What does a business trip
to China cost in 2026?

Travelling to China to visit suppliers or attend trade fairs such as the Canton Fair and the Yiwu Trade Fair is one of the most profitable decisions an importer can make. It is also one of those that demands the most financial planning. The trip itself is only part of the budget, and many business owners land in China without having worked out the real costs, which spoils the experience and, worse, the company's finances.

This guide brings together figures updated for 2026, in reais and dollars, for every category of spending. At the end you will find a comparison table of three travel profiles: budget, comfortable and supported by BCVN.

1. Flights: Brazil to China

The airfare is usually the single largest cost of the trip. The price varies considerably with the season, how far in advance you book and the airline you choose.

Practical tip: flights from Guarulhos (GRU) tend to be cheaper than those from Viracopos (VCP). Settle on your main destination in China first, Guangzhou (CAN), Shenzhen (SZX) or Shanghai (PVG), then compare stopover by stopover.

2. Visa: what changes in 2026

Since June 2025, Brazil has been on the list of countries with a visa waiver for China for up to 30 days. That removes a cost and, above all, the paperwork for most importers who travel specifically to visit trade fairs or suppliers. One warning is in order: the waiver does not remove the need for a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond your return date. Passports with less than 6 months left can be refused at check in, so check yours and renew it before booking anything.

For those who still need a visa, meaning stays longer than 30 days, multiple entries or specific activities, here are the costs:

For the typical importer heading to the Canton Fair or Yiwu for 7 to 14 days, the visa waiver covers the trip perfectly. Read more in our full guide: China visa: a step by step guide for Brazilians. There is one cost that goes into no spreadsheet and decides the return on the trip: knowing how to read the meeting. The map is in the guide on guanxi, mianzi and the dinner table.

3. Accommodation: costs by city

Hotel costs vary significantly from city to city. Guangzhou is dearer during the Canton Fair; Yiwu has good options near the International Trade City; Shenzhen tends to be dearer for well located hotels.

Watch out during the Canton Fair: across the three phases of the fair (April/May and October/November), hotels near the Pazhou Complex can sell out 90 days ahead. Book early or pick a hotel with a good metro link to the halls.

4. Getting around inside China

China's transport system is efficient and cheap, provided you know how to use it. The metro is the best option in the big cities, and the high speed trains (高铁, gāotiě) are excellent for intercity journeys.

01 City metro

Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Shanghai have modern, inexpensive metro systems. The average cost per journey is CNY 3 to 10 (about R$ 2 to 5). Buy a rechargeable card (Yangcheng Tong in Guangzhou, Shenzhen Tong in Shenzhen) as soon as you arrive: it works on the metro, on buses and even in convenience stores.

02 High speed trains

03 DiDi (the local Uber)

DiDi works well in the big cities. An average ride within the city costs CNY 20–60 (R$ 15–45). For the airport to hotel run, expect to pay CNY 60–120 in Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Set the app up before you leave Brazil and link it to an international card: some Brazilian cards are accepted.

5. Food

Eating in China is surprisingly cheap, as long as you do not confine yourself to hotel restaurants or places aimed at Western tourists.

Daily food budget by profile: budget (CNY 80–130 / R$ 58–95); comfortable (CNY 180–280 / R$ 130–200); frequent business meals with suppliers (CNY 300–500 / R$ 215–360).

6. Staying connected: internet, VPN and WeChat

This is where many travellers get an unpleasant surprise. China blocks Google, WhatsApp, Instagram and most Western services. Get ready before you board.

01 Data SIM

The simplest option is to buy an international data SIM before you leave (carriers such as TIM, Claro and Vivo offer China SIMs, alongside options from sites like KnowRoaming or Airalo). Local SIMs from Chinese carriers (China Mobile, China Unicom) are cheaper, but they require a passport and can carry restrictions for foreigners. Estimated cost: R$ 120–220 for 15 days of unlimited data.

02 VPN (essential)

To reach WhatsApp, Google Maps, Gmail and Western websites you need a VPN. Install and activate the VPN before you board, because once you are in China the VPN providers' own websites are unreachable. ExpressVPN, NordVPN and Astrill are the most reliable in China. Cost: USD 5–15 a month.

03 WeChat Pay

Almost all retail in China runs on QR codes through WeChat Pay or Alipay. In 2024, WeChat began accepting international Visa and Mastercard to top the wallet up: set that up before you arrive. Without mobile payment you will be at the mercy of cash machines (not always available) or cash in hand.

Practical tip: take CNY 1,000–2,000 in cash for the first few days, until WeChat Pay is set up. Change reais into yuan in Brazil (airports and bureaux de change) or withdraw from a Bank of China machine on arrival, which takes international cards.

7. Professional services: interpreter and advisory support

This is the cost that divides importers the most, and the one that most affects what the trip achieves. Going to China without an interpreter or specialist support is like walking into a negotiation with half the information.

01 Freelance interpreter

Portuguese to Mandarin interpreters can be hired locally or through online platforms. The cost varies a great deal with fluency and specialisation:

• Basic interpreter (conversational fluency): USD 80–150/day
• Business interpreter (technical and commercial vocabulary): USD 150–280/day
• Specialist interpreter (specific sector, trade fairs): USD 280–400/day

For a 10 day trip with an interpreter, budget USD 1,500 to USD 3,500 (R$ 8,000 to R$ 18,500 at the 2026 exchange rate).

02 Specialist support from BCVN

BCVN provides end to end support: a bilingual interpreter who specialises in business, a schedule arranged in advance with qualified suppliers, logistical backup (transfers, trade fair check in, guidance around the districts) and advice during the negotiations themselves. The package replaces the interpreter cost, cuts internal logistics costs and significantly raises the return on the trip: more suppliers seen, less time wasted, sharper negotiations.

8. Comparison table: three travel profiles (10 days)

The table below consolidates every cost for a 10 day trip covering Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Yiwu. Figures in reais, converted at the 2026 reference rate (USD 1 = R$ 5.70; CNY 1 = R$ 0.72).

Important note: these figures cover the cost of the trip, they do not include the working capital for the purchases themselves. The buying budget must be worked out separately, according to the volume and the products you intend to import.

9. Costs importers forget to budget for

10. When the investment in BCVN pays for itself

Professional support from BCVN is not an extra cost: it replaces costs and the return can be calculated. Here is the logic:

• Interpreter included: removes the R$ 8,000–13,000 cost of a freelance interpreter
• Schedule arranged in advance: you see in 3 days what would take 7 days to find alone
• A network of over 2,000 suppliers: access to qualified suppliers who do not appear on public platforms
• Assisted negotiation: average prices 10–25% better than those obtained without a local intermediary
• Logistical backup: no wrong taxis, no badly chosen hotels, no avoidable delays

For anyone importing more than USD 10,000 per trip, the difference in purchase price won through professional negotiation pays for the support on that first trip alone. For anyone on a first trip with no knowledge of the ground, the risk of expensive mistakes, such as the wrong product, an unreliable supplier or a cancelled order, is the cost to avoid.

See also our guide on the 10 day itinerary in China for importers to understand how to structure your schedule of visits. Cost is one half of the preparation; the other is how things actually work, and that is in eating, getting around and surviving in China, from payment by app to high-speed rail.