Our China Travel · 23 September 2026 · Original planning worksheet
Fill the three tables in order. Every row asks for the figure you found, the source you found it in, and the date you checked it, because prices on this topic are quoted in different currencies, at different dates and for different party sizes. Convert everything to your own currency once, at the top, and keep the rate you used.
| Cost line | Figure quoted by the source | Converted to your currency | Party size this figure assumes | Source and date checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| International flight (return) | Per person | |||
| Visa or entry fee | Per person, by nationality | |||
| Travel insurance | Per person, by number of days | |||
| Vaccinations or health checks | Per person | |||
| eSIM or local data plan | Per person, by data volume | |||
| Airport transfer on arrival | Per vehicle, then per person |
| Daily cost line | Budget | Mid-range | Luxury | Converted to your currency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation (per room, per night) | ||||
| Meals (per person, per day) | ||||
| Local transport (metro, bus, taxi) | ||||
| Attraction tickets (per person, per day) | ||||
| Guide, tour or activity | ||||
| Daily subtotal per person |
| Trip cost line | Your figure | Number of nights or legs | Multiplied total | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation for the whole stay | Room rate, not per-person rate | |||
| Meals for the whole stay | Per person per day, multiplied by people and days | |||
| Intercity high-speed rail | One line per leg | |||
| Domestic flights | One line per leg | |||
| Single supplement, if you travel alone | This is the line most solo budgets miss | |||
| Pre-departure lines from Table 1 | Carried down from the first table | |||
| Total, before a contingency margin | ||||
| Contingency margin | State your own percentage rather than a source's |
1. Write the exchange rate you used at the top of the sheet and the date you read it, because a rate without a date cannot be checked later.
2. A yuan figure divided by the rate gives dollars. At a rate of ¥6.9 = $1, a ¥65 Great Wall ticket is 65 ÷ 6.9 = $9.42.
3. A dollar figure multiplied by the rate gives yuan. The same trip advertised at $1,500 works out at 1,500 × 6.9 = ¥10,350.
4. A figure in a third currency has to go through the rate you actually used, so convert it to yuan first and then to your own currency, and write both steps in the row.
5. A quoted rate that is not in your currency is only comparable after step 4, not before, so never compare two rows that are still in different currencies.
1. Check the party size. A per-room rate and a per-person rate are different numbers, and the difference is roughly half for a couple and roughly double for a solo traveller.
2. Check what is excluded. International flights, visa fees and insurance are usually left out of daily averages, so add them from Table 1 rather than assuming they are inside.
3. Check the date. A price list without a collection date is a price list you cannot compare with anything else.
4. Check the city. Rates quoted for one city do not transfer to another, so keep the city name beside the figure.
5. Check the season. Peak periods are quoted as percentage additions rather than as separate rates, so multiply your own off-season figure rather than looking for a second table.
Personal planning worksheet; blank cells contain no destination data and no price claims. Every figure must be taken from a named source, converted with a dated exchange rate, and confirmed against the current official or provider page before you book anything.