How much does it cost to travel to China from US? Believe it or not, a large factor of your costs really depends on you! This post goes over the expected costs of traveling to China, as well as other factors.
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How Much Does It Cost To Travel to China From the USA?
Here’s the scoop: once you’re in China, things can be CHEAP. The biggest cost is getting to China!
The bad news: flights to China cost more for the US than most every other country. Seriously!
Even though it takes the same amount of time to fly to Australia, their flights to/from China are less than half the price of flights to the US (not fair 😭 ).
That seems to just be one of the downsides to living in the US. We’re far from EVERYTHING, and it costs us way more to go abroad than it does other countries.
If you want to check ticket prices from the US to China, you can easily check rates on trip.com’s website!
The Basic Costs of Traveling to China
China isn’t too much different when it comes to planning. You will need a tourist visa, though, which US passport holders don’t face too commonly. And this MUST be applied for in your home country, it is NOT on arrival!
In all, the costs involved are: tourist visa fees, flights, hotel bookings, travel insurance, and food.
I actually wrote a post breaking down the costs for each of these cost items here.
I’d estimate that in 2023, a bare-bones, hostel-hopping, street-food trip will cost you around $2,500-$3,000 USD in total including visa and flights.
Meanwhile, a trip where you stay at 5 star hotels and do fine dining could cost at least $5,000.
The Biggest Cost Factor: You!!
Are you willing to book a flight with one or more transfers? That could save you a couple hundred dollars.
Willing to stay at a hostel or very basic hotel? You can probably find such a place for around $20 USD per day.
Looking forward to street food or small, local restaurants? You can fill up for around $10 USD per day.
HOWEVER:
If you want a direct flight, that will likely cost more.
If you want a 4-5 star hotel, you’re looking at anywhere from $100-300 USD per night.
And if you want Instagrammable dining experiences with great atmospheres, each meal could cost $30-50 USD.
All that to say: after the chunk of money you’ll spend on your flight, the biggest cost factor is your preferences.
So how much does it cost to travel to China from the USA? That’s really up to you!
Summary
Flights to China tend to be expensive, especially post-pandemic. We’re all hoping that flight rates will go down with time, but even when they do, it’ll still be a pretty penny to get from the US to China.
Once you’re IN China, however, things can actually get quite cheap! It’s really up to you how much you’ll spend.
I personally love this aspect of China, as an expat here. Sometimes, when I’ve visited a new city in China, I’m on a tighter budget and keep things very minimal. I get the chance to see a new place without breaking the bank.
But sometimes I really want that super relaxing, cozy and maybe even a little luxurious kind of vibe. And even there, some five star hotels here in China will be cheaper than your average Bed ‘n Breakfast in the US!
My very favorite five-star hotel in Beijing, Beijing NUO Hotel in Lido Square, costs $200 USD per day, with a massive and SUPER high end breakfast buffet included!
That’s just the magic of China…the country itself is quite affordable.
The problem for us Americans…is getting here. 😂
I hope you found this post helpful! Still have questions about the cost of visiting China from the US? Drop them in the comments, and I’ll do my best to help you out!
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