How Much Will You Spend Each Day Besides Medical Fees? Build a Living Expenses Budget
There is no single daily living expense amount that applies to everyone traveling to China for medical care. First, get quotes based on your city, hospital campus, number of people, and planned dates. Then calculate expenses separately for outpatient care, hospital stays, and recovery. While the patient is in hospital, companions may still need accommodation, meals, and travel to and from the hospital. If the discharge date is uncertain, budget for a possible extended stay without treating it as a confirmed itinerary.
Key points
- Keep the medical estimate separate from living expenses. Do not count meals, transport, or services again if they are already included in a medical or accommodation quote.
- First, ask the treating team about expected appointments, hospital stays, follow-up visits, and travel arrangements. Mark uncertain days, prices, and coverage as “to be confirmed,” rather than entering zero.
- Dietary requirements, mobility, and care needs may affect food and transport choices. Ask the treating team first, then request quotes for options that suit your needs.
- After calculating planned costs, calculate a separate scenario for a possible extended stay and check whether you could pay for it when needed. The scenario amount is neither the actual total nor a spending limit.
Clarify your itinerary and quotes first
Ask the receiving care team about your expected arrival at the hospital, hospital stay, follow-up visits after discharge, and when return travel may be appropriate. If dates cannot yet be confirmed, record the current estimated range and when to check again. Ask hotels, transport providers, and care services separately about actual prices, applicable dates, what is included, payment deadlines, and change or cancellation terms. Keep the source, date, currency, and validity period of each quote.
| Information to enter | Your arrangements |
|---|---|
| City, hospital, and actual hospital campus | |
| Number of patients and companions, and each person’s arrival and departure dates | |
| Expected days for outpatient care, hospital stays, and recovery; which remain uncertain | |
| Budget currency, quote date, and validity period | |
| Meals, accommodation, transport, and attendant care already included in the medical estimate or package | |
| Next date to confirm details with the hospital, hotel, or service provider |
Assign each calendar day one main day type: outpatient care, hospital stay, or recovery. If a day involves several activities, enter it in only one row and include the costs of all actual activities that day, so you do not count the day twice. Calculate accommodation separately by room and actual nights booked; the number of nights may differ from the total number of days across the day types. Whether companions keep their accommodation while the patient is in hospital depends on the booking terms and actual arrangements.
Calculate living expenses by day type
First, check whether the patient needs to fast or has food texture requirements, allergies, or other dietary needs. Ask the doctor or dietitian how to arrange meals. Calculate companions’ meals separately. If hospital meals, hotel breakfasts, or package meals are included, record only the portions not covered. For food delivery, include actual charges such as delivery and packaging. If you plan to cook, check whether a kitchen and equipment are available for use.
Estimate transport costs for the actual route from your accommodation to the correct hospital campus and back. Include costs for companions, parking, waiting, or equipment. Ask the treating team whether the patient can walk or travel by vehicle and whether assistance is needed. Where necessary, request quotes from vehicle providers or qualified patient transport providers, and identify an available alternative route.
In each cell below, enter the estimated amount for everyone concerned over one day. If prices are per person or per use, multiply them first. Enter only care services that require separate payment, noting the number of people, service hours, and overtime rules. Family members’ lost earnings or care expenses at home can be listed separately; do not treat time with no cash outlay as money already paid. Plan ahead in case a companion becomes ill, tired, or unable to continue: confirm who can take over, when they can arrive, and whether replacement companions or professional services are available and what they cost.
| Day type | Number of days | Patient meals/day | Companion meals/day | Transport/day | Separately paid care, interpreting, and supplies/day | Daily subtotal | Total for day type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outpatient care | |||||||
| Hospital stay | |||||||
| Recovery |
Daily subtotal = meals, transport, and other daily expenses in that row added together. Total for day type = daily subtotal × number of days of that type. If costs are expected to vary considerably between dates, split the same day type into several rows. If any item is still to be confirmed, the full total for that row is also to be confirmed. You can record the known portion first and list missing items beside it.
List accommodation, one-time costs, and an extended-stay scenario separately
| Item | How to enter it | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | Actual nights for each room type × nightly rate; list cleaning, taxes, and other charges not included separately | |
| One-time costs | Examples include airport transfers, phone or internet access, equipment rental, or other quoted expenses; note the number of people and what is included | |
| Payment fees | Ask about possible currency exchange, cross-border transaction, cash withdrawal, or platform fees for each payment method | |
| Totals by day type | Add the totals from all rows in the table above | |
| Planned living expenses | Add all the items above; if anything is missing, label the result “known portion” and list items to be confirmed |
If family members keep a hotel room during the hospital stay, include the actual nights booked even when the patient is not at the hotel. If there is a separate charge for a companion staying in the ward, enter it under either care or accommodation, and check it against the hospital bill. Round-trip flights, visas, medical bills, and hospital deposits can be listed separately in the overall trip budget, noting that they are excluded from this living expenses subtotal. A deposit affects when you pay; it does not automatically represent an additional cost. Confirm refund amounts and timing with the recipient.
