China Trip Budget: How Much Does It Cost Per Day?
Budget travellers (around $50 a day): hostels or cheap hotels, street food and simple restaurants (¥20–40 meals), metro only, almost no paid attractions beyond the wall tour itself. You will be tight but fed. Noodle shops, baozi stalls, dumplings and street food are genuinely good and cheap.
Mid-range travellers (the middle of the $50–$300 range): three-star hotels, a mix of street food and sit-down restaurants (¥50–150 meals), the occasional Didi, one paid cultural attraction per day (museum, temple, etc.). This is comfortable without luxury. Most tourists fit here.
Comfortable/luxury ($300 a day and up): four-star hotels, good restaurants (¥150–300 meals), Didi everywhere, private car tours, paid experiences, nightlife. Beijing has excellent high-end hotels and restaurants if money is no object.
Meals breakdown: A simple street meal (noodles, baozi, dumplings) costs ¥10–20. A mid-range sit-down restaurant meal is ¥50–150. A nice restaurant in central Beijing is ¥200–400. Alcohol: beer ¥10–30, wine ¥100 and up. Coffee is pricy by local standards (¥20–40) but cheap vs. the US.
Transport: Beijing metro is excellent and cheap: ¥3–7 per ride. Buy a rechargeable card at any metro station (¥20–100 deposit, credit only). Taxis: ¥13 flag fall plus about ¥2.30 per km. Didi is app-based (no cash), similar pricing, no language barrier (app interface works in English). A Didi from central Beijing to Mutianyu would cost roughly ¥150–200 one way and takes 1.5–2 hours. The tour bus at $11.07 is much cheaper and includes return transport.
Great Wall tour cost: Tours cost $7.99–$111.20 depending on how much you want included. The flagship at $11.07 is the value standard. Once on the wall, the only extra cost is a cable car or toboggan (about ¥80 each) if not included in your tour package, and lunch (¥100–150 if not bundled).
Payments: Alipay and WeChat Pay are ubiquitous in shops, restaurants, taxis (well, ride apps), and street vendors. International credit cards often do not work in shops; assume Alipay/WeChat only. Set up Alipay’s tourist mode before you fly (link a Western credit card, you get a temporary balance, and you can spend it without a Chinese bank account). Your phone is your wallet in Beijing.
A comfortable mid-range week in Beijing runs $1,000–$1,500 per person all-in (hotel, meals, transport, sights). Set up Alipay before you fly.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a week in Beijing cost?
Budget $1,000–$1,500 per person for a comfortable mid-range week. That includes a mid-range hotel, all meals and drinks, metro/transport and one paid attraction per day. Backpackers get by near the $50-a-day end of the range; luxe travellers spend $300 a day and up.
How much does a meal cost?
Simple meal (noodles, baozi, dumplings): ¥10–40. Mid-range sit-down restaurant: ¥50–150. Nice restaurant in the city: ¥200–400. You can eat very well very cheaply in China; street food is genuinely good.
What payment methods work?
Alipay and WeChat Pay dominate. Most shops, restaurants, and taxis do not accept international credit cards. Set up Alipay tourist mode (link your US/UK card) before flying. Your phone becomes your wallet. Some hotels and high-end stores take credit cards; assume cash/app only elsewhere.
How much is Beijing transport?
Metro: ¥3–7 per ride. Taxi: ¥13 flag fall plus about ¥2.30 per km. Didi (ride app): similar to taxis, app-based, no language barrier. Public transport is very cheap.