The short version
Excluding international flights, plan on roughly these amounts per person per day, sharing a double room:
| Travel style | Per day (RMB) | Per day (about US$) | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | 400–600 | 55–85 | Hostels or simple hotels, local food, metro, second-class trains |
| Mid-range | 900–1,500 | 130–210 | Good 4-star hotels, a mix of restaurants, taxis, some private transfers |
| Luxury | 2,500+ | 350+ | 5-star hotels, fine dining, private guide and driver, first class |
A mid-range 14-day first trip (Beijing, Xi’an, Chengdu, Guilin and Shanghai) costs about RMB 13,000 to 16,000 per person, or roughly US$1,850 to 2,300.
These are our estimates for planning, based on typical prices in 2026, not quotes. Ticket prices below come from official sources where shown. US dollar amounts use roughly RMB 7 to US$1; check the current exchange rate.
Where your money goes
Accommodation
Prices are per room per night, and are higher in Beijing and Shanghai, on Friday and Saturday nights and around national holidays.
| Type | Typical price (RMB) |
|---|---|
| Hostel dorm bed | 60–150 |
| Simple hotel or hostel private room | 200–400 |
| Good mid-range or 4-star hotel | 400–900 |
| Upscale or international hotel | 900–2,000 |
| Luxury hotel | 2,000+ |
Not every hotel can host foreign guests, especially the cheapest ones. Booking sites for international travelers usually show only hotels that accept foreigners. See can foreigners stay in any hotel in China?
Food and drink
Eating well is one of China’s great bargains.
| Meal or drink | Typical price (RMB) |
|---|---|
| Noodles, dumplings or street food | 10–30 |
| Convenience store breakfast or snack | 10–25 |
| Casual restaurant meal | 50–100 per person |
| Hot pot or Peking duck dinner | 100–250 per person |
| Nice restaurant | 150–300 per person |
| Fine dining or hotel restaurant | 400+ per person |
| Coffee at a Chinese chain | 10–25 |
| Coffee at an international chain | 30–45 |
| Bottle of water | 2–5 |
| Beer in a restaurant | 10–30 |
Mid-range daily food budget: about RMB 200 to 300 per person.
Getting around in cities
| Transport | Typical price (RMB) |
|---|---|
| Metro ride | 2–10, depending on distance |
| City bus | 1–2 |
| Taxi or DiDi | Flag fall about 13–16 in Beijing and Shanghai; a 20-minute ride is often 30–60 |
| Airport to city by taxi | About 100–200 in Beijing or Shanghai |
| Private car and driver for a day | Several hundred to over 1,000 per car, depending on the car and distance |
See How to get a taxi in China.
Trains and flights between cities
High-speed trains, second class, as a rough guide:
| Route | Journey time | Second class (RMB) |
|---|---|---|
| Shanghai to Hangzhou or Suzhou | About 30–60 min | 40–150 |
| Beijing to Xi’an | 4.5–6 h | 500–700 |
| Beijing to Shanghai | 4.5–6 h | 550–700 |
| Chengdu to Chongqing | 1–1.5 h | About 100–150 |
First class usually costs about 1.6 times second class. The fare shown on 12306 when you book is the real price. See How to book China train tickets.
Domestic flights often cost RMB 500 to 1,500 one way in economy, more around holidays. They make sense for long hops, such as Xi’an to Guilin or Chengdu to Shanghai.
Sights and activities
Many famous sights are inexpensive:
| Sight | Ticket price (RMB) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Forbidden City (Palace Museum), Beijing | 60 (April–October), 40 (November–March) | Palace Museum |
| Mutianyu Great Wall | 40 entrance; about 180–200 with shuttle bus and cable car | Official notice; booking pages |
| Badaling Great Wall | 40 (April–October), 35 (November–March) | Visit Beijing |
| Simatai Great Wall and Gubei Water Town | 40 wall + 140 water town | Gubei Water Town |
| Terracotta Warriors, Xi’an | About 120 | Visitor reports |
| Chengdu Giant Panda Base | About 55 | Visitor reports |
| Yangtze River Cableway, Chongqing | 30 one way, 50 return | Chongqing government |
Many sights need real-name booking with your passport. Guided tours, cable cars, shows and river cruises cost extra. See Great Wall tickets and Forbidden City tickets.
