China travel budget: realistic daily costs (2026)

China is cheaper than most travelers expect, especially for food and transport. Hotels in Beijing and Shanghai and long train rides are where the money goes. All figures below are per person per day, without international flights, and they are typical ranges, not fixed prices.

Exchange rates in late September 2026 were about ¥6.7 per US dollar and ¥7.6 per euro. As a rough guide, ¥100 is about US$15 or €13. Rates move, so check before you go.

Daily budget at a glance

• Budget: ¥300–450 (about US$45–65 / €40–60). Hostel dorm or simple hotel, local restaurants and street food, metro and buses, one paid sight a day.
• Mid-range: ¥700–1,200 (about US$105–180 / €90–155). A comfortable 3–4 star hotel shared by two, sit-down meals, taxis or DiDi when needed, two sights a day.
• Comfort: ¥1,800 and up (about US$270+ / €235+). International hotel chains, nicer restaurants, first-class train seats, private guide or driver now and then.

Add train or flight costs between cities on top.

Hotels

• Hostel dorm bed: about ¥60–120
• Simple budget hotel room: about ¥200–350
• Mid-range 3–4 star room: about ¥400–800
• International 5-star in Beijing or Shanghai: from about ¥1,200, often more

Prices rise sharply during Golden Week and Chinese New Year. Book hotels that accept foreign passports: some cheap hotels cannot register foreign guests. Booking sites such as Trip.com show which ones can.

Food

Eating well is cheap.

• Breakfast of buns, dumplings or a jianbing pancake: ¥5–20
• A bowl of noodles or a rice dish: ¥15–35
• Dinner at a casual restaurant: ¥50–100 per person
• A nicer restaurant: ¥150–300 or more per person
• Bottled water: ¥2–4

Tipping is not expected in restaurants or taxis.

Getting around

• Metro rides: about ¥3–10 per ride
• Taxi or DiDi across town: often ¥20–60, depending on the city and traffic
• High-speed train, second class: Beijing–Shanghai and Beijing–Xi’an are roughly ¥500–700 each; short hops such as Shanghai–Suzhou or Shanghai–Hangzhou are under ¥100. Fares vary by train and date.
• Domestic flights can be cheaper than the train on long routes, especially if booked early.

Sights

Many museums are free but need a booking. Typical ticket prices from our city guides:

• Forbidden City: ¥60 (April–October), ¥40 (November–March)
• Terracotta Army: ¥120
• Chengdu Panda Base: ¥55
• Mutianyu Great Wall: about ¥45, plus ¥140 for the return cable car

Most major sights cost ¥30–150. See the reservations center for booking windows.

An example: 10 days, mid-range

On the Beijing, Xi’an and Shanghai route, two people sharing a room at about ¥600 a night spend roughly:

• Hotel: ¥2,700 each for 9 nights
• Trains and one flight between cities: ¥1,200–1,700
• Sights: ¥600
• Food: ¥2,000
• Local transport: ¥500

That is about ¥7,000–7,500 per person (roughly US$1,050–1,100 / €900–1,000), before international flights. Allow more for shows, cable cars and shopping.

Ways to save

• Take high-speed trains in second class and book early, as popular trains sell out.
• Eat where locals eat. Food courts in malls are cheap, clean and have picture menus.
• Travel outside public holidays, when hotel prices and crowds peak.
• Use the metro. It is fast, cheap and signed in English.