Should you visit Yangshuo or Shanghai?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Yangshuo and Shanghai can help you decide which place is right for you.
Yangshuo
A county of the city, Guilin, Yangshuo is located in a region famous for its karst topography. Surrounded by jagged mountain peaks and bordered on one side by the Li River, Yangshuo has become a popular home base for tourists looking to explore the region's natural wonders. Backpackers and tourists, both foreign and domestic, come to Yangshuo every year making it a city of many cultures. Most locals are even able to speak English, which is fairly uncommon for Chinese cities.
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 Yangshuo?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Yangshuo is $64, 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 Yangshuo and Shanghai in more detail.
Accommodation
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $46 in Yangshuo For nicer amenities and a premiere location, 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
On average, meal and food prices in Yangshuo cost around $17 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $6.80.
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
Yangshuo $17
Shanghai $19
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Yangshuo
For Yangshuo, 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
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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
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Yangshuo than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $38 on transportation in Yangshuo on average per day.
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 Yangshuo
Also for Yangshuo, 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 Foshan and Hong Kong by Eternal East Bus:
$13
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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 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
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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
-
Private Harbin Railway Station Transfer for Harbin:
$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
$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
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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 Yangshuo or Shanghai?
Prices for flights to both Shanghai and Yangshuo 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
Sightseeing expenses in Yangshuo, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $21 per day, per person.
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 Yangshuo
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Yangshuo.
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Hupao Park Ticket in Hangzhou (For Mainland China ID Holders):
$2.35
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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
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Gulangyu Seashell Museum Ticket:
$7.45
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Ferry Round Trip Ticket between Xiamen City and Gulangyu Sanqiutian Pier:
$8.55
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Ferry Round Trip Ticket between Xiamen City and Gulangyu Neicuoao Pier:
$8.55
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Wuyishan Xiamei Ancient Village Admission Ticket:
$8.55
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Beijing Palace Museum Ticket (The Forbidden City):
$9.29
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Shanghai Joy City Rooftop Ferris Wheel - Sky Ring 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
-
1 Day Bus Tour in Amazing Shanghai Highlights:
$113
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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
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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 Yangshuo, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $30.
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 Yangshuo and Shanghai, we can see that Shanghai is more expensive. And not only is Yangshuo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Yangshuo would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Yangshuo 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 Yangshuo.
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