Budget · Beijing · China
Beijing on a budget
What a trip to Beijing really costs, and where the savings are.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: xiquinhosilva, CC BY 2.0
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Quick answer
Beijing is moderately priced for most international visitors. Budget roughly $45–$80 per person per day on a tight budget, $120–$230 mid-range and $380–$900 for luxury, excluding flights. Hotel prices are usually lowest in March and November–January.
Key facts
- Budget traveller
- $45–$80 a day
- Mid-range
- $120–$230 a day
- Luxury
- $380–$900 a day
- Local currency
- CNY
- Free sights
- 6
Daily budget and trip cost
AMZBooking estimates per person in US dollars, excluding flights, reviewed October 2026. Accommodation is the biggest variable; prices rise in peak months.
| Style | Per day | 3 days | 5 days | 7 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | $45–$80 | $135–$240 | $225–$400 | $315–$560 |
| Mid-range | $120–$230 | $360–$690 | $600–$1,150 | $840–$1,610 |
| Luxury | $380–$900 | $1,140–$2,700 | $1,900–$4,500 | $2,660–$6,300 |
Typical prices
Approximate prices in Beijing, October 2026. They change; use them for planning, not as quotes.
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Subway ride | about ¥3–¥10 |
| Jianbing from a street stall | about ¥8–¥15 |
| Bowl of zhajiangmian | about ¥20–¥40 |
| Peking duck dinner | about ¥150–¥300 per person |
| Forbidden City ticket | about ¥40–¥60 depending on season |
| Great Wall day trip by private car | about ¥600–¥1,000 per car |
| Bottle of local beer in a restaurant | about ¥10–¥20 |
Money-saving tips
- Palace and park tickets are inexpensive, and the National Museum is free with a reservation.
- Hutong walks, Tiananmen Square, 798 Art Zone and the Olympic Green cost nothing.
- Sharing a private car to the Great Wall with three or four people can cost little more per person than a group tour.
- Eat at local dumpling and noodle shops; a filling meal costs a fraction of a hotel restaurant.
- Avoid national holidays, when hotel rates rise sharply and tickets sell out.
- Winter brings the lowest hotel prices and clear, if cold, sightseeing days.
Free things to do
- Tiananmen Square — One of the world's largest public squares, bordered by Tiananmen gate with its portrait of Mao Zedong, the Great Hall of the People, the National Museum of China and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong.
- National Museum of China — On the east side of Tiananmen Square, this enormous museum's Ancient China galleries run from Neolithic jade and Shang bronzes to Ming and Qing porcelain.
- Shichahai lakes and hutongs — The three linked lakes of Qianhai, Houhai and Xihai are lined with willows, hutongs and lakeside bars.
- Nanluoguxiang — This 800-metre hutong dates back to the Yuan dynasty and is now lined with snack shops, souvenir stores and cafés.
- 798 Art Zone — A complex of 1950s factories built with East German help, with saw-tooth roofs, now converted into galleries, studios, design shops and cafés.
- Olympic Green — The 2008 Olympic park holds the steel lattice of the National Stadium, known as the Bird's Nest, and the bubble-clad National Aquatics Center, the Water Cube.
Where to stay on a budget
$$ · Best for first-timers, budget and culture
Qianmen and Dashilar
Old shopping lanes and hutongs just south of Tiananmen Square
$$ · Best for solo travellers, budget, nightlife and food lovers
Gulou and Nanluoguxiang
Hutong lanes, cafés and small bars below the Drum Tower
$$ · Best for culture, quiet stays and couples
Yonghegong and Wudaoying
Lama Temple, the Confucius Temple and a hutong of cafés
Eating well for less
- Jianbing — Street stalls near subway stations and residential compounds in the morning.
- Lamb skewers — Barbecue restaurants and night stalls, particularly in Gulou and Wudaokou.
- Candied hawthorn — Street sellers around hutong lanes, temple fairs and snack streets in winter.
- Beijing yoghurt — Convenience stores, corner shops and hutong snack stalls.
Getting around for less
Yikatong card
Beijing's rechargeable transport card works on the subway, buses and some taxis; a deposit is refundable at designated outlets.
QR-code payment
Subway gates accept QR codes through the official app and Alipay or WeChat, so many visitors skip buying single tickets.
Questions travellers ask
+How much does a trip to Beijing cost?
About $600–$1,150 per person for five days mid-range, excluding flights (estimate), or $225–$400 on a tight budget.
+Is Beijing expensive?
It is moderately priced for international visitors. Palace and park tickets are inexpensive, and the National Museum is free with a reservation.
+How much money do I need per day in Beijing?
Roughly $45–$80 on a budget and $120–$230 mid-range (estimates).
+When are hotel prices lowest in Beijing?
Usually in March and November–January.