Should you visit Tianjin or Shanghai?
Should I visit Tianjin or Shanghai? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Tianjin
Tianjin is a large metropolis on the north east coast of China. This ancient city, which dates back to prehistoric times, is one of five National Central Cities of China and is rich in culture and history. Tianjin is most famous for its beautiful walking streets and history of European concession territories.
Tianjin experiences hot and humid summers, with temperatures reaching 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Winters are cool and dry with temperatures around 15° (F). Spring and Autumn tend to be the best times to visit as weather is a little more mild, although Spring has a tendency to be a little rainy.
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".
Which city is cheaper, Shanghai or Tianjin?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Tianjin is $68, while the average daily cost in Shanghai is $103. 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 Tianjin and Shanghai in more detail.
Accommodation
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $62 in Tianjin For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $146 for a double occupancy room in Shanghai.
Food
In Tianjin travelers spend around $18 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
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.
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Food
Meals for one day
Tianjin $18
Shanghai $19
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tianjin
For Tianjin, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Chengdu Private Food Tour (With Visit to Kuanzhai Alley and Hotpot Experience):
$32
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Chengdu Jinsha Site Museum and Sanxingdui Museum Private Day Tour with Hotpot Dinner:
$76
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Dim Sum Cooking Class and Wet Market Visit in Shanghai:
$78
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Beijing Hutong Evening Food Tour by Tuk Tuk:
$80
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Chengdu Panda Base Private Day Tour and Sichuan Cooking Class:
$83
-
Beijing Food Culture & Cooking Class:
$137
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.
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Online Chinese Cooking Class:
$22
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Chengdu Private Food Tour (With Visit to Kuanzhai Alley and Hotpot Experience):
$32
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Old Shanghai Breakfast Food Tour:
$52
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Cooking Class of Dumplings and Chinese Buns:
$56
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3-Hour Shanghai Summer Night Local Dinner and Shopping Private Tour:
$65
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Private Chinese Cooking Class in Shanghai with Vegetarian Option:
$69
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Private Authentic Chinese Cooking Class in Shanghai with a Lovely Local:
$70
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3-Hour Shanghai City Walking Tour with Dinner:
$74
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Shanghai yummy food tour:
$75
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Chinese Cooking Class in a Family Home:
$75
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Chengdu Jinsha Site Museum and Sanxingdui Museum Private Day Tour with Hotpot Dinner:
$76
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Dim Sum Cooking Class and Wet Market Visit in Shanghai:
$78
Local Transportation
To get around in Tianjin, the average visitor spends $33 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.
The average price of local transportation around Shanghai is $3.48 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.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tianjin
Also for Tianjin, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Shared Coach Transfers between Shenzhen Bay Port and Hong Kong (Trans-island):
$6.45
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Shared Coach Transfers between Panyu and Hong Kong by Eternal East Bus:
$11
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Shared Shenzhen Airport (SZX) Coach Transfers for Hong Kong (Trans-Island):
$12
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Shared Coach Transfers Between Hong Kong and Zhaoqing by EE Bus:
$12
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Shared Coach Transfers between Hong Kong and Huadu by Eternal East Bus:
$13
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Shared Coach Transfers between Foshan and Hong Kong by Eternal East Bus:
$13
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Tianjin Airport Chauffeur Service, Tianjin Airport Transfer:
$13
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Shared Coach Transfers between Shunde and Hong Kong:
$14
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Shared Coach Transfers Between Guangzhou and Hong Kong:
$14
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Shared Coach Transfers between Foshan and Hong Kong:
$14
-
Shared Coach Transfers Between Heyuan and Hong Kong by EE Bus:
$15
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Shared Hong Kong International Airport Transfers (HKG) for Shenzhen:
$15
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
$4.03
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Two Subway Tickets
$0.93
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Shanghai
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Shanghai:
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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
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Private Day Tour Of Beijing From Shanghai's Hotel Including Flight And Transfer:
$1,000
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Private Day Trip Of Xi'an From Your Shanghai's hotel Including Transfer Service:
$1,000
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2-Day Huangshan Tour by Cable Car with Private Transfer and Lunch from Shanghai:
$653
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3 Days Shanghai Suzhou Tour Package with Airport Transfer:
$555
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1-way Transfer Between Shanghai Pudong Airport and Yiwu Per Vehicle Price:
$388
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Shanghai Luxury Airport Transfer:
$332
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Private City Transfers between Zhongshan and Hong Kong:
$313
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Private City Transfers between Foshan and Hong Kong:
$296
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Private City Transfers between Guangzhou and Hong Kong:
$283
Is it cheaper to fly into Tianjin or Shanghai?
Prices for flights to both Shanghai and Tianjin 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.
Entertainment
In Tianjin, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $9.22 per person, per day.
Shanghai's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $7.58 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.
Tours and Activities in Tianjin
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Tianjin.
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Hupao Park Ticket in Hangzhou (For Mainland China ID Holders):
$2.35
-
China Red Sandalwood Museum Ticket in Beijing :
$2.79
-
Simatai Great Wall Admission with Cable Car Ticket in Beijing:
$3.09
-
Giant Panda Breeding Research Base Ticket Chengdu - ID Card Direct Entry:
$4.19
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Evergreen Resort Ticket in Shenzhen:
$6.19
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Jinxi Ancient Town Attractions Combo Ticket:
$6.99
-
Gulangyu Seashell Museum Ticket:
$7.45
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Wuyishan Xiamei Ancient Village Admission Ticket:
$8.55
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Ferry Round Trip Ticket between Xiamen City and Gulangyu Neicuoao Pier:
$8.55
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Ferry Round Trip Ticket between Xiamen City and Gulangyu Sanqiutian Pier:
$8.55
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Beijing Palace Museum Ticket (The Forbidden City):
$9.29
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Guangdong First Peak Ticket:
$9.29
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:
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Lionsgate Entertainment World Ticket in Henqin Zhuhai :
$31
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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
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1 Day Shanghai Highlight Small Group Tour:
$124
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1 Day of Shanghai Premiere Experience:
$730
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1 day Nanjing tour from Shanghai by train:
$400
-
1 day Shanghai City Mini Group tour:
$92
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1-Day Authentic Shanghai Tour by Walking & Metro:
$193
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1-Day Private Shanghai City Tour to See Its Past, Present and Future:
$204
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1-Day Private Shanghai to Wuzhen Tour to Admire the Classical Water Town:
$271
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1-Day Private Tour to Hangzhou by car from Shanghai:
$305
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Tianjin, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $9.93.
The average person spends about $6.61 on alcoholic beverages in Shanghai per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Sample the Local Flavors in Shanghai
Also in Shanghai, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Shanghai Luxury Bar Crawl in 5-star Hotel or Boutique Hotel:
$255
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3 Hour Local Craft Beer Crawl with Brewery Tour:
$350
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Tianjin and Shanghai, we can see that Shanghai is more expensive. And not only is Tianjin much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Tianjin would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Tianjin 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 Tianjin.
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