Town in Gansu, China
Cost of living in Dunhuang
How much a month costs in Dunhuang
For one person, including rent. A comfortable month costs about $819–1,340 (¥5,500–9,000).
Prices in Dunhuang
Typical 2026 ranges in CNY, rounded. US$ at the 03 Oct 2026 exchange rate.
| Item | CNY | US$ |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | ||
| Hostel dorm bed (night) | ¥40–80 | $6.0–11.9 |
| Mid-range hotel room (night) | ¥200–450 | $30–67 |
| Food and drink | ||
| Local meal or street food | ¥15–30 | $2.2–4.5 |
| Mid-range restaurant, per person | ¥50–120 | $7.4–17.9 |
| Cappuccino | ¥22–35 | $3.3–5.2 |
| Local beer, 0.5 l in a bar | ¥12–30 | $1.8–4.5 |
| Getting around | ||
| Ride-hailing or taxi, about 5 km | ¥8–15 | $1.2–2.2 |
| Work and life | ||
| Mobile data, 20–50 GB (month) | ¥30–100 | $4.5–14.9 |
Value for money: 80/100
A value score of 80/100 means Dunhuang gives more quality of life per dollar than 79% of the 1,319 places we cover. Quality here scores 58/100. It's the 10th most affordable of 30 places we cover in China.
| Quality factor | Score |
|---|---|
| Safety | |
| Air quality | |
| Internet | |
| Healthcare | |
| Weather | |
| Friendly locals | |
| English |
Cost of living across China
One person, comfortable lifestyle, including rent.
| Place | Comfortable month | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Guilin | $670–1,040 | 93/100 |
| Yangshuo | $670–1,040 | 93/100 |
| Lijiang | $745–1,190 | 91/100 |
| Pingyao | $745–1,270 | 86/100 |
| Kashgar | $745–1,270 | 68/100 |
| Zhangjiajie | $819–1,270 | 82/100 |
| Harbin | $819–1,270 | 82/100 |
| Dali | $819–1,340 | 87/100 |
| Shangri-La | $819–1,340 | 85/100 |
| Dunhuang | $819–1,340 | 80/100 |
| Changsha | $894–1,490 | 74/100 |
| Xi'an | $968–1,490 | 71/100 |
| Chongqing | $968–1,490 | 76/100 |
| Huangshan | $968–1,490 | 77/100 |
| Kunming | $968–1,640 | 79/100 |
| Chengdu | $1,040–1,640 | 73/100 |
| Suzhou | $1,040–1,640 | 68/100 |
| Jiuzhaigou | $1,040–1,640 | 69/100 |
| Wuhan | $1,040–1,640 | 66/100 |
| Sanya | $1,040–1,790 | 73/100 |
| Qingdao | $1,120–1,790 | 65/100 |
| Tianjin | $1,120–1,790 | 62/100 |
| Xiamen | $1,190–2,090 | 62/100 |
| Nanjing | $1,190–2,090 | 55/100 |
| Guangzhou | $1,270–2,090 | 60/100 |
| Hangzhou | $1,270–2,090 | 54/100 |
| Shenzhen | $1,490–2,380 | 50/100 |
| Lhasa | $1,490–2,380 | 38/100 |
| Beijing | $1,640–2,680 | 34/100 |
| Shanghai | $1,940–3,280 | 22/100 |
Cheaper alternatives to Dunhuang
Similar safety, lower cost, in East Asia.
Quick answers
How much money do you need per month in Dunhuang?
About $447–626 on a lean budget, $819–1,340 for a comfortable month and $1,790–3,720 for a luxury one, rent included.
How much does food cost in Dunhuang?
A local meal is ¥15–30 ($2.2–4.5); a mid-range restaurant is ¥50–120 ($7.4–17.9) per person.
Is China expensive?
Prices in China are about 47% of US price levels (World Bank PPP).
More about Dunhuang
Going to Dunhuang solo?
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Sources
- ExchangeRate-API open rates
- World Bank: PPP conversion factor
- Dunhuang Academy (Mogao Caves)
- China Railway 12306
Prices are SoloSquare estimates for 2026, reviewed against official and operator prices where available. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.