A 10-day China trip costs between $1,200 and $10,000 depending on your comfort level and choices. Most travelers spend $3,000-5,000 for two people.
Here’s where the money actually goes, with real numbers.
International Flights
To major cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou): $600-1,200 round-trip from North America, depending on season and how far in advance you book.
Booking strategy: Search 8-12 weeks ahead. Fly to Beijing or Shanghai (major hubs) rather than smaller cities. Use Google Flights and Skyscanner to compare airlines. Asian carriers (China Southern, China Eastern, Air China) are often $200-300 cheaper than Western carriers (United, American).
Peak pricing: April-May (spring) and September-October (autumn) add 20-30% to flight costs. Summer is cheaper (flights are cheaper when destinations are hot and less appealing).
Budget estimate for 10 days: $600-1,000 per person.
Accommodation
Budget: $30-60/night. Local guesthouses, hostels (dorm rooms $15-25, private rooms $40-60), Airbnb budget listings. Bathroom may be shared. Walls are thin. Food is included in some hostels; ask.
Mid-range: $70-150/night. Business hotels (clean, simple, direct from the brand), mid-tier Airbnbs with private bathrooms and kitchens, small boutique hotels. These are the sweet spot for comfort without premium pricing.
Luxury: $200-400+/night. International brands (Marriott, Hilton, Mandarin Oriental), five-star local hotels, luxury resorts in resort towns.
Booking strategy: Book major cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an) 1-2 months ahead. Book smaller cities 1-2 weeks ahead.
Regional variation: Beijing and Shanghai are most expensive. Chengdu, Xi’an, and smaller cities cost 30-40% less for equivalent quality.
Budget estimate for 10 days (mid-range, 5 nights): $600-900 per person.
Domestic Transportation
Flights between distant regions: $80-250 per flight. Beijing to Shanghai $100-200. Beijing to Chengdu $80-120. Book on Trip.com or Ctrip 1-2 weeks ahead. Weekend flights cost 20-30% more.
High-speed rail (Gaotie): Beijing to Shanghai $100-180. Prices vary by train type and seating class. Second-class seat ($60-90) is perfectly comfortable. First-class ($100-150) is business-class comfort but often overkill for a short journey.
Overnight trains: Shanghai to Beijing overnight train, hard sleeper $60-80, soft sleeper $100-150. You save a hotel night by sleeping on the train, so the all-in cost is lower than flying + hotel.
Local transportation in cities: Subway $0.50-2 per trip. Taxis $2-8 per trip (metered, cheap). Didi (app-based ride-sharing) $2-10 per trip. Walking is often best—Chinese neighborhoods are designed around pedestrians.
Buses between smaller cities: $15-50 for long-distance. Avoid if possible (uncomfortable, slow, unpredictable schedules).
Budget estimate for 10-day trip with 4-5 destination moves: $400-700 per person. (2-3 flights $200-500, rail $100-150, local $100-150)
Food
Breakfast: $2-5 in local restaurants (congee, fried dough, noodles). $15-50 in hotel buffet.
Lunch: $3-8 at local establishments, $15-40 at tourist restaurants, $50-80+ at upscale places.
Dinner: $5-12 local, $20-50 tourist-focused, $80+ at fine dining.
Strategy: Eat where locals eat. A noodle shop or dumpling place will cost $3-5 for a full meal. The food is excellent. Tourist restaurants are 3-5x more expensive for similar quality. This is where most travelers overspend.
Drinks: Beer $2-5, coffee $3-8 at tourist cafes, $8-15 specialty coffee at Western-style cafes.
Street food: Skewers, fried dough, pastries $0.50-2 each. Some of China’s best food is on the street, and it costs almost nothing.
Special meals with guides: A meal with a guide at a local restaurant will cost $40-80 per person. A meal at a tourist restaurant trying to impress will cost $60-120. Budget these separately.
Budget estimate for 10 days:
- Budget travel (local food): $100-150
- Mid-range (mix of local and some upscale): $250-350
- Upscale (regular tourist restaurants and some fine dining): $400-600+
Museums, Attractions, and Experiences
Major museums and monuments: $5-15 entry. Forbidden City $10. Terracotta Army $12. Summer Palace $8. National Museum $0 (free, reservation required).
