1. Affordable Accommodation
- Hostels/Guesthouses: ¥80–150/night near Confucius Temple or Xinjiekou.
- Budget Hotels: Chains like GreenTree Inn offer clean rooms for ¥200–300.
2. Cheap Eats
- Street Food: Duck blood soup (¥15), plum blossom cakes (¥5) at Qinhuai snack street.
- Local Cafeterias: Try Nanjing Da Pai Dong for meals under ¥30.
3. Free Attractions
- Xuanwu Lake: Free lakeside walks with city wall views.
- Yihe Mansions: Historic architecture exploration at no cost.
4. Transportation Savings
- Metro: ¥2–5 per ride; day passes for ¥15.
- Bike Sharing: HelloBike (¥1.5⁄30 mins).
5. Discount Tickets
- City Pass: ¥120 for 3+ attractions (e.g., Ming Tomb, Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum).
Cost Comparison Chart
Category | Budget Option | Price (¥) | Premium Alternative | Price (¥) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Accommodation | GreenTree Inn | 200 | The Ritz-Carlton | 2,000+ |
Food | Street food | 10–30 | Fine dining | 100+ |
Transport | Metro/Bike | 1.5–15 | Taxi | 30–50 |
Attractions | Free walks | 0 | Paid tours | 50–100 |
Pro Tips:
- Visit off-peak (Sept–Nov) for lower hotel rates.
- Use WeChat Mini-Programs for discounted attraction tickets.