Which place is cheaper, Saint Thomas or Shanghai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Shanghai or Saint Thomas?
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 Saint Thomas. 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 Saint Thomas?
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".
Saint Thomas
Saint Thomas is a beautiful island in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Together with St. John, St. Croix, and Water Island, it forms the unincorporated territory of the United States. The island is also home to the territorial capital and port of Charlotte Amalie. The island's population is just over 50,000, which is slightly less than half of the territory's total population.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China.
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Shanghai Prices
China PricesSaint Thomas Prices
USVI Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayShanghai $141Saint Thomas $258
The average daily cost (per person) in Shanghai is $141, while the average daily cost in Saint Thomas is $258. 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 Saint Thomas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personShanghai $88Saint Thomas $131
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomShanghai $176Saint Thomas $262
Compare Hotels in Shanghai and Saint Thomas
Looking for a hotel in Shanghai or Saint Thomas? 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: Shanghai Hotel Prices and Saint Thomas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Shanghai $4.19Saint Thomas $37
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Shanghai
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Shanghai:
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Taxi Ride$3.89
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Two Subway Tickets$0.90
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Shanghai
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Shanghai:
- Shanghai to Suzhou Private Transfer with English Speaking Driver: $259
- 1 Day-Pass for Disneyland Shanghai and Private Transfer Package: $245
- Shanghai Pudong Int’l Airport Private Arrival Transfer to Yiwu City Area: $226
- Shanghai Legoland One Day Tour with Round Trip Transfer: $198
- Shanghai to Xi'an Bullet Train Ticket with Hongqiao Station Transfer: $177
- Ningbo City Private Arrival Transfer from Shanghai Pudong International Airport: $177
- Shanghai Airport (PVG) Arrival Transfer (PVG Airport to central Shanghai): $176
- Shanghai to Beijing Bullet Train Ticket with Hongqiao Station Transfer: $174
- Shanghai to Suzhou and Tongli Water Town Self-Guide Tour Private Round Transfer: $171
- Shanghai to Suzhou and Zhouzhuang Self-Guide Trip with Private Transfer: $171
- Shanghai to Hangzhou Private Transfer with Stop at Wuzhen: $166
- Shanghai to Hangzhou Private Transfer with Stop at Xitang Water Town: $157
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Saint Thomas
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Saint Thomas are as follows:
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Scooter Rental$65
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Taxi Ride$5.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Saint Thomas
Also for Saint Thomas, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Secret Harbour Beach Transfer from CruiseShip-Snorkeling Optional: $52
- Transfer from Cyril E. King Airport(STT) to Charlotte Amalie Port: $79
- Private Airport Transfer to and from Red Hook Ferry: $90
- Private Airport Transfer to/from Ritz-Carlton - St. Thomas: $90
- St Thomas Airport Transfer to and from Hampton By Hilton: $96
- Prince Taxi USVI- ST.Thomas Aiport Transfer to Crown bay ferry: $100
- St.Thomas to St.Thomas Airport (STT) - Departure Private Transfer: $105
- St.Thomas to St.Thomas Airport (STT) - Departure Private Transfer: $105
- St. Thomas Airport (STT) to St.Thomas - Arrival Private Transfer: $105
- ST.Thomas Airport transfer To Marriott/ Westin / Bouy haus: $108
- St Thomas Airport transfer To and From Bolongo Bay or Lime Tree: $110
- Vi Top Taxi & Tours -Airport Transfer to Bolongo Bay/ Limetree: $110
Is it cheaper to fly into Shanghai or Saint Thomas?
Prices for flights to both Saint Thomas 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
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Food Meals for one dayShanghai $40Saint Thomas $94
Typical Food Prices in Shanghai
Some typical examples of dining costs in Shanghai are as follows:
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Dumpling Breakfast$1.49
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Desserts in Jinmao Building Observatory$22
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Ajisen Lunch for Two$7.77
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Cantelope$1.79
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Dumplings and Soup$2.24
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Duck Dinner$4.48
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Pastries$3.14
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Barbeque Dinner$9.56
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Shanghai
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Shanghai.
