How much is a hotel in China?

Budget doubles start around CNY 200–350, mid-range three-star-plus rooms CNY 400–800, four-star and boutique CNY 900–2,000. Rates roughly double during Golden Week (early October) and the Lunar New Year, and drop in the shoulder months.

Do I need cash in China?

Almost never for daily spending — Alipay and WeChat Pay cover everything from metro to street stalls. Carry CNY 300–500 for the rare cash-only counter, and note that ATMs limit foreign-card withdrawals per transaction.

Is it cheaper to travel with a tour or independently?

Independently, usually by 30–100% on tickets and hotels, because the same timed-entry tickets and rooms are bookable directly. The trade-off is your time: expect to spend a few evenings booking the next two days.

How much should I budget for the 240-hour visa-free transit?

There is no visa fee, so the trip costs the same as a normal one of that length: roughly ¥700–1,200 per person per day mid-range, plus the onward ticket you already need to hold.

What a China trip costs: verified ticket prices and daily budgets

Short answer

China is cheap by Western European or North American standards, and unusually predictable: the big attractions publish fixed ticket prices, high-speed rail fares are per-kilometre and stable, and there is no tipping. As a planning rule for two people sharing a room, budget roughly ¥700–1,200 per person per day for a comfortable mid-range trip (three-star-plus hotel, restaurant meals, metro and occasional taxis, one paid attraction a day), ¥350–600 for a hostel-and-street-food trip, and ¥1,500–2,500+ for four-star hotels and private guides. The charges that surprise people are not the tickets but the payment fees: foreign cards on Alipay/WeChat cost about 3% on transactions over ¥200, and cash withdrawals are capped per transaction.

Fixed prices you can look up before you go

Forbidden City: CNY 60 peak (Apr 1–Oct 31) / CNY 40 off-peak, plus CNY 10 each for the Treasure Gallery and Clock Gallery.
Terracotta Army: CNY 120. Xi'an City Wall: CNY 54, plus CNY 45 for a 3-hour bike rental.
Chengdu panda base: CNY 55 adult, CNY 27 student, CNY 168 annual pass. Wuhou Shrine: CNY 50 / CNY 25 half fare.
Canton Tower: from CNY 150 depending on the deck. West Lake, Shanghai Museum and Shenzhen Museum: free (museums still need a reservation).
Beihai Park, Temple of Heaven, Mutianyu cable car, Li River rafts: each priced separately — the pattern in China is that the park ticket and the cable car or boat inside it are always separate purchases.
Metro: a stored-value card costs CNY 20 and the deposit is non-refundable — only the balance comes back.

Per-day planning ranges (2026)

Budget, ¥350–600 per person per day: hostel dorm or budget double, street food and noodle shops, metro, one free or cheap sight a day.
Mid-range, ¥700–1,200: three-star-plus hotel double shared by two, sit-down dinners, metro plus some ride-hailing, one paid attraction a day.
Comfort, ¥1,500–2,500+: four-star or boutique hotel, a private guide or car for a day, business-class rail upgrades, fine dining.
These are planning ranges, not quotes: hotel rates swing with season (Golden Week and the Lunar New Year can double them), and the city pages on this site give the best months per destination.
Two structural savings: travel in shoulder season (Apr–May, Sep–Oct), and stay one or two metro stops outside the tourist core — the same room is routinely 30–50% cheaper.

The charges visitors forget to budget for

Foreign card fees: Alipay/WeChat charge roughly 3% on transactions above CNY 200 and nothing below that — so a ¥500 dinner costs about ¥15 extra.
ATM limits: foreign cards typically withdraw CNY 2,500–5,000 per transaction with a daily cap near CNY 10,000, plus your bank's own fee. Carry CNY 300–500 in cash as a fallback.
Tax refund: same store, same day, minimum CNY 200 since April 2025; you get back about 11% (13% VAT minus a ~2% fee), and only at your final departure port — not at a domestic transfer.
No tipping: restaurants, taxis and hotels do not expect tips. A restaurant may add a per-person tea/seat charge (茶位费), which is normal, not a scam.
Overstay fines: CNY 500 per day up to CNY 10,000 for visa-free overstays — the most expensive mistake in this list and the easiest to avoid.

Where the money actually goes

Transport is usually the largest single line for a multi-city trip: high-speed rail between cities is roughly ¥0.45–0.60 per kilometre in second class (Shanghai–Hangzhou, 1h, is CNY 73).
Accommodation is the most volatile: book 3–6 weeks ahead outside holidays, and check whether the hotel accepts foreign passports before you pay.
Food is where you control the budget most: a bowl of noodles is ¥15–30, a sit-down dinner with beer ¥80–150 per person, a high-end restaurant ¥400+.
Attractions are a small share if you book directly: agency packages add 30–100% for the same timed-entry tickets you can reserve yourself in five minutes.

Cutting the bill without cutting the trip

Book the timed entries yourself (Forbidden City, Terracotta, museums) — agencies mark up tickets you can get at face value.
Use second class on high-speed rail: it is comfortable, and first class is roughly 60% more for the same journey time.
Eat lunch as the set menu and dinner as the small local place; the same kitchen charges less at midday.
Museums: most national and provincial museums are free with a reservation — build a free-museum afternoon into each city.
Do not rent a car. Ride-hailing in cities is cheap; intercity driving needs a Chinese licence and insurance.

Related guides

Where these matter

Official sources

Policies and booking channels change — check the official channel before you rely on it.