- Accommodation
- Transport
- Entertainment
- Nutrition
- Purchases
China is one of the three largest countries in the world in terms of area and the most ancient in civilization. Its tourist resources are endless: someone seeks to get acquainted with authentic antiquities and cultural attractions, many go for treatment in clinics of traditional Chinese medicine. Ecological tourism with visits to panda reserves, business tourism, and ski resorts are popular. Most of them prefer a beach holiday. On any trip, tasting the famous Chinese cuisine and no less famous Chinese shopping are a must. Therefore, the question of how much money to plan for a trip, taking into account accommodation, food, entertainment, etc., worries many.
People usually come to China with the local currency - yuan. Rubles are accepted only in certain Russian markets. The once popular currency - dollars - is practically out of use. They are not accepted as payment, you can exchange them at several banks (average rate 1: 7), more profitable - at the state bank of China. In order not to waste time on the exchange, it is better to stock up on yuan. So, how much to focus on when going to China.
Accommodation
In China, you can find a roof over your head in the widest range - from budget guesthouses and hostels to five-star hotels. The price depends on the region, attractions, distance from the center, etc. The country is so huge and diverse that it is difficult to name the average cost in hotels, but let's try.
In Beijing, you can find pretty decent hostels, depending on the number of beds, the price per room ranges from five to ten dollars per night. For a double standard room in a guesthouse, you need to pay about $ 30. Further, depending on the number of stars, double rooms in the Chinese capital will cost from $ 40 for the so-called "one" to $ 80-100 for a good "five". In Shanghai, the cost of double rooms - from one to four stars - will be lower. For a night in a five-star hotel, you will have to pay the same as in Beijing. If you choose suites and junior suites in expensive hotels, immediately tune in to a minimum amount of $ 100. Moreover, a mark-up of up to ten percent is possible - for the service.
It is possible to book a room / small apartment in advance on the respective websites. An overnight stay in ancient Chinese monasteries is purely symbolic, but no one promises comfort for this price either. If you are going for treatment, check with the clinic in advance about accommodation options. Often, medical institutions collaborate with local residents. It will be possible to rent a house near the clinic for a very reasonable price - in the region of one and a half thousand yuan for three weeks of living in a so-called studio.
Transport
Here, too, the possibility of choice pleases. For example, a high-speed train between cities will save time, but it will cost two to three times more than usual.
Bus transport is considered to be the most budgetary. Within the city limits, the trip will cost from one to three-five yuan, depending on the distance. Pay attention to the snowflake icon next to the route number. This means that the bus is air conditioned and will be more expensive to travel. When using the intra-city bus, carry some small money with you. The driver will not give you change or change large bills.
The cost of travel by intercity bus also depends on the distance, the maximum is not more than 20 yuan.
The calculation of a trip in the subway also depends on the length of the route, starting from two yuan.
And finally, a taxi. This type of transport in China is considered to be quite budgetary. The principle is the same: a certain amount is paid for landing (13 yuan in Beijing), then according to the mileage counter. The cost per kilometer depends on the city, starting from 2.5 yuan. There are several smartphone apps that you can use to order a taxi. Any of them will definitely come in handy, because travel in a Chinese taxi will be cheaper than in most major Russian cities.
It is also worth downloading the program according to which you can rent a bike at any metro station. And leave at any other bike rental location. Very inexpensive.
Entertainment
For curious tourists, there are many programs for acquaintance with the centuries-old history and sights of China. For a price example, consider excursion programs and leisure activities in big cities. As a rule, travel agencies form schemes for visiting famous places according to a single plan. You can look for a simpler agency, look at the price list, the price there will be lower. You can make excursions yourself. We give the prices of a large official company - for a guideline.
Beijing Beihai Park, a traditional Chinese style imperial garden with masterpieces of landscape design, can be visited for RMB 10. For a visit to the park temple, you will have to pay an additional 15 yuan. A tour of the Great Wall of China will cost 45 yuan, and the equally famous Forbidden City can be seen for 40 yuan. A trip to the well-known Shaolin temple complex will cost 100 yuan, taking into account the road, etc. To visit the country and not see the pandas? Here travel agencies offer a single ticket to the Beijing Zoo - 130 yuan. For this price, you can see all kinds of wild animals, the giant panda, and also visit the oceanarium. The area of the zoo, about 90 hectares, allows animals to live in very decent conditions. And visitors enjoy the walk thanks to the layout in the style of classical Chinese gardens - with bridges over ponds, willows along channels, artificial rocks.
