China on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Yes, China is good for budget travel: about ¥350 per person per day covers a shared room, local food, the metro and a main sight. Long-distance trains are the biggest extra, so plan the route to keep legs few.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | ¥150 | ¥350 | ¥1,000 |
| Food & drink | ¥100 | ¥220 | ¥500 |
| Sights & tickets | ¥80 | ¥150 | ¥300 |
| Local transport | ¥20 | ¥60 | ¥200 |
| Per person, per day | ¥350 | ¥780 | ¥2,000 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our China day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Walk The Bund in Shanghai at dusk for the Pudong skyline
- Watch locals dance and play cards in the Temple of Heaven park (park entry is a few yuan)
- Wander the hutong lanes around Shichahai and Nanluoguxiang in Beijing
- Walk Tiananmen Square (security check and passport needed)
- Explore the plane-tree streets of Shanghai's former French Concession
- Walk Xi'an's Muslim Quarter behind the Drum Tower
Cheap eats
- Roujiamo in Xi'an, about ¥15-20
- Biangbiang noodles, about ¥20-30
- Xiaolongbao soup dumplings in Shanghai, about ¥20-40 a basket
- Jianbing breakfast crepe from a street stall, about ¥8-12
- Beer fish in Yangshuo, shared between two, about ¥80-120
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in courtyard hostels in Beijing's hutongs and family guesthouses around Yangshuo, at about ¥200-400 for a double; dorm beds are cheaper. Make sure your hotel is licensed to accept foreigners.
Getting around cheaply
Metros in Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai cost a few yuan a ride and can be paid by Alipay QR code. Airport express trains and metro lines are the cheapest airport links. For long distances, second-class high-speed train seats are the best value; sleeper trains save a night's accommodation on very long routes.
A sample budget day
- Morning: Forbidden City, about ¥60
- Lunch: noodles near Jingshan Park, about ¥25
- Afternoon: Jingshan Park (¥2) and the hutongs of Shichahai, free
- Evening: dumplings or a shared duck and the metro back, about ¥60
- Total: about ¥350 per person including a shared room
More ways to save
- Buy a local SIM or eSIM with data, and a VPN-friendly plan if you need Western apps.
- Book big sights online in advance with your passport; queues for on-the-day tickets are long.
- Rent an e-bike in Yangshuo (about ¥50-80 a day) instead of hiring a driver.
- Choose the Yangshuo-Xingping Li River boats rather than the longer, pricier Guilin cruises.
- Eat your main meal at lunch, when set menus are cheaper.
- Travel mid-week to avoid weekend crowds at popular sites.
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Common questions
Is China good for budget travel?
Yes, at about ¥350 a day with hostels, local food and the metro. Long-distance trains are the main extra.
What is the cheapest way to travel between cities in China?
Second-class seats on high-speed trains, booked on the official 12306 app; sleeper trains save a hotel night on long routes.
Is food cheap in China?
Yes: noodles, dumplings and street snacks usually cost about ¥10-40.