How much does a 21-day China trip from Germany actually cost?

Marcus spent $3,500 total ($167/day) on a mid-range-tier 21-day trip in September 2025. Of that, flights were $720, accommodation $1300, meals $480, transit $380, attractions $320, and misc $300.

What cities did Marcus visit on this trip?

Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Lijiang, Shanghai, Hong Kong. The 21-day route was: Beijing → Xi'an → Chengdu → Lijiang → Shanghai → Hong Kong.

🇩🇪 Germany · mid-range · September 2025

Marcus's 21-day China trip — $3,500 total

Beijing → Xi'an → Chengdu → Lijiang → Shanghai → Hong Kong

Last updated: 2026-06-16

Quick Answer

How much does a 21-day China trip from Germany cost?

Marcus (Germany) spent 21 days across Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Lijiang, Shanghai, Hong Kong on a mid-range budget, totaling $3,500 ($167/day) in September 2025. "Three weeks was right. The HSR made the geography feel small."

Source: NihaoVisit first-party data

Cost breakdown

Category	USD	% of total
flights	$720	21%
accommodation	$1300	37%
meals	$480	14%
transit	$380	11%
attractions	$320	9%
misc	$300	9%
Total	$3,500	100%

Day-by-day itinerary

Day-by-day breakdown based on Marcus's actual travel log.

Day 1 · Beijing
~$167
- Arrived in Beijing· 1 link
- Beijing → Shanghai via HSR (1,318 km, 4.5 hr, €90 second class)· 3 links
Day 2 · Beijing
~$167
- 3 days in Lijiang old town + hike to Tiger Leaping Gorge· 1 link
Day 3 · Beijing
~$167
- Hong Kong as the post-mainland decompression· 1 link
Day 4 · Beijing
~$167
- Linked DKB Visa debit card to Alipay — worked at 80%+ merchants· 1 link
Day 5 · Xi'an
~$167
- HSR/transit from Beijing to Xi'an· 3 links
- Beijing → Shanghai via HSR (1,318 km, 4.5 hr, €90 second class)· 3 links
Day 6 · Xi'an
~$167
- 3 days in Lijiang old town + hike to Tiger Leaping Gorge· 1 link
Day 7 · Xi'an
~$167
- Hong Kong as the post-mainland decompression· 1 link
Day 8 · Xi'an
~$167
- Linked DKB Visa debit card to Alipay — worked at 80%+ merchants· 1 link
Day 9 · Chengdu
~$167
- HSR/transit from Xi'an to Chengdu· 3 links
- Beijing → Shanghai via HSR (1,318 km, 4.5 hr, €90 second class)· 3 links
Day 10 · Chengdu
~$167
- 3 days in Lijiang old town + hike to Tiger Leaping Gorge· 1 link
Day 11 · Chengdu
~$167
- Hong Kong as the post-mainland decompression· 1 link
Day 12 · Chengdu
~$167
- Linked DKB Visa debit card to Alipay — worked at 80%+ merchants· 1 link
Day 13 · Lijiang
~$167
- HSR/transit from Chengdu to Lijiang· 3 links
- Beijing → Shanghai via HSR (1,318 km, 4.5 hr, €90 second class)· 3 links
Day 14 · Lijiang
~$167
- 3 days in Lijiang old town + hike to Tiger Leaping Gorge· 1 link
Day 15 · Lijiang
~$167
- Hong Kong as the post-mainland decompression· 1 link
Day 16 · Lijiang
~$167
- Linked DKB Visa debit card to Alipay — worked at 80%+ merchants· 1 link
Day 17 · Shanghai
~$167
- HSR/transit from Lijiang to Shanghai· 3 links
- Beijing → Shanghai via HSR (1,318 km, 4.5 hr, €90 second class)· 3 links
Day 18 · Shanghai
~$167
- 3 days in Lijiang old town + hike to Tiger Leaping Gorge· 1 link
Day 19 · Shanghai
~$167
- Hong Kong as the post-mainland decompression· 1 link
Day 20 · Shanghai
~$167
- Linked DKB Visa debit card to Alipay — worked at 80%+ merchants· 1 link
Day 21 · Hong Kong
~$167
- HSR/transit from Shanghai to Hong Kong· 3 links
- Beijing → Shanghai via HSR (1,318 km, 4.5 hr, €90 second class)· 3 links

Payment evidence

5 first-party asset placeholders (Alipay top-ups, HSR tickets, hotel check-ins, metro QR scans) — to be replaced with real screenshots once lead-form submissions accumulate.

Alipay Tour Pass ¥1500 top-up (DKB Visa debit)Day 1 · ¥1500 CNYDKB is the standard recommendation for German travelers — 0% FTF.
Beijing → Shanghai HSR 2nd class G1Day 14 · ¥553 CNY1,318 km in 4h 18m. ~€90 with no FTF.
Shanghai Metro Line 2 (Pudong airport → city)Day 1 · ¥7 CNY¥7 for the 60km ride from Pudong to People's Square.
Lijiang Old Town courtyard hotel — 3 nights @ ¥420/nightDay 8 · ¥1260 CNYNaxi-style courtyard hotel. Foreign card via Trip.com.
ICBC ATM Lijiang — ¥800 cashDay 9 · ¥800 CNYSome old-town merchants and Tiger Leaping Gorge entrance fee were cash-only.

Trip highlights

Beijing → Shanghai via HSR (1,318 km, 4.5 hr, €90 second class)
3 days in Lijiang old town + hike to Tiger Leaping Gorge
Hong Kong as the post-mainland decompression
Linked DKB Visa debit card to Alipay — worked at 80%+ merchants

Visa for Germany

German citizens are 30-day visa-free. Marcus used the visa-free stay for the entire 21 days including the Hong Kong side trip (Hong Kong counts as a third country for re-entry purposes).

Payment in China

Alipay was the workhorse. WeChat Pay worked too but needed an extra verification step with the German phone number.

In Marcus's words

"Three weeks was right. The HSR made the geography feel small."

Frequently asked questions

How much does a 21-day China trip from Germany actually cost?: Marcus spent $3,500 total ($167/day) on a mid-range-tier 21-day trip in September 2025. Of that, flights were $720, accommodation $1300, meals $480, transit $380, attractions $320, and misc $300.
Do Germany citizens need a visa for China?: German citizens are 30-day visa-free. Marcus used the visa-free stay for the entire 21 days including the Hong Kong side trip (Hong Kong counts as a third country for re-entry purposes).
What's the best way to pay in China as a Germany visitor?: Alipay was the workhorse. WeChat Pay worked too but needed an extra verification step with the German phone number.
What cities did Marcus visit on this trip?: Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Lijiang, Shanghai, Hong Kong. The 21-day route was: Beijing → Xi'an → Chengdu → Lijiang → Shanghai → Hong Kong.