Which place is cheaper, Dali or Shanghai?
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 Shanghai or Dali?
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 Dali. 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 Dali?
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".
Dali
Dali is a city in southern China with a long and glorious history dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The Xiaguan neighborhood of the city is the modern industrial center where most public transportation arrives; however, the Old Town of Dali is the place that draws the most visitors. Being one of China's ancient cities, Dali is said to have been a gateway to the Silk Road, and still attracts attention with its traditional architecture, beautiful scenery, ethnic cultures, and nightlife.
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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Shanghai Prices
China PricesDali Prices
China Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayShanghai $132Dali $62
The average daily cost (per person) in Shanghai is $132, while the average daily cost in Dali is $62. 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 Dali in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personShanghai $82Dali $17
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomShanghai $164Dali $34
Compare Hotels in Shanghai and Dali
Looking for a hotel in Shanghai or Dali? 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 $3.93Dali $9.34
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$3.64
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Two Subway Tickets$0.84
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Shanghai
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Shanghai:
- private transfer from Wusongkou CruisePort to Disneyland and back: $64
- [Airport Transfer] Shanghai Pudong Airport / Hongqiao Airport ⇔ Shanghai City Transfer ☆ High reputation for service! <Charter charter>: $23
- Zhujiajiao Water Town and Shanghai City Self-Guide 10-Hour Private Transfer Tour: $138
- Zhujiajiao Water Town Self-Guided Tour with Private Transfer from Shanghai: $75
- Zhouzhuang and Tongli Water Town Private Transfer Service from Shanghai : $106
- Yiwu Railway Station Private Departure Transfer from City Area : $18
- Yiwu City Private Transfer to Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport : $74
- Yiwu Airport Private Transfer, airport pick up drop off services: $20
- Wuzhen and Xitang Water Town Private Transfer from Shanghai: $133
- Wusongkou Cruise Terminal to Pudong Airport Private Transfer: $95
- Wusongkou Cruise Terminal Share Transfer Service, Baoshan Port Pick up Service: $30
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in Shanghai APT-HTL (PVG,SHA): $51
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Dali
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Dali:
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Local Bus$0.42
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dali
Also for Dali, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Dali Airport Chauffeur Service, Private Dali Airport Transfer: $40
- Private Transfer from Dali to Lijiang hotel/airport(LJG): $149
- Private Transfer from Dali to Lijiang/Shuhe hotel and Stops at Shaxi Old Town: $160
Is it cheaper to fly into Shanghai or Dali?
Prices for flights to both Dali 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 $38Dali $32
Typical Food Prices in Shanghai
Some typical examples of dining costs in Shanghai are as follows:
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Dumpling Breakfast$1.40
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Desserts in Jinmao Building Observatory$20
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Ajisen Lunch for Two$7.29
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Cantelope$1.68
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Dumplings and Soup$2.10
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Duck Dinner$4.21
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Pastries$2.94
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Barbeque Dinner$8.97
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Shanghai
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Shanghai.
- Authentic Local Food Tour In Downtown Shanghai-Tip Based: $3.58
- Shanghai-Cooking Dumpling & Meal in Local Family-w/Vegan: $6.00
- MingleX Dinner with Shanghai locals: $19
- Online Cooking Class General Tso's Chicken by Sunflower Li: $20
- Online Cooking Class Dim Sum by Sunflower Li: $20
- Online Cooking Class Fried Rice by Sunflower Li : $20
- Authentic Shanghai Food Tour with Chi Gua Va: $35
- Public Chinese Cooking Class in Shanghai : $50
- Huangpu River Evening Cruise Ticket with Dinner: $68
- Half-Day Biking and Local Food Tour: $69
- Evening Walking Food Tour: $69
- Authentic Local Food Tour in Central Shanghai: $79
Typical Food Prices in Dali
For Dali, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch$4.49
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Breakfast$3.50
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dali
For Dali, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cangshan Mountain hike and organic homemade dinner: $80
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Shanghai $8.55Dali $18
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:
- Half-Day Private Tour of Shanghai Bund with River Cruise or Tower View: $124
- Private Shanghai Full Day City Tour with Old and New Highlights: $108
- Shanghai Layover Tour to Xinchang Water Town with City Highlights Option : $135
- Shanghai Park Martial Arts Experience: Tai Chi or Wing Chun: $60
- Shanghai Yu Garden and Bund Private Walking Tour: $25
- Shanghai private Tour to Zhujiajiao Water Town and tallest tower: $230
- Yiwu International Trade City Private Day Tour from Shanghai by Bullet Train: $216
- Yuyuan Garden and Shanghai Museum Private Shanghai Day Tour: $175
- Zhouzhuang Water Town Self-Guided Day Tour from Shanghai: $88
- shanghai water town tour zhujiajiao: $248
- 1 Day Shanghai Airport Layover Private Tour for City Highlights: $202
- 1 Day Shanghai City Private Tour + Zhujiajiao Water Town: $230
Tours and Activities in Dali
For Dali, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Dali City Tour with Private Guide: $71
- Yunnan Dali Erhai 3 Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple One Day Tour: $74
- Zhoucheng Village Tie Dyeing Private Experience: $87
- Jizu Mountain Private Tour: $87
- Dali XIzhou Ancient Town Private Tour: $87
- Shaxi Ancient Town Private Tour: $99
- Private tour to Xizhou old town local market Erhai lake three Pagodas from Dali: $184
- Dali Private Tour to Xizhou Ancient Town and Erhai Lake : $186
- Private hiking tour to Cangshan Mountain from Dali: $190
- 1-Day Dali tour with the Daili old town, Xizhou Village and Three Pagodas: $195
- Dali Yunnan Local Market Pottery Making Eco Tour: $197
- 2-Days Self-Guided tour from Dali to Lijiang and overnight in Shaxi old town: $205
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayShanghai $7.46Dali $11
Sample the Local Flavors in Shanghai
Also in Shanghai, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- 4-Hour Shanghai Pub Crawl (bars & nightclub hopping): $23
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Shanghai and Dali, we can see that Shanghai is more expensive. And not only is Dali much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Dali would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Dali 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 Dali.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Shanghai Expensive? and Is Dali Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Shanghai or Dali?
Shanghai has a larger population, and is about 110 times larger than the population of Dali. When comparing the sizes of Shanghai and Dali, 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.