Which place is cheaper, Shangri-La or Shanghai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Shanghai 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 Shanghai 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: Shanghai or Shangri-La?
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".
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 2-Week Tours from Beijing, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in China, and The Best Historical Tours in China.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayShanghai $115Shangri-La $46
The average daily cost (per person) in Shanghai is $115, 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 Shanghai and Shangri-La in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personShanghai $81Shangri-La $19
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomShanghai $162Shangri-La $38
Compare Hotels in Shanghai and Shangri-La
Looking for a hotel in Shanghai 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Shanghai $3.87Shangri-La $10
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$3.59
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Two Subway Tickets$0.83
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Shanghai
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Shanghai:
- Yiwu Railway Station Private Departure Transfer from City Area : $18
- Yiwu Railway Station Private Arrival Transfer to City Area: $18
- Shared Transfer: from Hotel in Shanghai to Shanghai Wusongkou Cruise Port: $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 to ERA Acrobats Show at Shanghai Circus World: $22
- Private Transfer from Shanghai Hotels to Shanghai Cruise Port: $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
- Private Transfer between Shanghai Pudong New Int’l Expo Centre and City Area : $25
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 Shanghai or Shangri-La?
Prices for flights to both Shangri-La 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 $21Shangri-La $19
Typical Food Prices in Shanghai
Some typical examples of dining costs in Shanghai are as follows:
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Dumpling Breakfast$1.38
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Desserts in Jinmao Building Observatory$20
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Ajisen Lunch for Two$7.19
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Cantelope$1.66
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Dumplings and Soup$2.07
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Duck Dinner$4.15
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Pastries$2.90
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Barbeque Dinner$8.85
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
- Online Cooking Class Dim Sum by Sunflower Li: $20
- 3-Hour Biking and Local Food Tour: $69
- 2.5hrs Chinese Kitchen Cooking Class: Xiaolongbao Soup Dumplings: $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
- Eat Like A Local: Shanghai Night Food Tour: $90
- Shanghai's Koreatown Food Tour: $91
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Shanghai $8.44Shangri-La $16
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$28
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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 French Concession Walking Tour: $29
- 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
- Shanghai Wusongkou Cruise Port to Hongqiao Airport:Private with Meet service: $40
- Fudan University Student Guide Tour: $42
- Haipai Culture Tour｜Shanghai's Past, Present & Future On One Road: $43
- Shanghai Tower Tickets Booking: $43
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 dayShanghai $7.36Shangri-La $13
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: unique bar-hopping tour 2024: $18
- Shanghai Luxury Bar Crawl in 5-star Hotel or Boutique Hotel: $255
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Shanghai and Shangri-La, we can see that Shanghai 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 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 Shangri-La.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Shanghai 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.