Tapas and Wine Tasting Tour:
$93
-
Madrid Tapas Diaries- A Premium Food & Wine Tour in the old city of Madrid:
$123
When comparing the travel costs between Shanghai and Madrid, we can see that Madrid is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Shanghai is in Asia and Madrid is in Europe, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
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