China Travel Budget Guide
China is one of the best-value destinations in Asia. Here’s what things actually cost — from ¥5 street noodles to five-star suites.
Daily Budget by Travel Style
$30–50/day
Accommodation
Hostel dorm ($5–15) or budget guesthouse ($15–25)
Food
Street food and local restaurants ($5–15)
Transport
Metro, local bus, hard-seat trains ($3–10)
Activities
Free parks, temples with entry fees ($5–15)
Backpacker pace. Share dorms, eat where locals eat, travel slowly by train.
$80–150/day
Accommodation
3-star hotel or boutique guesthouse ($40–120)
Food
Mix of local and Western restaurants ($20–40)
Transport
High-speed rail 2nd class, Didi rides ($10–30)
Activities
Major attractions + guided tours ($15–30)
Comfortable travel. Private rooms, varied dining, some splurges.
$200–400+/day
Accommodation
5-star hotel or boutique luxury ($150–400+)
Food
Fine dining, international cuisine ($40–100+)
Transport
High-speed rail 1st class, private transfers ($20–60)
Activities
Private guides, VIP experiences ($30–80+)
No compromises. Best hotels, curated experiences, private transport.
Food & Drink Prices
| Street food meal (jianbing, noodles, dumplings) | $1–4 |
| Local sit-down restaurant (2 people) | $5–10 |
| Mid-range restaurant (2 people) | $10–20 |
| Western restaurant meal | $15–30/person |
| Starbucks coffee | $4–5 |
| Local coffee shop | $1.50 |
| Beer (supermarket) | $0.70 |
| Beer (bar) | $2–3 |
| Water bottle (500ml) | $0.30 |
Prices in USD. Tier-1 cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen) run 20–40% higher than smaller cities.
Transport Costs
| Metro ride (any city) | $0.30–1.00 |
| Didi ride (10km in city) | $3–8 |
| Beijing → Shanghai (HSR, 4.5h) | $80–90 |
| Beijing → Xi'an (HSR, 4h) | $50–55 |
| Xi'an → Chengdu (HSR, 3h) | $25–30 |
| Shanghai → Hangzhou (HSR, 1h) | $15–20 |
| Overnight sleeper train (per 1,000km) | $30–55 |
| Domestic flight (booked 2+ weeks ahead) | $50–150 |
High-speed rail prices are for 2nd class. 1st class is roughly 60% more. Business class is 2–3x.
Attraction Entry Fees
| Great Wall (Mutianyu/Jinshanling) | $8–10 |
| Forbidden City, Beijing | $8–9 |
| Terracotta Warriors, Xi'an | $15–18 |
| Summer Palace, Beijing | $8 |
| Chengdu Panda Base | $7–8 |
| Tiger Leaping Gorge | $12–14 |
| Zhangjiajie National Forest Park | $30–35 (4-day pass) |
| West Lake, Hangzhou | Free |
| The Bund, Shanghai | Free |
Other Costs to Budget For
| Tourist visa (US citizens) | $140 |
| Tourist visa (UK citizens) | ~$80 |
| Tourist visa (Canadian citizens) | ~$55 |
| Visa-free entry (50+ countries) | Free |
| 240-hour transit visa-free | Free |
| eSIM (5GB, 7 days) | $15–20 |
| Laundry (hostel machine) | $1–1.50/load |
| SIM card (local, at airport) | $15–30 |
Money-Saving Tips
Eat where locals eat
If a restaurant has a bilingual menu and tablecloths, it’s a tourist restaurant. Follow the crowds to the busy hole-in-the-wall with plastic stools — that’s where the best (and cheapest) food is.
Take high-speed trains instead of flights
Once you factor in airport transfers and waiting times, trains are often faster for distances under 1,000km — and cheaper. Plus you get to watch the countryside fly past at 300 km/h.
Book accommodation on Trip.com
Trip.com (Ctrip) consistently has the lowest hotel prices for China, often 20–40% cheaper than Booking.com for the same property. The app works in English and accepts international cards.
Split Alipay payments under ¥200
Alipay charges 3% on foreign card transactions over ¥200. Ask merchants to split larger purchases into multiple transactions under that threshold. Most will happily do so.
Visit second-tier cities
Chengdu, Kunming, Xi’an, and Guilin are 30–50% cheaper than Beijing and Shanghai for accommodation and food, with equally incredible sights. Your budget goes much further outside the megacities.