The average price of a 7-day trip to Shanghai is $1,745 for a solo traveler, $3,134 for a couple, and $5,875 for a family of 4. Shanghai hotels range from $34 to $196 per night with an average of $92, while most vacation rentals will cost $150 to $400 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 $34 to $91 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 Shanghai, CN
On average, these will be the cheapest dates to fly to SHA and stay in a 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 Shanghai is usually mid November.
Average Shanghai Trip Costs
Average Solo Traveler
The average cost for one person to visit Shanghai for a week is $1,192-$2,600($170-$371 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $34 to $91 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $630 to $1,489 for economy
Lodging: $54 to $79 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $62 to $76 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Couple’s Trip
The average cost for a couple to visit Shanghai for a week is $2,918-$5,170($417-$739 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $68 to $182 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,260 to $2,978 for economy
Lodging: $54 to $79 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $62 to $76 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Family Vacation
The average cost for 4 people to visit Shanghai for a week is $3,994-$9,452($571-$1,350 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $136 to $364 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $2,520 to $5,956 for economy
Lodging: $108 to $158 per night for two 2 or 3-star hotel rooms
or $87 to $106 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Traveling Cheap to Shanghai
How cheap can you make a vacation to Shanghai? The cheapest trip to Shanghai is about $127 per person per day for travelers willing to take standby flights, deal with inconvenience, and otherwise limit travel expenses. About 1% of rentals are available in the $0 to $100 range for an entire place, and vacation rentals can be booked for as low as $21 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 Shanghai for a week is $889-$2,114($127-$302 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $19 to $37 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $630 to $1,489 for economy
Lodging: $28 to $34 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $21 to $61 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Couple’s Trip
The lowest cost for a couple to visit Shanghai for a week is $1,652-$3,862($236-$552 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $38 to $74 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,260 to $2,978 for economy
Lodging: $28 to $34 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $21 to $61 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Family Vacation
The lowest cost for 4 people to visit Shanghai for a week is $3,256-$7,544($465-$1,078 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $76 to $148 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $2,520 to $5,956 for economy
Lodging: $56 to $68 per night for two 1-star hotel rooms
or $34 to $92 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Overall it is very possible to travel to Shanghai cheaply.
The Cost of a Luxury 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 Shanghai.
Luxury Solo Traveler
The high-end price for one person to visit Shanghai for a week is $2,518-$10,098($360-$1,443 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $71 to $191 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,367 to $3,961 for first class
Lodging: $109 to $196 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $400 to $800 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Couple’s Trip
The high-end price for a couple to visit Shanghai for a week is $4,382-$15,396($626-$2,199 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $142 to $382 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $2,734 to $7,922 for first class
Lodging: $109 to $196 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $400 to $800 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Family Vacation
The high-end price for 4 people to visit Shanghai for a week is $8,764-$27,912($1,252-$3,987 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $284 to $764 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $5,468 to $15,844 for first class
Lodging: $218 to $392 per night for two 4 or 5-star hotel rooms
or $640 to $1,120 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Shanghai Hotel Prices
The cost of staying in Shanghai is slightly lower than the average city. On average hotels are less expensive than vacation rentals. Luxury vacation rentals are more expensive in 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.
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.
Key
Prices are based on 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.
Key
There are a healthy amount of vacation rentals serving all budgets in Shanghai.
Flight Costs to 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 Shanghai our data includes 348 originating airports, and 113 airlines. The area has more variance in price compared with other locations. Flying to 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
Key
Average Flight Cost by Day of Week
Key
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 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 Shanghai can easily cost $280 per person or more, while a standard nice meal might be about $19 per person. Private tours can cost $560 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.