Chongqing is a sprawling municipality in southwest China built on hills and cliffs at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers. Often called a '3D city' for its stacked roads, sky bridges, and buildings that appear to grow directly out of cliffsides, Chongqing is famous for its spicy hotpot, dramatic river views, and a public transit network that runs through the middle of an apartment tower at Liziba Station. As one of China's four direct-administered municipalities, it functions as both a city and a province-level region covering a vast, mostly mountainous territory.
Local currency: Chinese Yuan Renminbi (CNY).
Daily budget by traveller style
Typical per-person daily spend in Chongqing.
Cost breakdown
Typical price ranges across major spending categories.
Items
- Typical
Trip budgets by length
What a typical trip to Chongqing costs end-to-end.
Items traveller
Money-saving tips
Practical ways to stretch your budget further.
Use the Chongqing metro and monorail (including the Line 2 monorail through the Liziba building) instead of taxis - fares run CNY 2-7 and cover most tourist areas
Order xiaomian noodles and other street food for breakfast and lunch; a full noodle meal costs CNY 8-15
Split a hotpot pot with a group - per-person cost drops significantly when sharing the base and ingredients
Visit Chongqing Zoo and city viewpoints before 10:30AM to avoid the worst crowds and make the most of a single admission
Book Yangtze cable car and cruise tickets online in advance through official platforms to avoid inflated in-person prices at tourist windows
Stay in the Yuzhong or Jiangbei districts where mid-range hotels are cheaper than riverside luxury towers but still close to major sights
Use Alipay or WeChat Pay's tourist versions linked to a foreign card - many small vendors no longer accept cash easily
Free things to do
Memorable experiences that cost nothing.
Walking the Hongyadong stilted-building complex at night to see it lit up above the river
Crossing the Yangtze River Cableway walkway approach areas and riverside promenades along Chaotianmen
Watching the Chaotianmen Square confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers
Exploring the free public areas of Ciqikou Ancient Town's riverside lanes
Eshan Park and Nanshan scenic viewpoints for skyline views (some sections free)
Watching the free evening light show on riverside towers from the Nanbin Road promenade
People's Liberation Monument (Jiefangbei) pedestrian street and surrounding plazas