The average price of a 7-day trip to Downtown Shanghai is $1,738 for a solo traveler, $3,121 for a couple, and $5,852 for a family of 4. Downtown Shanghai hotels range from $33 to $187 per night with an average of $103, while most vacation rentals will cost $100 to $340 per night for the entire home. Average worldwide flight costs to Hongqiao International Airport (SHA) are between $1,059 and $1,711 per person for economy flights and $3,323 to $5,369 for first class. Depending on activities, we recommend budgeting $36 to $76 per person per day for transportation and enjoying local restaurants.
See below for average, budget, and luxury trip costs. You can also look up flight costs from your airport for more tailored flight pricing.
The Cheapest Times to Visit Downtown Shanghai, CN
On average, these will be the cheapest dates to fly to SHA and stay in a Downtown Shanghai hotel:
- February 5th to April 29th
- August 27th to December 9th (except the week of October 8th)
The absolute cheapest time to take a vacation in Downtown Shanghai is usually mid November.
Average Downtown Shanghai Trip Costs
Average Solo Traveler
The average cost for one person to visit Downtown Shanghai for a week is $1,134-$2,593($162-$370 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $36 to $76 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $630 to $1,437 for economy
Lodging: $42 to $104 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $55 to $67 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Couple’s Trip
The average cost for a couple to visit Downtown Shanghai for a week is $2,874-$5,110($411-$730 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $72 to $152 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,260 to $2,874 for economy
Lodging: $42 to $104 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $55 to $67 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Family Vacation
The average cost for 4 people to visit Downtown Shanghai for a week is $3,990-$9,124($570-$1,303 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $144 to $304 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $2,520 to $5,748 for economy
Lodging: $84 to $208 per night for two 2 or 3-star hotel rooms
or $77 to $101 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Traveling Cheap to Downtown Shanghai
How cheap can you make a vacation to Downtown Shanghai? The cheapest trip to Downtown Shanghai is about $126 per person per day for travelers willing to take standby flights, deal with inconvenience, and otherwise limit travel expenses. About 7% of rentals are available in the $0 to $100 range for an entire place, and vacation rentals can be booked for as low as $20 per night. These inexpensive rentals must be booked as early as possible and may not be in the most desirable areas. 1-star hotels are more likely to be available, with rooms starting at around $28.
Even cheaper trips are possible depending on where you live and whether you can drive. Check the cheapest times to fly for more saving ideas.
Budget Solo Traveler
The lowest cost for one person to visit Downtown Shanghai for a week is $883-$1,943($126-$278 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $19 to $38 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $630 to $1,437 for economy
Lodging: $28 to $33 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $20 to $40 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Couple’s Trip
The lowest cost for a couple to visit Downtown Shanghai for a week is $1,646-$3,646($235-$521 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $38 to $76 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,260 to $2,874 for economy
Lodging: $28 to $33 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $20 to $40 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Family Vacation
The lowest cost for 4 people to visit Downtown Shanghai for a week is $3,232-$7,208($462-$1,030 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $76 to $152 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $2,520 to $5,748 for economy
Lodging: $56 to $66 per night for two 1-star hotel rooms
or $30 to $60 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Overall it is very possible to travel to Downtown Shanghai cheaply.
The Cost of a Luxury Downtown Shanghai Trip
There is no true ceiling on the cost of a luxury trip, so our estimates are based on what most people do in Downtown Shanghai.
Luxury Solo Traveler
The high-end price for one person to visit Downtown Shanghai for a week is $2,563-$7,999($366-$1,143 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $79 to $144 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,380 to $3,319 for first class
Lodging: $105 to $187 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $340 to $612 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Couple’s Trip
The high-end price for a couple to visit Downtown Shanghai for a week is $4,496-$12,326($642-$1,761 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $158 to $288 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $2,760 to $6,638 for first class
Lodging: $105 to $187 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $340 to $612 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Family Vacation
The high-end price for 4 people to visit Downtown Shanghai for a week is $8,992-$22,816($1,285-$3,259 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $316 to $576 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $5,520 to $13,276 for first class
Lodging: $210 to $374 per night for two 4 or 5-star hotel rooms
or $510 to $918 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Downtown Shanghai Hotel Prices
The cost of staying in Downtown Shanghai is slightly lower than the average city. On average hotels are less expensive than vacation rentals. Luxury vacation rentals are more expensive in Downtown Shanghai due to very high property costs. The graphs below show how much cost can vary depending on the type of experience you’re looking for.
Downtown Shanghai Lodging Cost by Star Status
The average price for the class of hotel is on the (y) axis. The hotel class (out of 5 stars) is on the (x) axis.
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Prices are based on Downtown Shanghai hotel averages and may not reflect current prices. In some cases, we extrapolate prices to estimate costs, and hotels with your desired star rating may not be available.
Vacation Rental Prices
The percent of vacation rentals in the price range is on the left (y) axis. Price range is on the bottom (x) axis.
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There are a healthy amount of vacation rentals serving all budgets in Downtown Shanghai.
Flight Costs to Downtown Shanghai
Averaging flights around the world, prices go from a high of $1,711 average in early August to a low of $1,059 in mid November. Median flight price is $1,033. These prices are based on millions of flights. For Downtown Shanghai our data includes 348 originating airports, and 113 airlines. The area has more variance in price compared with other locations. Flying to Downtown Shanghai from an airport like New Bedford Regional (EWB) in New Bedford/Fall River, MA (the United States) for an average $9,106 trip fare will obviously cost a lot more than from an airport like Macau International (MFM) in Macau (Macau) at an average of just $201.
Average Flight Cost by Season
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Average Flight Cost by Day of Week
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The cheapest day to fly in is typically Tuesday, and the cheapest day to fly back is usually Tuesday. Click here to see data for the cost of flights from your airport. In Downtown Shanghai, the difference between the cheapest and the most expensive week is about $651, so you can easily save about 61% simply by using our free flight guides and booking in advance.
Daily Expenses Budget
Daily vacation expenses vary more based on what you’re interested in doing. A fine dining restaurant with drinks around Downtown Shanghai can easily cost $280 per person or more, while a standard nice meal might be about $19 per person. Private tours can cost $569 per day, but self-guided tours to see the outdoor sights can be free. Costs vary wildly, so recommendations are made based on the cost of living and averages we see for this type of vacation.