A visit to the Shanghai Zoo will cost 10 yuan more. A sightseeing tour of this largest and richest city will cost 300 yuan. But it is worth planning it, because it is not for nothing that Shanghai is called Eastern Paris. This beautiful metropolis has a lot to see. The famous Shanghai TV tower deserves special attention. This "pearl of the Orient" can be viewed for RMB 220 (entrance to all areas, including the dance floor and revolving restaurant).
Since treatment cannot be considered a way of spending leisure time on a tourist trip, we only indicate the cost of procedures that are popular with all visitors to China. A body massage will cost RMB 50-60, and a foot massage will cost RMB 30-40. A visit to the bath complex with the appropriate procedures - about 200 yuan.
Nutrition
It is not entirely correct to give a general overview of the cost of products in the Chinese catering system. Prices relevant for large cities will be one and a half to two times lower in small towns. In any case, when visiting an institution of any level, the average check will be lower than in the corresponding European institution.
If you rent a house and have the opportunity to cook yourself, it's even easier - the cost of a grocery basket is approximately the same throughout the country. The most expensive cheese will be in it - up to 130 yuan per kilogram. Minced meat of the same weight will cost 20 yuan, and a kilogram of shrimp from 15 to 60 yuan, depending on the season. The price of fruits and vegetables also depends on the season. In any case, it will be in the region of 3 to 10 yuan per kilogram. A small bottle of water costs 2 RMB. If you want cheaper than in a supermarket, go to the market. There prices are 25-30 percent lower and you can still bargain.
Average prices for food in Chinese cafes:
- half a kilo of Peking duck - 17 yuan;
- spicy fish soup - 20-25 yuan;
- fried chicken wings - around 20 yuan;
- a portion of dumplings, depending on the filling - from 8 to 20 yuan;
- a kettle with tea, half a liter - no more than 15 yuan;
- a large cup of cappuccino - 20 yuan;
- dessert can cost from 9 to 15 yuan;
- ice cream cone - 2 yuan.
Tip: Visit local places. There you can get to know real Chinese cuisine for a much lower price. The portions are always large. Lunch at the Chinese favorite noodle house will cost 20-25 yuan.
The famous street fast food cannot be ignored. It is very inexpensive and the food is always freshly prepared. Take a chance - you won't regret it.
Purchases
Shopping in China is profitable, no matter what products you buy. Symbols of the country are usually bought for souvenirs - jade, silk, porcelain, etc.
Silk, the secret of which his inventions were kept in his homeland for centuries, is still magnificent here. If bought from a factory, the prices will be as follows:
- a pillow with silk filling - about 200 yuan;
- bed linen on average - around 1,000 yuan;
- a blanket, depending on weight and size, will cost from 600 yuan.
In ordinary stores, the cost can be almost twice as low. A silk scarf for women as a souvenir can be bought for 25-40 yuan.
The cost of porcelain ranges from 10 yuan for a small figurine to 10 thousand yuan for a coffee pair of the finest workmanship.
The assortment of jade is huge, prices also vary depending on the quality. For example, a bracelet made of beads will cost about 60 yuan, the beads themselves will be in the same range. The price of a hand-made bracelet can reach several thousand yuan. Somewhere between crafts and artwork, a 200 yuan bracelet can be found.
For gifts, you can consider silver items (the average price of a chain is about 20 yuan), fans with national patterns - from 40 yuan for a sandalwood one, up to 20 for a wooden one. And, of course, Chinese tea. Prices for it vary depending on the area and time of collection. If you don't go for the local legendary varieties, you can buy fresh green tea at the tea market for 500 yuan per pound.
Clothes in China are inexpensive, even of good quality. Men's leather shoes will cost around 600-700 yuan, branded sneakers - from 600, for branded jeans you will pay no more than 450-500 yuan. Excellent Chinese bamboo robes will cost around 350 yuan and T-shirts from 70 to 100 yuan.
Even if there are no plans to purchase large electronics, it is still difficult to resist the little things that make life easier: car recorders, phone batteries, small fans. The latter will cost 20-30 yuan, batteries - from 70 yuan.
So, for a trip to China to succeed, you need to count on the amount of 1,700 - 2,500 yuan per week, depending on your preferences. The amount is indicated without taking into account unexpected expenses and shopping, which in this country can be the broadest. Those tourists who go on an all-inclusive beach vacation can only get acquainted with the prices for excursions and purchases.
