SIM cards & phone numbers in China
Whether you actually need a Chinese number, and how to get one if you do.
What everyone needs to know
- Most visitors do not need a Chinese number — an international eSIM covers maps, payments and messaging.
- A local SIM requires passport registration at an official carrier counter.
- A Chinese number makes some domestic registrations possible (certain bike-share and delivery apps) but breaks access to Google and WhatsApp.
- Numbers must be topped up; unused prepaid SIMs expire.
The numbers
| Item | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Local SIM | ¥100–200 for 30 days |
| Registration | Passport required, in person |
| Data package | 10–30 GB typical |
| Where to buy | Airport counter or carrier store |
Do it in this order
- Decide first: eSIM (keeps WhatsApp) or local SIM (Chinese number, loses WhatsApp).
- For a local SIM, go to an official China Mobile/Unicom/Telecom store with your passport.
- Ask the staff to activate data and confirm the balance before you leave the counter.
- Top up via the carrier app or a convenience store.
Mistakes to avoid
- Buying a local SIM on day one and losing WhatsApp for the whole trip.
- Buying from a reseller who cannot register the SIM properly.
- Forgetting that prepaid credit expires if unused.
Sources
SIM cards & phone numbers city by city
- Beijing
- Shanghai
- Xi'an
- Chengdu
- Chongqing
- Guilin
- Zhangjiajie
- Hangzhou
- Guangzhou
- Shenzhen
- Harbin
- Sanya
- Lijiang
- Kunming
- Suzhou
- Xiamen
- Zhengzhou
- Taiyuan
- Guiyang
- Fuzhou
- Yiwu
- Tianjin
- Nanjing
- Wuhan
- Changsha
- Qingdao
- Jinan
- Shenyang
- Dalian
- Changchun
- Hohhot
- Urumqi
- Lhasa
- Xining
- Lanzhou
- Yinchuan
- Dunhuang
- Luoyang
- Kaifeng
- Datong
- Pingyao
- Qufu
- Tai'an
- Huangshan
- Hefei
- Nanchang
- Wenzhou
- Ningbo
- Wuxi
- Yangzhou
- Shaoxing
- Zhuhai
- Foshan
- Dongguan
- Haikou
- Nanning
- Yangshuo
- Dali
- Shangri-La
- Xishuangbanna