hiei_luva14 :
I plan on going to Beijing for a week during March 2009 (my spring break from college) to visit some friends who were here in America as exchange students. I’m wondering what a ball park figure would be for 6 or 7 days? I just want to know for spending money. This has nothing to do with the flight or hotel.
My main goal is to spend time with my friends but I also want to do some shopping for clothes and things like that. However, I don’t plan on going crazy blowing cash at every shopping center I see. Of course I’ll probably be eating out everyday (cheap food is fine with me, although I don’t mind a semi-expensive meal or two) and taking public transportation. Also, I want to visit some of the typical tourist places like the Forbidden City, Summer Palace, etc. I’m not sure about night clubs; maybe I’ll visit one or two but they aren’t really on my agenda.
So with all that being said, what is a general estimate for a week in Beijing? I’m thinking $1000? $1500? By the way, if knowing helps you to answer the question better, I’m a girl and the two friends I’ll be visiting are girls. Thanks!
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{ 1 comment }
Ask your friends.
The online comparisons will tell you that Beijing is one of the most expensive places in the world to live.
Luckily you;re not having to pay $150++ a night for 5 stars I guess.
Your figure sounds fine.
It really depends on more things about you than you can put here.
If you wander down WangFuJing & straight into Gucci & such, then maybe take a little more.
I tend to do the Hongqiao market near TianTan (temple of heaven) & other cheap places. There are many. Maybe look for “ladies’ street” wide range there.
If you like the markets, then the prices range widely.
Entry into the parks & Forbidden city costs a little, but not that much once you convert back to $.
Post-olympics, maybe things will be still expensive: I cannot imaging that prices went down for the olympics
The subway to good. I’ve not been there for a couple of years, but it was 3Y last time I rode. Even at 10Y, I guess about $2 it seems cheap to me.
If one is adventurous enough to eat with the locals, you’ll find the food is cheap. If you need a fix from Starbucks (Xing-ba Ke) then you’ll probably find that expensive as a foreign food, but it’s becoming more mainstream.
If you do go native, you’ll be saved tipping away from the US-tourist routes. Also, occassionally, like maybe the Hutong tours, it’s a good idea to get your friends to negotiate the price with the provider, before they see the foreigner, as many still hold the consensus view that rich foreigners should pay a different scale to the Chinese tourists.
Not sure who your friends are, but it is a common Chinese custom to treat the guest, ie pay, so the simple things may cost you even less than you expect.
Also save money by avoiding losses. the travel sites say watch your bag on the subway & such, but I’ve never had a problem.
My guess is that if you go through US$1500 in 6 days, you’ll need to buy keep aside enough to buy a bigger suitcase for the return trip.
Enjoy.