Living Cost Laboratory
The numbers, and the life behind them.
A tool · not a table

What would a year actually cost you?

Pick the city, then the school, you can check out the living cost of the study in the university. Every figure here traces back to a source, a university's own fee page where one exists, a third-party aggregator where it doesn't. Where sources disagree, I show both numbers instead of picking one.

By Lin Hai — see how every figure here is sourced on the About page

Pick a city first

Where you'd live. Uses the dormitory range published on the university's own page.
Flights, insurance, books, visa fees, phone plan — whatever's not covered above. These vary too much by person and program for me to estimate responsibly. Add your own number here if you want it folded into the total below.

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Questions people actually ask

Quick answers

What currency are the numbers in?

All figures are in Chinese yuan (RMB). The calculator converts them to USD at roughly ¥7.2 = $1. Your actual exchange rate will move with the market, so treat the converted number as a planning anchor, not a bank quote.

Why is there a range instead of one tuition number?

Chinese universities usually charge by program. A humanities degree can cost half what a clinical medicine or engineering program costs. Where I found a single published rate, the range is narrow; where programs spread wide, the range is wide.

What do the source tiers mean? The tier tells you how close the figure is to a primary source:

  • Official — the university's own published fee page.
  • Mixed — part official, part third-party aggregator.
  • Third-party — consistent aggregator data I could not independently confirm.
  • Thin — sources conflict or data is sparse; treat as a rough bracket, not a quote.

Is this calculator for international students?

Yes. These are the rates a foreign passport holder applying for a degree or language program would typically see. Domestic Chinese tuition is a separate, much lower system.

What other costs should I budget? At least four things this tool does not include:

  • Health insurance for international students: usually around ¥800/year and often compulsory.
  • Visa / residence permit renewal and medical exam fees.
  • Books, lab materials, field trips — varies hugely by major.
  • Flights home and travel during long breaks.

Add 15–25% on top of tuition+dorm to be safe.

Why are some figures marked 'not confirmed'?

I only show a number when I can trace it to a source I can name. If a school's published page is down, behind a login, or contradicts itself, I leave it blank rather than invent a figure.

Do scholarships change these numbers?

Yes. Chinese Government Scholarships (CSC), provincial scholarships, and university-level awards can cover tuition, dorm, and sometimes a monthly stipend. They are competitive and application deadlines are usually January to March for the September intake.

How current are these figures?

Most are from 2026 admissions or fee pages. Tuition and dorm rates usually update once per year around March–May. Verify the exact figure with the university's admissions office before you budget.

Why is international tuition so much higher than for Chinese students?

Domestic Chinese students pay state-subsidized RMB rates. International students are placed on a separate, higher fee schedule — often several times the domestic rate — because they aren't covered by the same subsidies. That's why the numbers here look large next to a Chinese student's bill, and why the tool is built around the rates a foreign applicant actually sees.

Does the tuition figure include accommodation?

No. Tuition and dormitory fees are listed separately, and the bottom-line total adds tuition + dorm + your chosen housing + food + other costs on top. Read the tuition line as the academic fee only, not an all-in price.