- City Center Authentic Local Food Tour-Tip Based: $3.42
- Online Cooking Class Fried Rice by Sunflower Li: $20
- Online Cooking Class Dim Sum by Sunflower Li: $20
- Online Cooking Class Sesame Chicken by Sunflower Li: $20
- Online Cooking Class General Tso's Chicken by Sunflower Li: $20
- Authentic Shanghai Food Tour with Chi Gua Va: $35
- Small Group Shanghai After Dark Food Tour with 9 tastings: $38
- Shanghai Jade Buddha Temple and Local Food Tour: $49
- Old Shanghai Signature Food Tour with 14+ Tasters by FoodaQuest: $55
- Shanghai After Dark Food Tour with 9 Authentic Tastings: $61
- 2-Hour Shanghai Street Food Tour: Dumplings, Tea & Old City Bites: $65
- Authentic Local Food Tour in Central Shanghai: $79
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Saint Thomas
For Saint Thomas, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- St. James Snorkel & Pizza Pi Lunch: $90
- St. Thomas Cultural Cooking Class: $109
- Sunset & Harbor Lights Dinner Sail from the Marriott's Frenchman's Cove: $119
- Afternoon Snorkel, Pizza & Sunset Tour departing from St. Thomas & St. John: $120
- Local Experience, St. John U.S. Virgin Islands Food Tour: $125
- St. John PiZZA Pi Snorkel Sail with Beach Stop, Lunch & Open Bar - Westin: $129
- Flavors of St Thomas Walking Food Tour: $145
- Pizza Pi Shuttle (Official) - Jet Ski Trip St Thomas: $269
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Shanghai $9.12Saint Thomas $60
Typical Entertainment Prices in Shanghai
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Shanghai are as follows:
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30 Minute River Cruise for Two$30
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Zoo for Two$15
Tours and Activities in Shanghai
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Shanghai are as follows:
- 1 Day Shanghai Private Tour: $180
- 1 Day Shanghai Retail Innovation Tour: $169
- 1 Day Suzhou Private Tour (Departure from Shanghai): $240
- 1-Day Private Shanghai City Tour to See Its Past, Present and Future: $229
- 1-Day Private Tour to Shanghai Museum,Yu Garden, the Bund and Nanjing Road: $190
- 1-Day Private Tour to Shanghai Museum,Yu Garden,the Bund & Huangpu River Cruise: $213
- 1-Day Private Tour to Shanghai Zhujiajiao Water Town,Nanjing Road and the Bund: $221
- 1-Day Private Tour to Suzhou from Shanghai: $272
- 1-Day Private Tour to Zhujiajiao Water Town,the Bund and World Financial Center: $256
- 1-Day Shanghai Tour to Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Yu Garden and Jade Buddha Temple: $224
- 13 day private tour : Splendid China+ important highlights: $4,106
- 2-Day Zhujiajiao Water Town, Shanghai and Suzhou Private Tour: $300
Tours and Activities in Saint Thomas
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Saint Thomas.
- Children's Treasure Hunt Walking Tour: $25
- Coral World Ocean Park General Admission Ticket: $29
- Cruise Ship Port Shuttle to St John Ferry: $34
- St Thomas Private Ride to Magens Bay Cruise Ship Pickup/Return: $34
- Rum Tasting Experience in the Old Barrel House: $35
- St Thomas Cruise Port Pick Up and Return to Magens Bay Beach: $36
- St. John Ghost Tour of Historic Cruz Bay: $45
- Cruise Ship Shuttle to Ferry going to St. John: $45
- Guided Kayak Tour from Margaritaville: $48
- Guided Kayak Tour from Elysian: $48
- Paradise Taxi & Tours USVI - St. Thomas, Virgin Islands- Island Scenic Tour: $49
- Vi Top Taxi & Tours USVI-Scenic Island Tour ,St. Thomas: $50
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayShanghai $7.95Saint Thomas $27
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 (Guided Bar Hopping) with Shots Included: $23
- Shanghai Bar Crawl: TCM Cocktails & Local Craft Beer: $89
- Cheers, Beers and No Fears: Shanghai Bar Crawl: $100
- TCM and Divination Chinese Style Pub Crawl Bar Hopping Night: $169
Sample the Local Flavors in Saint Thomas
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Saint Thomas:
- Da Conch Crawl- Walking Tour and Bar Crawl Downtown St. Thomas: $148
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Shanghai and Saint Thomas, we can see that Saint Thomas is more expensive. And not only is Shanghai much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Shanghai is in Asia and Saint Thomas is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Shanghai would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Shanghai 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 Saint Thomas would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint Thomas than you might in Shanghai.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Shanghai Expensive? and Is Saint Thomas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Shanghai or Saint Thomas?
