Top sight
Top sight
City guide · Updated June 2026
AsiaChina24.5° · 118.1°
Xiamen,China.
Coastal charm meets modern innovation on China's most livable island city.
Xiamen · CN
XiamenChina
★
Xiamen Gaoqi International AirportNEAREST AIRPORT
Population
2,114,662.1
Total residents
Global rank
#781
Wanderlust index
Best time
October to November and April to…
Peak window
Time zone
Asia/Shanghai
Local time
Currency
Chinese Yuan (CNY)
Money in use
Language
Mandarin Chinese
Spoken locally
01 · Overview
About Xiamen
Coastal charm meets modern innovation on China's most livable island city.
Xiamen is a vibrant coastal city on an island in southeastern China, known for its relaxed atmosphere, beautiful seafront promenades, and blend of colonial heritage with contemporary development. The city offers excellent food culture, convenient transportation, and is a major tech and manufacturing hub. Its mild climate and seafood-focused cuisine make it increasingly popular with digital nomads and expats seeking a more affordable alternative to China's tier-one cities.
02 · Wanderlust scorecard
How Xiamen scores
Ratings run 0 to 5 unless marked. They come from our AI-assisted research and are refreshed on a rolling basis.
3.4
/ 5
Cost of living
Affordability, 0–5. Higher means cheaper.
3.8
/ 5
Leisure
Leisure rating, 0–5.
100
Mbps
Connectivity
Median internet speed.
4.7
/ 5
Safety
Safety rating, 0–5. Higher is safer.
3.6
/ 5
Overall livability
Overall rating, 0–5.
3.5
/ 5
Air quality
Air-quality rating, 0–5. Higher is cleaner.
6.5
index
Index score
Wanderlust ranking, 0–10: overall, safety, internet, cost, leisure and air quality, weighted.
03 · Weather & when to go
Best time to visit Xiamen
Current weather and the forecast, and the months our research rates best for a visit.
Month by month
Best months Either side Other months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Sweet spot: October to November and April to May offer the most pleasant weather with mild temperatures and lower humidity..
More cities for these months: Where to go in April · Where to go in May · Where to go in October · Where to go in November
04 · Things to do
Things to do in Xiamen
Top sights from our AI-assisted research, and other places we have photos of.
Top sight
Top sight
Xiamen Botanical Garden
Top sight
Top sight
Nanputuo Temple
Top sight
Top sight
Zhongshan Road Pedestrian Street
Top sight
Top sight
Baicheng Beach
Top sight
Top sight
Huandao Road Coastal Drive
05 · Monthly cost of living
Cost of living in Xiamen
Estimated monthly totals in USD from our AI-assisted research, one per profile. Treat them as a starting point for a budget, not a quote.
$2,200
estimated monthly spend · USDProfileExpat
Price references — vs. profile benchmarks
Nomadmonthly spend · USD
$1,800
-18%
Expatmonthly spend · USD
$2,200
baseline
Familymonthly spend · USD
$4,893.7
+122%
Localmonthly spend · USD
$1,284.8
-42%
Median fiber speeddownload · Mbps
100
Mbps
06 · Neighborhoods
Where to stay in Xiamen
Neighborhoods our AI-assisted research lists as popular with visitors.
Siming District
Huli District
Jimo District
Gulangyu
07 · Insider tips
Sights and neighbourhoods, with a tip each.
Practical tips on places from this Xiamen guide, written with AI. One is free; Pro members see the rest. Double-check details before you go.
Insider tips · Wanderlust Pro
Practical tips on the sights and neighbourhoods in this Xiamenguide — when to go, what most visitors miss. Written with AI about the guide's own places; double-check details before you go. Pro members see every tip.
08 · Practical notes
Practical information for Xiamen
The essentials from this guide's data, in one place.
01
Getting there
- Nearest airport — Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport
02
Money
- Currency — Chinese Yuan (CNY)
- Affordability — 3.4/5 on the Wanderlust index (higher is cheaper)
03
Internet
- Median speed — 100 Mbps
- Internet score — 0/5
04
Safety
- Safety score — 4.7/5 from our AI-assisted research
05
Language
- Primary language — Mandarin Chinese
06
Timing
- Best window — October to November and April to May offer the most pleasant weather with mild temperatures and lower humidity.
- Time zone — Asia/Shanghai
Questions
Frequently asked, plainly answered.
The quick answers travelers want before they commit to flights, neighborhoods, and how long to stay.
Is Xiamen safe for travelers?+
Xiamen has a safety rating of 4.7 out of 5.
What is the best time to visit Xiamen?+
The best time to visit Xiamen is October to November and April to May offer the most pleasant weather with mild temperatures and lower humidity..
How expensive is Xiamen?+
Xiamen has an affordability score of 3.4 out of 5, where 5 is most affordable.
What is the internet speed in Xiamen?+
Xiamen has an average internet speed of 100 Mbps.
What currency does Xiamen use?+
The currency used in Xiamen is Chinese Yuan (CNY).
What language is spoken in Xiamen?+
The primary language spoken in Xiamen is Mandarin Chinese.
Work-ready layer
Coworking spots and laptop-friendly anchors.
Real coworking spaces, laptop-friendly cafés, and libraries mapped near the center of the city — the closest, best-rated desks first.
Spots surfaced0
Categories—
Mapped0
No coworking-ready spots surfaced for this city yet.
Map pending
No mapped workspace points yet.
Pick a different category or check back once we’ve indexed more desks for this city.
Concierge
Ask the Xiamen concierge.
Share your travel style, must-see spots, or work schedule and the concierge will help turn this guide into something personal.
Personal trip brief
Tell it what kind of trip you're trying to have, and it will tighten the plan.
01
Travel style
Ask for cafés, quiet neighborhoods, date-night spots, or a first 48-hour plan.
02
Work constraints
Mention calls, Wi-Fi needs, or how much of the day has to stay laptop-friendly.
03
Real tradeoffs
Get faster answers on where to stay, when to move neighborhoods, and what to skip.
Traveler reviews
Reviews of Xiamen
Written by signed-in Wanderlust members. We don't check that a reviewer has visited.
No reviews of Xiamen yet.
Plan a trip to Xiamen.
Tell the planner your dates, who's coming, your budget and pace, and it drafts a day-by-day itinerary you can edit.
Wanderlust Pro
Insider tips for Xiamen, unlimited AI-built itineraries, and travel companions you can invite to plan a trip together. From $5.00/month, billed annually.