Before you go
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Visa | Free for visa-free nationalities; US citizens pay US$140 for a tourist visa until 31 December 2026 |
| Travel insurance | Varies by age, trip length and cover |
| Travel eSIM | Roughly the price of a few meals for a 1–2 week plan |
| International flights | Your biggest single cost; book early for holidays |
See Which countries can visit China visa-free?, How to get a China tourist visa and Travel insurance for China.
Sample trip budgets
Estimates per person, sharing a double room, excluding international flights.
7 days: Beijing and Xi’an, mid-range
| Item | Estimate (RMB) |
|---|---|
| Hotels: 6 nights at about RMB 700 per room | 2,100 |
| Food: about RMB 250 a day | 1,750 |
| Local transport: metro and taxis | 400 |
| High-speed train Beijing to Xi’an, second class | 600 |
| Sights: Forbidden City, Mutianyu with cable car, Terracotta Warriors and others | 700 |
| Great Wall day: share of a private car and driver | 500 |
| Travel eSIM | 150 |
| Total | About 6,200 (about US$900) |
14 days: Beijing, Xi’an, Chengdu, Guilin and Shanghai, mid-range
| Item | Estimate (RMB) |
|---|---|
| Hotels: 13 nights at about RMB 700 per room | 4,550 |
| Food: about RMB 250 a day | 3,500 |
| Local transport | 850 |
| Trains and domestic flights between cities | 2,700 |
| Sights, cable cars and a Li River cruise | 1,500 |
| Private transfers, Great Wall driver and extras | 800 |
| Travel eSIM | 200 |
| Total | About 14,100 (about US$2,000) |
Budget version: hostels or simple hotels, local food and trains only can bring the 14-day trip down to about RMB 7,000 to 8,000.
Luxury version: 5-star hotels, private guides and drivers, first-class trains and fine dining can cost RMB 35,000 or more.
What makes a China trip more expensive
- National holidays. Around Chinese New Year, 1–5 May and 1–7 October, hotel prices and flights can double, and trains sell out. See the best time to visit China.
- Beijing and Shanghai hotels. Expect to pay more for a central location.
- Private guides and drivers. They save time and stress, but cost far more than public transport.
- Long distances. Covering many regions means more flights. Two or three regions in two weeks is a good balance.
- Card and wallet fees. Your bank may charge foreign transaction fees, and WeChat Pay charges foreign cards a fee on larger payments. See Can I use my credit card in China?
How to save money in China
- Travel in spring or autumn outside the national holidays, or in the quiet winter months.
- Take high-speed trains in second class. They are fast, comfortable and often cheaper than flying.
- Use the metro in big cities. It is cheap, fast and easy.
- Eat where locals eat. Noodle shops, dumpling houses and food courts in malls are excellent and inexpensive.
- Book real-name tickets directly on official sites and mini-programs, rather than through resellers.
- Stay near a metro station instead of paying for a very central hotel.
- Use Alipay or WeChat Pay with a card that has no foreign transaction fees.
How to pay for your trip
Most people in China pay by phone. Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with your foreign card before you go, bring two bank cards and carry a little cash as a backup. See Alipay for foreigners and Cash and ATMs in China.
Tipping is not expected in most of China. Private guides and drivers are the main exception.
Get a clear price for your trip
Your personal travel concierge can help you see where it is worth spending more and where you can save, and tell you on the day whether a price is fair.
- The Palace Museum: Visit (opening hours and ticket prices)
- Mutianyu Great Wall (official): visitor notice
- Visit Beijing: Badaling Great Wall prices
- Chongqing Municipal Development and Reform Commission: Yangtze River Cableway fares
- Chinese Embassy in the US: visa fees (to 31 December 2026)
Editorial update: . Check the linked source for current provider terms or official rules.