Cash Exchange Tips#
đ±Â Mobile Payment > đ” Cash#
In China, mobile payment is king. Itâs used everywhere from luxury hotels to street foods. We strongly recommend setting up Alipay or WeChat Pay BEFORE you arrive. Youâll find a step-by-step guide in the next section: Mobile Payment.
That said, itâs still a good idea to carry some cash, just in case:
While refusing cash is technically illegal, it still happens. Cash can be your backup.
Setting up Alipay or WeChat Pay can be tricky. You might need help from airport staff, so until your mobile payment is ready, cash is your safety net.
Weâve also got a guide on how to exchange currency in the city centre, check it out in China Trip 101.
đ±Â Exchange Rate between RMB and Other Currencies#
Chinaâs currency is called Renminbi (RMB), which literally means âPeopleâs Currency.â Its symbol is „, and the official ISO code is CNY.
Hereâs the typical exchange rate range between RMB and some major currencies (for real-time rates, just click the links below):
âŹ1 = „7-8.2 (real-time rate)
£1 = „8.5-9.5 (real-time rate)
$1 = „6.5-7.5 (real-time rate)
SFr.1 = „7.2-8.5 (real-time rate)
AU$1 = „4.5-5 (real-time rate)
đ€ŻÂ CNH â CNY#
You might see both terms used when checking exchange rates:
CNY: the Chinese Yuan used within mainland China (onshore).
CNH: the Chinese Yuan traded outside of China (offshore).
If youâre traveling in China, make sure youâre dealing with CNY, not CNH.
đ°Â Estimate How Much You Need#
Hereâs a rough estimate of typical travel expenses in China, split between major cities (like Beijing/Shanghai) and non-major cities:
Expense Item |
Major Cities (Beijing/Shanghai) |
Non-Major Cities |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Budget Hotel (Double Room) |
„400-600 |
„200-350 |
per room per night |
Luxury Hotel (Double Room) |
„900-1500 |
„600-1000 |
per room per night |
Casual Breakfast |
„10-30 |
„10-20 |
per adult |
Casual Lunch |
„40-100 |
„30-80 |
per adult |
Casual Dinner |
„60-120 |
„30-70 |
per adult (+30% in central areas) |
Trendy/Viral Restaurants |
„150-300 |
„80-150 |
per adult |
(e.g., Peking Duck banquet, Shanghainese cuisine) |
|||
Subway/Bus (Single Ride) |
„3-8 |
„2-4 |
per adult per ride |
Taxi |
„14-16 (first 3 km) + „2.8-3.5/km |
„6-10 (first 3km) + „1.9-2.4/km |
per trip |
Public Attractions/Museums |
Free |
Free |
|
Private Attractions/Museums |
„50-100 |
„20-60 |
per adult |
High-Speed Rail (2nd Class) |
„0.5-0.7 |
„0.3-0.5 |
per kilometre per adult |
đŹÂ Exchange at Major Airports#
You can exchange cash upon arrival at the One-Stop Comprehensive Service Center for Foreign Nationals (introduced in Landing Airport and Passport Control).
Here are some currency exchange spots youâll find right after passport control, especially if youâre landing at:
Terminal 1, Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG)
Travelex Foreign Currency Exchange:
đ Location: 1E-J2, on the lelft side of the International, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Arrivals border inspection
â°Â Service hours: 06:30-24:00
Ctrip Foreign Currency Exchange
đ Location : 1E-J1, on the right side of the international, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Arrivals border inspection
â°Â Service hours: 24 hours
Terminal 2, Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG)
Travelex Foreign Currency Exchange
đ Location: 2E-J1, near Baggage Claim 30 of international, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Arrivals
â°Â Service hours: 06:00-until the end of the flight in this area
đŹ Got Questions?#
If thereâs anything we havenât covered here, just drop us a message. Weâre happy to help!
đ§ chinatrip.info.contact@gmail.com
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