Which place is cheaper, Shangri-La or Dubai?
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 Dubai or Shangri-La?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
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 Dubai and Shangri-La can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Dubai or Shangri-La?
Dubai
Ever wonder what it would be like to see the lifestyles of the rich and famous up close. There's no more upscale destination than Dubai. It's by far and away the spot for shopping, partying, sunbathing, fine dining and the most luxurious of luxury. As the most modern and progressive of the seven emirates in the United Arab Emirates, this area has experienced an unbelievable economic boom and tourism spike. It's a desert city with an amazing infrastructure.
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 Romantic Tours for Couples in United Arab Emirates, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to United Arab Emirates, The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China.
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Dubai Prices
UAE PricesShangri-La Prices
China Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDubai $289Shangri-La $61
The average daily cost (per person) in Dubai is $289, while the average daily cost in Shangri-La is $61. 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 Dubai and Shangri-La in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDubai $170Shangri-La $19
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDubai $340Shangri-La $38
Compare Hotels in Dubai and Shangri-La
Looking for a hotel in Dubai 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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Dubai Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dubai $13Shangri-La $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Dubai
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Dubai:
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Taxi Ride$12
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Airport Taxi$12
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Sea Taxi$0.54
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dubai
Also for Dubai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Dubai Airport Transfer DXB to Dubai City: $13
- Shared Transfers from Dubai Hotels to Ski Dubai/Wild Wadi: $15
- Miracle Garden Dubai With Transfer: $16
- Global Village Dubai Tickets with Transfers Option: $16
- Dubai Safari Park and Explorer Safari Tour with Transfer: $17
- Dubai Airport Private Transfer: $18
- Dubai Airport (DXB) to Dubai hotel or address - Arrival Private Transfer : $18
- Sharing Transfers from Dubai Hotels to Dubai Mall (Burj Khalifa, VR Parks, DAUZ): $18
- Dubai Airport (DXB) Private Transfer to Dubai/Jumeirah/Abu Dhabi: $18
- Dubai Frame Tickets with Optional Transfer: $19
- Arrival Transfer: Dubai International Airport to Dubai: $20
- Dubai Airports Departure Transfer Only: $20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Shangri-La
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Shangri-La:
- Private Transfer from Shangri-La to Lijiang and Stops at Tiger Leaping Gorge: $160
- Private Transfer from Shangri-la(Diqing) hotel to Lijiang/Shuhe hotel : $149
Is it cheaper to fly into Dubai or Shangri-La?
Prices for flights to both Shangri-La and Dubai 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 dayDubai $96Shangri-La $33
Typical Food Prices in Dubai
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Dubai:
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French bread$0.95
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Sumo salad in Dubai Mall + Juice$10
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Lemon Mint Tea$4.36
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Coffee & Cake$6.54
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Smoothie$5.45
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Shawarma$1.91
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dubai
For Dubai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Virtual Online Cooking Class - Cook Your Classic Curry with Chef Gomez: $16
- Dhow Cruise with Dinner at Dubai Al Seef: $17
- Evening Desert Safari Dubai with Camel Ride & BBQ dinner: $18
- Red Dune Desert Safari with Camel Riding Sand Boarding BBQ Dinner: $18
- Desert Safari with Dinner and Live Show: $18
- Dhow Cruise with Dinner and Live Entertainment at Dubai Al Seef: $18
- Dubai Luxury Canal Dinner Cruise with Shows: $18
- Desert Safari With Camel Ride and Dinner: $19
- Vip Red Dune Safari with 4x4 Pick & Drop, Camel Ride, BBQ Dinner: $19
- VIP Red Dune Safari with Pick/Drop, Camel Ride, BBQ Dinner, Shows: $19
- Golden Dune Desert Safari Dubai with Camel Ride & live BBQ Dinner: $19
- Evening Desert Safari Dubai with Camel Riding & BBQ Buffet Dinner: $21
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dubai $19Shangri-La $16
Typical Entertainment Prices in Dubai
For Dubai, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Visit to the Dubai Museum$0.82
Tours and Activities in Dubai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Dubai.
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Dubai: $5.96
- The Palm Monorail Ticket Dubai: $9.21
- Global Village Tickets : $10
- Global Village Skip the ticket line: $10
- Global Village Dubai Entry Ticket: $11
- Dubai Global Village Entry Ticket with Optional Transport : $11
- Global Village Ticket wIth Optional Pick up And Drop Off: $11
- Old Dubai Walking Tour: Abra ride, Creek, Spice & Gold Souks.: $14
- Al Noor Island Sharjah Entry Ticket: $15
- Dubai Miracle Garden Tour with Transportation: $15
- Discovering Old Town A Creative Walking Tour Journey: $16
- Dubai Frame Golden Gate Ticket with optional transport: $16
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 Songzanlin and Potatso National Park Tour: $280
- 1 Day Shangri-la City Tour with Pudacuo National Park: $209
- 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: $240
- Shangri-La Day Tour Songzanlin Monastery and Napa Sea: $67
- Tibetan Village Scenic E-Bike Tour: $117
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDubai $23Shangri-La $13
Typical Alcohol Prices in Dubai
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Dubai:
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A Couple Drinks$25
Sample the Local Flavors in Dubai
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Dubai:
- JBR Walk Historic Pub Crawl with Guide and Drinks: $36
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dubai and Shangri-La, we can see that Dubai is more expensive. And not only is Shangri-La much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Dubai is in Middle East and Shangri-La 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 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 Dubai would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dubai 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 Dubai 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.