Daily costs per person in CNY. Beijing is extremely affordable — street food and transit are cheap, and even premium experiences like Peking duck are reasonable.
Daily cost breakdown
Currency: CNY (Yuan/RMB) (1 USD ≈ ¥7.25)
| Category | Budget | Mid-range | Splurge | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | ¥50–120 | ¥250–600 | ¥1,200+ | Hostel → hotel → courtyard hotel/luxury |
| Food | ¥50–100 | ¥120–250 | ¥500+ | Street food & canteens → restaurants → Peking duck & hotpot |
| Transport | ¥10–25 | ¥30–80 | ¥200+ | Metro & bus → DiDi → private car |
| Activities | ¥30–80 | ¥100–300 | ¥500+ | Parks & free sites → museums & Great Wall → opera & private tours |
| Drinks | ¥5–20 | ¥40–100 | ¥200+ | Beer & tea → craft beer → cocktail bars |
| Daily Total | ¥145–345 | ¥540–1,330 | ¥2,600+ | $20–48 → $74–183 → $358+ |
Money-saving tips
Street food heaven
Jianbing (¥8–12), zhajiangmian (¥15–25), lamb skewers (¥3–5 each), baozi (steamed buns, ¥2 each). Beijing street food is dirt cheap and delicious.
Metro & transit
Beijing Subway costs ¥3–9 per ride. Get a Yikatong transit card (¥20 deposit) or use WeChat/Alipay to scan through turnstiles. Covers metro, buses, and some taxis.
Free attractions
Tiananmen Square, Jingshan Park (¥2), hutong walks, 798 Art District grounds, Olympic Forest Park, and People's Park are free or nearly free.
Book ahead
Forbidden City, Summer Palace, and most museums require WeChat mini-program booking 1–7 days ahead. Don't show up without tickets — you will be turned away.
Hostel districts
Hutong hostels near Gulou/Andingmen from ¥50–100/night with rooftop terraces and hutong atmosphere. The location is central and the vibe is social. Book on Trip.com or Hostelworld.
Wall on a budget
Bus 877 to Mutianyu costs ¥16 vs ¥200+ for organized tours. Bring your own lunch and water — prices at the wall base are 3x city prices.
