Which place is cheaper, Shangri-La or Zhangjiajie?
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 Zhangjiajie or Shangri-La?
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 Zhangjiajie and Shangri-La. 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: Zhangjiajie or Shangri-La?
Zhangjiajie
Zhangjiajie, China is a picturesque city located in the northwest of the Hunan Province. This ancient city, which dates all the way back to the Stone Age, is famous for being home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Wulingyuan Scenic Area. Zhangjiajie is also known for being a popular filming location and and overall great place to escape the bustling Chinese cities. Zhangjiajie has its own dialect, which is a branch of the Hunan and Southern dialects, so Mandarin does not always translate when trying to speak to locals here.
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 Historical Tours in China, The Best 10-Day Tours in China, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in China, and The Best 2-Week Tours in China.
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Zhangjiajie Prices
China PricesShangri-La Prices
China Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayZhangjiajie $79Shangri-La $61
The average daily cost (per person) in Zhangjiajie is $79, 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 Zhangjiajie and Shangri-La in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personZhangjiajie $30Shangri-La $19
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomZhangjiajie $60Shangri-La $38
Compare Hotels in Zhangjiajie and Shangri-La
Looking for a hotel in Zhangjiajie 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Zhangjiajie $15Shangri-La $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zhangjiajie
Also for Zhangjiajie, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Zhangjiajie airport/city pick up transfer to hotel or Vice Versa: $15
- Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport private transfer service: $20
- Fox Fairy Show VIP Ticket with Private Transfer in ZJJ City: $52
- Private Car Transfer From WLY to Glass Bridge (Round Trip ): $105
- Private Transfer: Zhangjiajie from/to Fenghuang: $168
- Private Transfer from Zhangjiajie to Fenghuang and stops at Furong old town: $187
- 1 Day Fenghuang and Furong Town Day Tour with Hotel Transfers: $192
- Private transfer from Zhangjiajie(Wulingyuan) to Changsha area: $213
- Private Transfer from Zhangjiajie to Guilin or Yangshuo: $256
- Private Transfer: Yichang hotel from/to Zhangjiajie Hotel: $321
- 4-Day Private Tour with Airport Transfers: $710
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 Zhangjiajie or Shangri-La?
Prices for flights to both Shangri-La and Zhangjiajie 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 dayZhangjiajie $36Shangri-La $33
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Zhangjiajie
For Zhangjiajie, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- 1 Day Zhangjiajie Private Tour Visit Avatar Mount and Tianzi Mount with Dinner: $196
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Zhangjiajie $23Shangri-La $16
Tours and Activities in Zhangjiajie
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Zhangjiajie.
- Zhangjiajie Pandora Tour to Avatar Hallelujah Mountain: $7.00
- Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Ticket Booking: $16
- Zhangjiajie National Forest Park Entrance Ticket Transportation: $42
- Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge and Grand Canyon Tickets Booking: $48
- Exclusive VIP Zhangjiajie 4 Days and 3 Nights Private Tour: $50
- Exclusive VIP Zhangjiajie 5 Days and 4 Nights Private Tour: $50
- Charming Xiangxi Show VIP ticket with round trip transport: $52
- Fox Fairy Show VIP ticket with round trip private transport: $52
- Zhangjiajie Tianmen Mountain Ticket Booking: $55
- One Day Mini Group Tour to Glass Bridge and Tianmen Mountain: $63
- Mini Group Tour: Zhangjiajie Forest Park & Avatar Mountains: $66
- Zhangjiajie National Forest Park Tickets Booking: $69
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 dayZhangjiajie $16Shangri-La $13
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Zhangjiajie and Shangri-La, we can see that Zhangjiajie is more expensive. And not only is Shangri-La much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Zhangjiajie would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Zhangjiajie 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 Zhangjiajie 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.