Is China still cheap to visit? Yes, if you don’t make these mistakes

Prices have risen in China over the last few years and if you’re checking into big-name hotels, eating fancy Chinese meals or any Western ones, and haunting hip nightclubs, then you’re in for a shock.

But China doesn’t have to cost a lot. The biggest mistake is to stay at familiar international hotels, because you’ll usually get a better deal with Chinese brands.

Most are reliable and many new; the only caveat might be that beds are harder than you may be used to, and you’ll get Chinese breakfasts. As soon as Western food and fluent English-speaking staff appear, prices rise.

At the budget end, look for 7 Days Inn, Home Inn and Jinjiang Inn; for mid-range GreenTree Inn and Days China Inn; and at the upmarket end Jinjiang and Wanda hotels. Beyond the chains, many individual Chinese-owned hotels are perfectly fine.

I did a search on trip.com for two nights in Chengdu in mid-October and found a Chinese hotel priced at $101 compared to a western-branded hotel at $230. Both had the same customer rating.

Incidentally, international hotels in China are good value compared to those in other countries, so you can enjoy luxury on a relative budget. Shangri-La Chengdu costs $393 and Ritz-Carlton Chengdu $536 for the same period.

Hotels cost more in Beijing and Shanghai and dip significantly in second-tier cities such as Chengdu and Xian, so plan your holiday accordingly.

Timing is everything. Hotels cost less in the off-season (November to March), and the most in July and August (anyway, a frightful time weatherwise), as do full tours booked from Australia. At all costs avoid Chinese New Year and other Golden Week holiday times.

Metros are the way to get around cities. They’re efficient, fast and easy to work out. A single-journey ticket costs less than CNY10 ($2) and the value on a day or week pass is even better. Local buses are cheaper still, but can be difficult to navigate.

Between cities, take the train rather than fly. Trains are usually cheaper and often faster if you factor in airport locations and check-in times. A second-class ticket on a high-speed train can be as little as CNY520 ($110) from Beijing to Nanjing, for example, which is a 1040-kilometre journey.

Consider sleeper trains if you really want to save on hotels, with prices such as CNY607 between Shanghai and Guilin (1520 kilometres).

Dine like a local and you’ll never spend much. You can dine on street food for small change, in modest local eateries for under $20, and in mid-range restaurants for $50. Avoid Western meals, those in posh corporate-oriented restaurants and any seafood.

Don’t assume upmarket restaurants offer better meals; many provide over-elaborate, overpriced fare. Price isn’t that reliable an indicator of meal quality in China. You’re likely to eat better in modest restaurants or even noodle shops, especially ones well-known for a few special dishes. If everyone is eating the same thing, tuck in too.

Sign up for the Traveller newsletter

The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now.