China · Asia
Hefei, China: cost, safety and best time to visit (2026)
Population: 5.0MCurrency: CNYTime zone: Asia/Shanghai
US travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Best months to visit
Apr, May, Sep and Oct
highest visit score, Open-Meteo climate record
About Hefei
Hefei is a provincial capital-scale city of about 5.05 million people in Anhui province, eastern China. It sits outside the small group of Chinese cities that draw heavy international tourist traffic, so prices and pace reflect a working regional center rather than a showcase destination. A one-person daily budget runs from about $55 for basic travel up to $125 for a mid-range trip and $265 for a comfortable, higher-spending day, with weekly totals of $385, $875, and $1,855 for the same three tiers. The climate swings widely across the year: cold, relatively dry winters, a warm and increasingly wet spring, a hot and rainy summer, and a mild, sunnier autumn. The months with the best combination of temperature, sunshine, and lower rainfall are April, May, September, and October, and these are also the city's peak season for visitors. January, February, and July are the quietest and cheapest months. Safety guidance for Hefei follows country-level advisories rather than city-specific warnings, so travelers should read general China guidance carefully before planning a trip.
Weather through the year
Average high in °C and monthly rainfall in mm, from the Open-Meteo archive.
Jan
10°
32mm
Feb
10°
50mm
Mar
18°
53mm
Apr
24°
88mm
May
27°
152mm
Jun
30°
186mm
Jul
34°
214mm
Aug
34°
95mm
Sep
29°
107mm
Oct
23°
55mm
Nov
18°
30mm
Dec
11°
28mm
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a week in Hefei cost?
Seven days run about $385 on a budget itinerary, $875 for a mid-range trip, and $1,855 for a luxury one, based on the daily estimates of $55, $125, and $265. These figures cover lodging, food, local transport, and typical daily spending rather than international flights.
When is the best time to visit Hefei?
April, May, September, and October have the strongest mix of warm temperatures and sunshine hours and are the city's peak season. October in particular combines high sunshine hours with lower rainfall than the spring months.
Is Hefei safe to visit?
The US State Department rates China at Level 3, Reconsider Travel, and this is a country-level rating rather than one specific to Hefei. The UK FCDO advisory covers China as a whole and highlights risks such as scams, national security law enforcement, and the need to carry ID, none of which are described as being concentrated in Hefei itself.
Can I visit Hefei on a tight budget?
Yes, the budget tier of $55 per day is built around basic accommodation, local food, and public transport, and it applies across the year. Traveling in the off-season months of January, February, or July stretches that budget further since demand and prices are lower then.
When are prices lowest in Hefei?
January, February, and July are listed as the off-season, coinciding with either cold winter weather or hot, rainy summer conditions that reduce visitor numbers. Costs and crowd levels both tend to ease during these months compared with the April, May, September, and October peak.
What about food and getting around the city?
Local meals and transport are part of daily cost estimates that scale from $55 at the budget level up to $265 for a luxury day, so options exist across price ranges. Public transport and casual food stalls or restaurants are the typical way visitors get around and eat day to day.
Keep reading
Where it ranks
Country
Sources
- GeoNames city database — CC BY 4.0, fetched September 14, 2026
- Open-Meteo climate archive — CC BY 4.0, fetched September 21, 2026
- World Bank price level and exchange rate — CC BY 4.0, data year 2025
- US State Department travel advisories — public domain, fetched September 21, 2026
- UK FCDO foreign travel advice — Open Government Licence v3, fetched September 21, 2026
AI-written interpretation reviewed against the data above — claude-sonnet-5, generated September 21, 2026. Every number on this page comes from a dataset named here; the formulas are public.