Cost of studying and living in China in 2026

One of the first questions an applicant asks: "How much will a year in China actually cost me?" The honest answer: less than studying in Moscow and 2–3× cheaper than Europe. Below is the cost breakdown by category.

Tuition

• Chinese-language year: 16,000–24,000 ¥/year (everything included).
• Bachelor in Chinese: 22,000–30,000 ¥/year.
• Bachelor in English: 28,000–60,000 ¥/year.
• Master: 25,000–90,000 ¥/year.
• MBA: 60,000–350,000 ¥/year (Tsinghua SEM, CKGSB).

Housing: dorm vs apartment

Dorm: single room — 6,000–18,000 ¥/year, twin — 3,000–9,000 ¥. Internet, AC and basic furniture included.

Apartment: a studio in Chengdu — 2,000–3,500 ¥/mo, in Shanghai — 5,000–9,000 ¥. Sharing with a flatmate halves the cost.

Food

• University canteen: 8–15 ¥ per meal.
• Cafés around campus: 15–40 ¥ per dish.
• Meituan / Ele.me delivery: 25–50 ¥ for a full lunch.
• Cooking at home: groceries — 800–1,500 ¥/mo.

Average food spend: 1,500–2,500 ¥/mo.

Transport

• Metro: 2–7 ¥, bus: 1–2 ¥.
• Bike-sharing (Hellobike, Didi Bike): 1.5 ¥ per ride.
• Monthly transport budget: 200–400 ¥.

Mobile, internet, entertainment

Student SIM plan 39–79 ¥/mo. Dorm Wi-Fi is free. Movies, cafés, weekend trips — 500–1,000 ¥/mo.

All-in monthly budget (excluding tuition)

• Budget (Chengdu, Xi'an, Harbin): 2,500–3,500 ¥ ≈ $350–490.
• Standard (Beijing, Guangzhou): 4,000–5,500 ¥ ≈ $550–760.
• Comfort (Shanghai, Shenzhen): 6,000–9,000 ¥ ≈ $830–1,240.

Where you can save

• Cooking at home instead of delivery — up to 1,000 ¥/mo saved.
• CSC scholarship — wipes out almost every line item.
• Teaching-assistant role on campus — 800–1,500 ¥/mo.
• Student discounts: parks, museums, trains.