Before you go
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.
- Guangzhou 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 questions
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.
Related guides
- How much does Alipay or WeChat cost with a foreign card?
- China departure tax refund
- China 240-hour visa-free transit: 57 countries and all 65 ports
- Tipping in China
More questions answered
- China trip itineraries: 7 days, 10 days, and a 240-hour transit route
- Alipay vs WeChat Pay for Foreigners 2026: Which to Set Up First
- Canton Fair 2026 Autumn Session: Dates, Phases and Buyer Survival Guide
Where these matter
Verified 2026-09-13. Policies and booking channels change — check the official channel before you rely on it.
Official sources
- Palace Museum (Forbidden City) official ticketing
- Terracotta Army Museum — tickets and notices
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding — tickets
- Canton Tower official ticketing
- China Railway 12306 (official fares and ticketing)
Take this guide offline
ChinaPass keeps city booking steps, checklists and emergency cards on your phone — no Chinese number needed.