Answer to One China Travel Question
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Q: How much money should i take with me for a trip to Shantou for about 2 weeks, Is it cheap or expensive in Shantou?
| | A: Cost of accommodation of course varies according to what hotel you stay in. The stay at a nice hotel may cost 400-500 Chinese dollars a night. You should be able to pay with you credit card.
Food is relatively inexpensive. Against, prices vary. A dish at an ordinary restaurant may cost anywhere from 10 to 30. If you’re doing a banquet, then it’s different and may cost quite a bit, banquet meaning a dozen or so dishes, with drinks, etc. Generally speaking, one should be able to have a nice meal at 50 yuan per person. Meals at nice hotels tend to be more expensive. You may need advice from your local friends to dine at clean (important) and good restaurants. Western fast-food places such McDonald’s are actually expensive compared to restaurants serving delicious Chinese food. A combo meal at a McDonald’s may costs about 30 yuan or so. Food-wise you should be able to get by with 120 yuan a day or so. If you entertain and go to clubs, etc., that’s another story.
Taxis - you pay 9 yuan or so to get moving and that will also get you the ride for the first 2 or 3 kilometers. You then pay a couple of yuan more for every additional kilometer. Shantou is not all that large, so a cab ride of, say, 20-kilometers, would a rather long ride.
Generally, Shantou is somewhat in the middle in terms of how expensive it is among Chinese cities. It is not as expensive as big cities such as Shanghai or Beijing, but is more expensive than some smaller cities, especially some in the north and other remote parts of China.
You can make currency exchange at branches of Bank of China. Some hotels also provide their guests with this service. There is no need to exchange a great amount at one time. Keep your receipts. If you want to convert Chinese dollars back into foreign currency when you leave the country, you may be asked to show your receipts - foreign currencies are still under control in China and people cannot freely convert Chinese money into foreign money.
If you have to bring with a large amount of money, to safe guard your money, you may want to get traveler’s checks and cash them as you go. You pay fees for the convenience of course.
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