October
Best time
19°C / 7°C
3 rain days
mild, dry
- comfortable temperatures (avg high 19°C / 66°F)
- very low rainfall (only 3 rain days)
Best time to visit Beijing
Beijing, China — ranked month by month from data: temperature, rainfall, snow, and peak hazard seasons. The standouts: October, April, May.
About Beijing
Beijing, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's most populous national capital city, as well as China's second-largest city by urban area, after Shanghai. It is located in Northern China, and is governed as a provincial-level direct-administered municipality with 16 municipal districts.
— condensed from Wikipedia
"
Ancient and brand-new at the same time. The Forbidden City is exactly as advertised; the hutongs that survived demolition are the real Beijing. VPN before you fly.
— how Beijing really feels, in two sentences
Best months to visit
April
Best time
21°C / 7°C
4 rain days
mild, dry
- comfortable temperatures (avg high 21°C / 70°F)
- very low rainfall (only 4 rain days)
May
Best time
27°C / 13°C
5 rain days
warm
- comfortable temperatures (avg high 27°C / 81°F)
- very low rainfall (only 5 rain days)
September
Best time
26°C / 14°C
7 rain days
warm
- comfortable temperatures (avg high 26°C / 79°F)
- manageable rain (7 days)
- warm evenings without humidity overload
June
Best time
30°C / 18°C
9 rain days
hot
- manageable rain (9 days)
- warm evenings without humidity overload
August
Best time
30°C / 21°C
12 rain days
hot, rainy
- warm evenings without humidity overload
OK — shoulder months
July
OK
31°C / 22°C
14 rain days
hot, rainy
- warm evenings without humidity overload
March
OK
12°C / -1°C
3 rain days
1 snow days
cool, freezing nights, dry
- very low rainfall (only 3 rain days)
November
OK
10°C / -1°C
2 rain days
1 snow days
cool, freezing nights, dry
- very low rainfall (only 2 rain days)
February
OK
5°C / -6°C
2 rain days
2 snow days
chilly, freezing nights, dry
- very low rainfall (only 2 rain days)
Months to skip
December
Skip
4°C / -7°C
2 rain days
2 snow days
cold, freezing nights, dry
- bitterly cold (overnight -7°C)
January
Skip
2°C / -9°C
2 rain days
2 snow days
cold, freezing nights, dry
- bitterly cold (overnight -9°C)
How we ranked these
Each month is scored on temperature comfort (18–27°C avg high is the sweet spot), rainfall (more rain days = lower score), snow days, and peak hazard seasons (hurricanes, monsoons, etc.). Green-tier months are within ideal range with no major issues. Yellow are workable but with trade-offs. Red has at least one significant problem — extreme heat or cold, heavy rain, or peak storm season.
On-the-ground reality — Beijing
The practical stuff most travel sites won't say plainly. Use this to set expectations before you book.
❌ Tap water
Bottled only
🚶 Walkability
Good
🛡 Safety
Low risk
🚕 Ride-hailing
Limited
🗣 English
25% transactable
On the ground: Bring/buy bottled. VPN before you arrive — Western apps blocked. Subway is cheap and extensive but jam-packed at rush hour.
🇨🇳 Mandarin Chinese survival phrases
The 16 phrases that will earn you smiles, food, and help when you need it. English-speaking travellers — start with the first 4 and add the rest as needed.
Hello
你好
nǐ hǎo
Thank you
谢谢
xièxie
Please
请
qǐng
Yes / No
是 / 不是
shì / búshì
Excuse me
对不起
duìbuqǐ
Do you speak English?
你会说英语吗?
nǐ huì shuō yīngyǔ ma
I don't understand
我不明白
wǒ bù míngbái
How much?
多少钱?
duōshǎo qián
The bill, please
买单
mǎidān
Water
水
shuǐ
Where is…?
…在哪里?
zài nǎlǐ
Bathroom
厕所
cèsuǒ
Help!
救命
jiùmìng
Call the police
请叫警察
qǐng jiào jǐngchá
I need a doctor
我需要医生
wǒ xūyào yīshēng
I'm allergic to…
我对…过敏
wǒ duì… guòmǐn
Pronunciations are rough English approximations — they'll get you understood, even if your tones aren't perfect.
What does Beijing cost?
Estimated daily budgets per person across three travel tiers. Use these as rough starting points — actual spend varies with season and neighborhood.
| Per person per day | 🎒 Budget | 🏨 Mid-range | 🥂 Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lodging | $30 | $110 | $325 |
| Food | $16 | $45 | $140 |
| Transit | $4 | $9 | $40 |
| Activities | $14 | $33 | $85 |
| Daily total | $64 | $197 | $590 |
Calculate your trip total
Plug in how long you'll go and how many people you're with. We'll show the total in USD and — if you've set a home city — automatically convert it to your home currency.
Estimated trip cost
—
Estimates as of 2025-2026, in USD per person per day. Excludes long-haul flights.