Which place is cheaper, Shangri-La or Wellington?
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 Wellington or Shangri-La?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Wellington or Shangri-La? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Wellington or Shangri-La?
Wellington
Wellington is the capital and second largest city in New Zealand. It sits on the southwestern edge of the North Island between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range. It's a beautiful setting that is encircled by mountains giving it a beautiful backdrop. There are also many cultural sights and attractions around town. Wellington really is the perfect mix of New Zealand's natural beauty and a vibrant urban core. The film industry is also prevelant in the city. The city's production centers have helped create Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit trilogies, Avatar, Tin Tin, and District 9.
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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand, The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand, The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China.
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Wellington Prices
New Zealand PricesShangri-La Prices
China Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayWellington $124Shangri-La $61
The average daily cost (per person) in Wellington is $124, 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 Wellington and Shangri-La in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personWellington $60Shangri-La $19
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomWellington $120Shangri-La $38
Compare Hotels in Wellington and Shangri-La
Looking for a hotel in Wellington 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: Wellington Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Wellington $12Shangri-La $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Wellington
Also for Wellington, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Wellington Port to Wellington Airport (WLG): $26
- Private Transfer from Wellington Airport (WLG) to Wellington Port: $26
- Private Large SUV Airport Transfers Wellington - Executive Travel: $57
- Wētā Workshop Guided Tour Ticket + Transfer: $57
- Wētā Workshop Guided Transfers & Tour: $59
- Private Airport Transfer Service Vice Versa in Wellington by SUV: $68
- Private Airport Transfer Service Vice Versa in Wellington by SUV: $74
- Private Airport Transfer: $77
- Wellington Airport (WLG) to Wellington - Arrival Private Transfer: $78
- WLG Airport to City Private RoundTrip Transfer: $93
- Private Transfer from Wellington hotels to Wellington Cruise Port: $105
- Wellington Airport(WLG) to Wellington-Round-Trip Private Transfer: $155
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Shangri-La
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Shangri-La:
- Private Transfer from Shangri-la(Diqing) hotel to Lijiang/Shuhe hotel : $149
- Private Transfer from Shangri-La to Lijiang and Stops at Tiger Leaping Gorge: $160
Is it cheaper to fly into Wellington or Shangri-La?
Prices for flights to both Shangri-La and Wellington 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 dayWellington $51Shangri-La $33
Typical Food Prices in Wellington
For Wellington, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Dinner$8.87
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Wellington
For Wellington, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- 3 Hour Walking Food Tour: $125
- Capital Bites, A food tour of Wellington: $134
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Wellington $16Shangri-La $16
Tours and Activities in Wellington
For Wellington, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Return Cable Car Ticket: $6.95
- Wellington Zoo General Entry Tickets: $15
- Skip the Line: Staglands Wildlife Reserve Entry Ticket: $17
- Private Group Puzzle-Solving Adventure Game: Temple: $27
- Private Group Puzzle-Solving Adventure Game: Atlantis: $27
- Private Group Puzzle-Solving Adventure Game: Spaceship: $27
- Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Entry Ticket: $28
- Wētā Workshop Guided Tour Ticket: $32
- Wētā Workshop Creative Classes Experience Ticket: $32
- Wētā Workshop Experiences Tour - Wellington: $33
- Axe Throwing Lesson and Tournament: $33
- Zealandia by Day Tour: $37
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 dayWellington $12Shangri-La $13
Sample the Local Flavors in Wellington
Also in Wellington, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Wellington Craft Brewery Half-Day Guided Tour with Tastings: $99
- From Martinborough Wine Tasting Tour: $168
- Full Day Martinborough Wine Tour: $173
- Exclusive Martinborough Wine Tour: $208
- 6hr Martinborough Chefs shared wine tour ŵ lunch from Wellington: $268
- Chefs Private Martinborough wine tour with Gourmet Lunch: $391
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Wellington and Shangri-La, we can see that Wellington is more expensive. And not only is Shangri-La much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Wellington 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 Wellington would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Wellington 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 Wellington 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.