Shanghai has a larger population, and is about 730 times larger than the population of Saint Thomas. When comparing the sizes of Shanghai and Saint Thomas, 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.
When is the best time to visit Shanghai or Saint Thomas?
Shanghai has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Saint Thomas experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Shanghai or Saint Thomas in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Shanghai as well as Saint Thomas. The city activities and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Shanghai this time of year. The warm climate attracts visitors to Saint Thomas throughout the year.
In July, Shanghai is generally around the same temperature as Saint Thomas. Daily temperatures in Shanghai average around 28°C (83°F), and Saint Thomas fluctuates around 29°C (83°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Saint Thomas. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Shanghai this time of the year. In the summer, Shanghai often gets less sunshine than Saint Thomas. Shanghai gets 232 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Saint Thomas receives 287 hours of full sun.
Shanghai receives a lot of rain in the summer. Shanghai usually gets more rain in July than Saint Thomas. Shanghai gets 128 mm (5 in) of rain, while Saint Thomas receives 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyShanghai 28°C (83°F)Saint Thomas 29°C (83°F)
Should I visit Shanghai or Saint Thomas in the Autumn?
Both Saint Thomas and Shanghai are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Many travelers come to Shanghai for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area. Plenty of visitors come to Saint Thomas because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Shanghai is much colder than Saint Thomas in the autumn. The daily temperature in Shanghai averages around 19°C (65°F) in October, and Saint Thomas fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
It's quite sunny in Saint Thomas. Shanghai usually receives less sunshine than Saint Thomas during autumn. Shanghai gets 162 hours of sunny skies, while Saint Thomas receives 235 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Saint Thomas. In October, Shanghai usually receives less rain than Saint Thomas. Shanghai gets 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Saint Thomas receives 146 mm (5.7 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberShanghai 19°C (65°F)Saint Thomas 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Shanghai or Saint Thomas in the Winter?
Both Saint Thomas and Shanghai during the winter are popular places to visit. Many visitors come to Shanghai in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Saint Thomas year-round.
Shanghai can get quite cold in the winter. In the winter, Shanghai is much colder than Saint Thomas. Typically, the winter temperatures in Shanghai in January average around 4°C (39°F), and Saint Thomas averages at about 26°C (78°F).
In Saint Thomas, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, Shanghai often gets less sunshine than Saint Thomas. Shanghai gets 135 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Saint Thomas receives 240 hours of full sun.
Shanghai usually gets less rain in January than Saint Thomas. Shanghai gets 39 mm (1.5 in) of rain, while Saint Thomas receives 43 mm (1.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryShanghai 4°C (39°F)Saint Thomas 26°C (78°F)
Should I visit Shanghai or Saint Thomas in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Shanghai and Saint Thomas. Most visitors come to Shanghai for the activities around the city and the natural beauty during these months. Saint Thomas attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In April, Shanghai is generally much colder than Saint Thomas. Daily temperatures in Shanghai average around 15°C (58°F), and Saint Thomas fluctuates around 27°C (80°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Saint Thomas this time of the year. Shanghai usually receives less sunshine than Saint Thomas during spring. Shanghai gets 153 hours of sunny skies, while Saint Thomas receives 272 hours of full sun in the spring.
Shanghai gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Shanghai usually receives more rain than Saint Thomas. Shanghai gets 102 mm (4 in) of rain, while Saint Thomas receives 72 mm (2.8 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilShanghai 15°C (58°F)Saint Thomas 27°C (80°F)
Typical Weather for Saint Thomas and Shanghai
| Shanghai | Saint Thomas | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 4°C (39°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) |
| Feb | 5°C (41°F) | 59 mm (2.3 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) |
| Mar | 9°C (48°F) | 82 mm (3.2 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| Apr | 15°C (58°F) | 102 mm (4 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) |
| May | 20°C (67°F) | 113 mm (4.5 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) |
| Jun | 24°C (75°F) | 152 mm (6 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (83°F) | 128 mm (5 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) |
| Aug | 28°C (82°F) | 133 mm (5.2 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 101 mm (4 in) |
| Sep | 24°C (75°F) | 156 mm (6.1 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 127 mm (5 in) |
| Oct | 19°C (65°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 146 mm (5.7 in) |
| Nov | 13°C (55°F) | 52 mm (2 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 126 mm (4.9 in) |
| Dec | 7°C (44°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) | 26°C (80°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) |
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.