How much does a trip to China cost?

Daily spend per person

• Budget — about $45 a day
• Mid-range — about $110 a day
• Comfortable — about $300 a day

A 18-day trip, excluding flights

Multiply the daily figures out and a 18-day trip lands near these totals per person.

• Budget — around $810
• Mid-range — around $1,980
• Comfortable — around $5,400

Flights

Flights are not included in these estimates. Fares move far more than on-the-ground costs, so check live prices from your departure city before you commit.

Where the money actually goes

Transport between places is the line item most people underestimate. In China that usually means high-speed rail is the default for intercity travel — the world's largest such network, and usually faster than flying between eastern cities

Easy savings

Travel in April, May rather than the busiest weeks, base yourself in fewer towns to cut transfer days, and book accommodation just outside the headline neighbourhoods.