Money & costs in China
What a day actually costs, where the money goes, and how to budget by tier.
What everyone needs to know
- The yuan (CNY/¥) is the only currency accepted in mainland China.
- China is far cheaper than Western Europe or Japan for food and transport, but hotel prices in tier-1 cities are now comparable.
- Card acceptance has improved dramatically, but small vendors are still QR-first.
- Budget, mid-range and luxury tiers differ mostly in accommodation, not in food or transport.
The numbers
| Item | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Budget daily | ¥300–500 (hostel, street food, metro) |
| Mid-range daily | ¥800–1,500 (3–4★, restaurants, some taxis) |
| Luxury daily | ¥2,500+ (5★, fine dining, private transfers) |
| Museum entry | Often free with booking |
Do it in this order
- Budget separately for accommodation and for everything else — the split is roughly 50/50 at mid-range.
- Use the currency converter to sanity-check prices before you buy.
- Withdraw ¥500–1,000 on arrival as a fallback and rely on QR for the rest.
- Expect attraction tickets to be the largest single discretionary cost after hotels.
Mistakes to avoid
- Carrying large amounts of cash unnecessarily — it is safe but pointless.
- Assuming big-city prices apply everywhere; smaller cities can be 40% cheaper.
- Forgetting that alcohol and imported goods are heavily taxed.
Sources
Money & costs city by city
- Beijing
- Shanghai
- Xi'an
- Chengdu
- Chongqing
- Guilin
- Zhangjiajie
- Hangzhou
- Guangzhou
- Shenzhen
- Harbin
- Sanya
- Lijiang
- Kunming
- Suzhou
- Xiamen
- Zhengzhou
- Taiyuan
- Guiyang
- Fuzhou
- Yiwu
- Tianjin
- Nanjing
- Wuhan
- Changsha
- Qingdao
- Jinan
- Shenyang
- Dalian
- Changchun
- Hohhot
- Urumqi
- Lhasa
- Xining
- Lanzhou
- Yinchuan
- Dunhuang
- Luoyang
- Kaifeng
- Datong
- Pingyao
- Qufu
- Tai'an
- Huangshan
- Hefei
- Nanchang
- Wenzhou
- Ningbo
- Wuxi
- Yangzhou
- Shaoxing
- Zhuhai
- Foshan
- Dongguan
- Haikou
- Nanning
- Yangshuo
- Dali
- Shangri-La
- Xishuangbanna