A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Torquay vs. Shangri-La for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Torquay or Shangri-La?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Torquay or Shangri-La, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Torquay or Shangri-La?

Torquay

Located on the eastern end of the Great Ocean Road, Torquay is a seaside town of Victoria famous for its surfing and beaches. Surf town through and through, it is also the headquarters for the Quiksilver and Rip Curl surf gear companies, and home to the Rip Curl Easter Pro, the world's longest running surf contest held on Bells Beach.

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 10-Day Tours in Australia, The Best 2-Week Tours in Australia, The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China.


Which place is cheaper, Shangri-La or Torquay?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Torquay is $106, 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 Torquay and Shangri-La in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Torquay $39
    Shangri-La $19
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Torquay $78
    Shangri-La $38
Compare Hotels in Torquay and Shangri-La

Looking for a hotel in Torquay 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.

Hotels in Torquay


Hotels in Shangri-La


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Torquay $39
    Shangri-La $11

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 Torquay or Shangri-La?

Prices for flights to both Shangri-La and Torquay 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Torquay $44
    Shangri-La $33

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Torquay $11
    Shangri-La $16

Tours and Activities in Torquay

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Torquay.

  • Sunset Twilight Cruise in Hervey Bay: $37
  • Twilight Bay Cruise in Hervey Bay: $37
  • SUMMER K'gari (Fraser Island) Boom-net & Sightseeing Cruise: $40
  • Experience History onboard The Mary Valley Rattler: $46
  • Morning Farm Experience near Gympie & Noosa: $59
  • Milbi Sunset Cruise with Champagne and Prawns: $59
  • Hervey Bay Sunset Cruise: $64
  • Fraser Island & Dolphin Sailing Adventure: $74
  • Hervey Bay Whale Watching Experience: $99
  • Spirit of Hervey Bay Whale Watching Cruise: $104
  • Enjoy a VIP Booth Shared Experience From Gympie: $106
  • K'gari (Fraser Island) West Coast Half Day Cruise from Hervey Bay: $107

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
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Torquay $7.48
    Shangri-La $13


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Torquay and Shangri-La, we can see that Torquay is more expensive. And not only is Shangri-La much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Torquay is in Pacific 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 Torquay would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Torquay 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 Torquay Expensive? and Is Shangri-La Expensive?.


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