Scenic areas and nature: Great Wall $15-20. Guilin karst landscape parks $20-30. These are usually all-day experiences worth the cost.
Guided experiences: Full-day private guide $60-150. Group tour of a major site $30-80. Some group tours provide meals; ask.
Specialty experiences (calligraphy class, cooking class, tea tasting): $40-100 per person.
Fitness, entertainment, nightlife: This varies wildly. Museums are cheap. Shopping is not included here (it’s discretionary spending, not a real cost).
Budget estimate for 10 days: $200-400 (assuming 5-6 major attractions and maybe one guided day).
The Foreigner Premium
This is real and measurable. A guide quoted $80 to a Western tourist for a 3-hour walk around a neighborhood. A local guide to the same walk charged a Chinese national $20.
Where it appears:
- Guide pricing (Western guides charge 2-3x what local guides charge for the same service).
- Tour group pricing (if a tour is marketed to Western tourists, it costs more).
- Restaurant pricing (tourist restaurants charge 2-5x more than local places for similar food).
- Taxis (if you negotiate poorly or don’t know typical fares, you’ll overpay).
- Souvenir shopping (negotiation is expected; Western tourists often pay the asking price).
How to mitigate it:
- Use local guides when possible (through your accommodation host, Airbnb host, or apps like Withlocals).
- Eat where locals eat (ask your hotel staff where they eat lunch).
- Use Didi instead of negotiating with taxis.
- Know rough fares before you bargain.
- Don’t shop for souvenirs in tourist areas.
- Avoid restaurant menus with pictures and English translations.
The difference between “tourist pricing” and “local pricing” can be $1,000-2,000 over a 10-day trip. This is significant.
Sample Budgets for a 10-Day Trip
Comfortable mid-range: $3,500-4,500 per person
- Flights: $800
- Mid-range hotels: $700-900
- Food (mix of local and some upscale): $350
- Transportation: $400
- Guides and attractions: $250 (This is realistic for most Western travelers seeking comfort without luxury.)
Upscale/luxury: $7,000-10,000+ per person
- Flights: $1,000
- Upscale hotels: $1,500-2,000
- Fine dining and upscale restaurants: $800-1,200
- Private guides and curated experiences: $500-800
- Premium transportation (business class trains, private drivers): $300-500 (This level requires deliberate spending on luxury and experiences; it’s not necessary for having a good trip.)
Hidden Costs and Contingencies
Visa processing: $140-250 (do this ahead of time).
Travel insurance: $50-150 for 10 days. This is worth it for medical evacuation coverage.
SIM card or international plan: $20-60 depending on data needs.
Tips and gratuities: Not culturally expected in China.
Unexpected experiences: You’ll discover something—a market, a neighbourhood restaurant, an experience—that costs $20-100. Budget 10% extra for these.
Total contingency budget: Add 10-15% to your estimate for flexibility.
Money-Saving Strategies (Without Sacrificing Quality)
Travel in shoulder season (May-June or September-early October). Flights and hotels cost 20-30% less than peak season without sacrificing weather quality.
Use WeChat and Alipay for every transaction. Set these up before you leave home.
Skip organized tours. Solo or with friends, you’ll spend less and see more thoughtfully.
Take one long train overnight instead of a flight and hotel. You save a hotel night and the cost is often similar or lower.
Visit free museums. The National Museum in Beijing is excellent and free (requires registration). Other museums often have free hours or days.
Currency and Payment
Chinese Yuan (RMB): 1 USD = ~7 RMB, 1 CAD = ~5.5 RMB (rates fluctuate).
Cash: Very few merchants accept cash. Not required.
Cards: Most places don’t take Visa or Mastercard. Plan on this being a backup, not a primary payment method.
WeChat Pay and Alipay: Essential. Virtually everywhere accepts these apps. Link your credit card at home before departure. This is how you pay for everything.
Now:
You now have real numbers. Time to design your route.
Cost varies significantly by region. A Sichuan deep-dive costs less and feels less touristy than the Beijing-Xi’an-Shanghai corridor. But both are valid. It depends on what you want.
Start Your Consultation — Tell us when you’re planning to travel and what draws you to China. We’ll design an itinerary around that window.
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