Extended-stay scenario: Discuss with the treating team a possible additional stay you should prepare for. Enter the extra nights, meals, transport, and care that may be needed, along with change or cancellation fees for the patient and companions. Ask the hotel whether you can extend your stay, the rate for extra nights, and the deadlines for changes or cancellations. Ask the ticket provider which change rules apply. Do not add days or expenses already allowed for in the original plan again. If a recovery day becomes an outpatient day, update the costs for the new activities that day instead of counting it as two days. Keep any costs from existing bookings that are nonrefundable or still payable.
Additional cost of the extended stay = extra nights and additional day-type expenses + new one-time expenses such as booking changes − original expenses that will no longer occur because of the change − original expenses the recipient has confirmed will be refunded. Keep original expenses that have already been paid and are nonrefundable, or that remain payable. Do not deduct the same expense both as a cost that will no longer occur and as a refund. Count each booking change fee or charge only once, based on the actual charge. List unconfirmed refunds separately without deducting them from the estimate.
Planned living expenses plus the additional cost of the extended stay give the estimated net cost for that scenario. Unknown items must still be listed, and this is not a spending limit. Separately check the funds available on each payment date. Record confirmed refunds that have not yet arrived separately; they are not available funds until received. Deposits already paid may tie up funds until final settlement, even if they can later be credited toward the bill.
Arrange payments and update your budget
Ask hotels, transport providers, and service providers whether they accept your bank cards or other payment methods. Then confirm limits and fees with your card issuer or payment platform. China’s official guide to working and living in China recommends checking which international bank cards a hotel accepts before using one to pay. If you cannot link a card to a payment platform, contact the platform or card issuer. Prepare a backup payment method that a companion can use, and arrange Chinese yuan cash according to your actual needs.[1]
| Expense/recipient | Currency and amount | When payment is due | Amount paid and receipt | Unpaid amount/refund to be confirmed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Keep amounts in their original currencies first. If you need a combined total, record the exchange rate used, the conversion date, and which currency was converted into which. Label the result as an estimate; the actual amount depends on settlement at the time of payment. Count payment fees only once, under payment fees. Record living expenses separately from hospital advance payments, and keep itemized receipts. If insurance may cover an expense, confirm the covered item, limit, required documents, and payment method with the insurer. Do not deduct unconfirmed reimbursements from the funds you need to prepare.[2]
After itinerary or price changes, record actual spending and the remaining arrangements, and update unpaid amounts. If your budget is insufficient, first check for duplicate charges, items already included, or date changes, then contact the relevant providers to adjust arrangements. Ask the treating team before making changes involving diet, activity, or care. Refer to the written confirmation for the scope and fees of coordination services. The EastMedGo service information lists items that may be quoted separately, and the Terms of Service explain the scope of its services and how third-party fees are handled.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I enter for the patient’s meals during a hospital stay?
First, ask whether the hospital bill includes meals, which meals are included, and whether special diets cost extra. Enter only the amounts payable outside the hospital bill in the living expenses table. Calculate companions’ meals separately.
If a companion and patient share one room, should I count the room charge twice?
Count it once, based on the room quote and actual nights stayed, then check charges for extra guests, extra beds, breakfast, and other items. If the two people stay separately, list each room separately.
Can I still use the tables if I do not know how long we will stay?
Record known dates and costs first, and mark the uncertain parts of discharge, follow-up visits, and return travel. Agree with the treating team on when to check again, ask the hotel about extensions and change or cancellation terms, and calculate a separate extended-stay scenario.
Are care attendants, appointment companions, and interpreters covered by one fee?
Not necessarily. Ask separately about the services, providers, hours, prices, and overtime or cancellation rules. Check whether the hospital, coordination package, or other quotes already include the same service. If nursing care or patient transport is needed, confirm that qualified providers will deliver it.
Can the patient use public transport after discharge?
This depends on the patient’s condition at the time, the entire route, and the treating team’s advice. Ask whether the patient needs a companion, wheelchair, or other assistance, then request prices for suitable transport options. Do not arrange transport based on price alone.
If my policy includes medical coverage, can I deduct living expenses?
First, confirm with the insurer whether this planned treatment and the specific expenses are covered, what limits apply, and what application documents are required. Until coverage is confirmed, treat those expenses as funds you still need to arrange, and keep receipts.
How should I record a refund if I have paid but the trip is canceled?
Contact the hotel, ticket provider, hospital, and other payment recipients separately to confirm the basis for deductions, how to apply, the expected refund amount, and how the money will be returned. Record amounts already received and those still to be confirmed separately. Third-party refunds are subject to each party’s agreed terms and applicable rules.
Sources
- Chinese Government website: A Guide to Working and Living in China as Business Expatriates (2025 Edition) — Payment products, hotel payments, and transport information; check the conditions of individual businesses and platforms separately.
- UK Government: Medical care and hospital stays abroad — Medical care abroad, insurance, receipts, and preparations for return travel; insurance terms depend on your individual policy and the insurer’s response.
- US CDC: Medical Tourism; Food and Water Precautions for Travelers — Background on travel risks after treatment and food safety; confirm individual dietary and travel arrangements with the treating team.