Which place is cheaper, Shanghai or Tbilisi?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Tbilisi or Shanghai?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Tbilisi or Shanghai? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Tbilisi or Shanghai?
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital of the country of Georgia. Its cobblestoned old town reflects a long, complicated history, with periods under Persian and Russian rule. Its diverse architecture encompasses Eastern Orthodox churches, ornate art nouveau buildings and Soviet Modernist structures. Looming over it all are Narikala, a reconstructed 4th-century fortress, and Kartlis Deda, an iconic statue of the "Mother of Georgia." Tbilisi’s eternal charms of a dramatic setting in the deep valley of the swift Mtkvari River, picturesque architecture, an ever-lively arts and cultural scene, and the welcoming Georgian lifestyle have been added a whole new 21st-century dimension of inviting cafes and restaurants serving ever better food, up-to-date lodgings from backpacker hostels to international five-stars, interesting bars and clubs, spruced-up museums, galleries, parks, plazas and whole streets, modernized transport and a sprinkling of eye-catching contemporary architecture. The mix of modern and ancient elements makes Tbilisi the beating heart of the South Caucasus and it is well worth a visit.
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".
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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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTbilisi $29Shanghai $115
The average daily cost (per person) in Tbilisi is $29, while the average daily cost in Shanghai is $115. 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 Tbilisi and Shanghai in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTbilisi $13Shanghai $81
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTbilisi $26Shanghai $162
Compare Hotels in Tbilisi and Shanghai
Looking for a hotel in Tbilisi or Shanghai? 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.Tbilisi $6.20Shanghai $3.87
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tbilisi
Also for Tbilisi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from Tbilisi City to Tbilisi Airport: $10
- Transfer from Tbilisi Airport to Tbilisi: $10
- Kutaisi Airport: BUS Transfer to/from Tbilisi: $10
- Kutaisi: BUS Transfer to/from Tbilisi: $10
- 24/7 Taxi Airport Shuttle and Transfer Private Service: $14
- Airport Shuttle and Transfer Service: $14
- Airport transfer by Visit-geo: $16
- Batumi airport: Bus Transfer to/from Tbilisi: $16
- Tbilisi Airport Shuttle And Transfer Service: $18
- Tbilisi Airport Arrival Private Transfer To Accommodation & Hotel: $19
- Tbilisi International Airport Departure Transfer From Tbilisi: $19
- Tbilisi Airport Private Transfers: $20
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:
- private transfer from Wusongkou CruisePort to Disneyland and back: $64
- Zhouzhuang and Tongli Water Town Private Transfer Service from Shanghai : $103
- Yiwu Railway Station Private Arrival Transfer to City Area: $18
- Yiwu City Private Transfer to Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport : $74
- Yiwu Airport Private Departure Transfer from City Area : $20
- Yiwu Airport Private Arrival Transfer to City Area : $20
- Xitang Water Town Self-Guided Tour from Shanghai with Private Transfer: $100
- Wusongkou Cruise Terminal to Pudong Airport Chauffeur Service, Port Transfer: $95
- Wusongkou Cruise Terminal Share Transfer Service, Baoshan Port Pick up Service: $29
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in Shanghai APT-HTL (PVG,SHA): $51
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in ShangHai HTL-APT (PVG,SHA): $51
- Transfer From City to Shanghai Pudong Airport （English Driver）: $68
Is it cheaper to fly into Tbilisi or Shanghai?
Prices for flights to both Shanghai and Tbilisi 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 dayTbilisi $8.03Shanghai $21
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tbilisi
For Tbilisi, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Natural Wine Degustation and Tasting with Georgian Dinner Option: $20
- Small-Group Khinkali and Khachapuri Cooking Class in Tbilisi: $24
- Georgian Cooking Class with Khinkali and Khachapuri: $25
- Adjarian Khachapuri Making Private Virtual Cooking Class: $40
- Traveling Spoon Georgian Dumplings Private Online Cooking Class: $40
- Cooking Class with a Local Family: $49
- Tbilisi Street Food Tour: $70
- Food Tour with 9 Tastings and Wine: $70
- Full Day Tbilisi Tour with Cooking Class & Wine Tasting Activity: $95
- In Georgian Cooking Masterclass by Local: $102
- Half-Day Food Tour of Tbilisi Dezerter's Bazaar: $125
- Private Cooking Class with a Georgian Grandmother in Tbilisi: $130
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$7.18
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Cantelope$1.66
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Dumplings and Soup$2.07
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Duck Dinner$4.14
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Pastries$2.90
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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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Tbilisi $15Shanghai $8.42
Tours and Activities in Tbilisi
For Tbilisi, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Skip the Line: Experimentorium Ticket: $5.45
- Virtual tour to Georgia: $10
- Walking Tour in Old Tbilisi - Group Tour: $12
- Highlands Tour: Kazbegi, Ananuri, Gudauri, and Zhinvali: $12
- Exploring Tbilisi Walking Tour: $12
- 3 Hour Walking Tour in Tbilisi: $13
- Afternoon Walking tour of Old Town: $13
- Tbilisi Guided Walking Tour: $13
- Underground Printing House Museum Tour in Tbilisi: $14
- City Highlights Guided Walking Tour: $14
- Tbilisi City Tour: $15
- Revolutionary Tbilisi Walking Tour: $15
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:
- Private Shanghai Flexible City Highlight Tour with Night Cruise: $221
- Private Shanghai Full Day City Tour with Old and New Highlights: $108
- Shanghai Layover Tour to Xinchang Water Town with City Highlights Option : $135
- Yiwu International Trade City Private Day Tour from Shanghai by Bullet Train: $183
- Yuyuan Garden and Shanghai Museum Private Shanghai Day Tour: $175
- Zhouzhuang Water Town Self-Guided Day Tour from Shanghai: $88
- water village of shagnhai tour: $248
- 1 Day Shanghai Airport Layover Private Tour for City Highlights: $202
- 1 Day Shanghai Highlight Small Group Tour: $124
- 1 Day Shanghai Private Tour: $180
- 1 Days Shanghai Quality Group Tour: $110
- 1 day Shanghai City Mini Group tour: $92
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTbilisi $18Shanghai $7.35
Sample the Local Flavors in Tbilisi
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Tbilisi:
- 3 Hours Walk Around Wine Tasting of 12 Different Wines in Tbilisi: $10
- Tbilisi.First impression of Tbilisi-evening walking,wine tasting: $11
- One-day tour of Kakheti from Tbilisi, free wine tasting: $14
- Tbilisi Walking Tour Including Wine Tasting Cable Car and Bakery: $14
- Tbilisi Walking Tour with Cable Cars, Wine Tasting and Traditional Bakery: $15
- Kakheti Day Group Tour: Free Wine Tasting: $15
- Full Day Wine Tour Bodbe , Sighnaghi , Telavi: $16
- Wine Tasting Feel the Difference of Qvevri or Classical Wine: $16
- Kakheti Wine Tour, Кахетия -Винный Тур: $19
- Kakheti: Sighnaghi city of love, Bodbe, Telavi, Free wine tasting: $19
- Full Day Bodbe Sighnaghi and Telavi Wine Tasting Tour: $20
- Whole day Wine Tour to Kakheti from Tbilisi: $20
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 Tbilisi and Shanghai, we can see that Shanghai is more expensive. And not only is Tbilisi much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Tbilisi is in Europe and Shanghai is in Asia, 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 Tbilisi would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Tbilisi 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 Tbilisi.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Tbilisi Expensive? and Is Shanghai Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Tbilisi or Shanghai?
Shanghai has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Tbilisi. When comparing the sizes of Tbilisi and Shanghai, 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.