Discover China!
Secure great rates on Chinese Yuan. Whether you're gearing up for a shopping spree in Shanghai or getting up close and personal with a panda in Chengdu, having enough Yuan in your pocket is essential.
Prep your wallet for the majestic landscapes and vibrant urban jungles of China by converting your New Zealand Dollars to Chinese Yuan.
From the Great Wall to the bustling markets of Beijing, and the serene gardens of Suzhou, you’ll want enough CNY to fully experience China's rich combination of storied history and technological modernity.
At Travel Money NZ, we offer great rates for purchasing Chinese Yuan and you can visit us to exchange in-person at one of our many stores across New Zealand.
Holiday Budget Calculator
We know holiday budgeting can be a snooze fest, but it's important! Just pop in your trip details, and our clever tools will mix crowd-sourced Numbeo data with our exchange rates to show you how much to bring. Easy as!
How to get the most out of your Chinese Yuan
Here are some tips to travel China on a budget...
- Travel during the low season (November to February, avoiding Chinese New Year) to enjoy lower prices on flights and accommodations while avoiding crowds.
- Dining out? Opt for local street food like dumplings, baozi, and jianbing for an authentic and affordable culinary experience.
- China’s high-speed rail network is a fast and cost-effective way to travel between cities, while local buses and metro systems are perfect for getting around within urban areas.
- Don’t miss free attractions like the stunning parks in Beijing, the iconic West Lake in Hangzhou, or a visit to the historical sites along the Great Wall!
- Convert NZD to CNY with Travel Money NZ and ensure every Yuan takes you further in this fascinating country.
All about China currency
A quick guide to money in China
The currency of China is the Chinese yuan renminbi (RMB), but it prefers to be called just ‘yuan' (CNY). It’s quite a unique form of currency, so be sure to triple-check notes as you hand them out. One yuan equates to 10 jiao, which itself is made up of 10 fen.
Think of yuan as dollars, fen as cents, and jiao as… well, something in the middle.
Cash rate
Purchase in store
*Online rates not available in store
Card rate
Purchase in store
Code
CNY
Symbol
¥
Coins
¥0.1, ¥0.5, ¥1
Banknotes
¥0.1, ¥0.5, ¥1, ¥5, ¥10, ¥20, ¥50, ¥100
Chinese notes and coins
In Chinese currency, you’ll find coins worth 10 and 50 fen, as well as the 1 yuan coin. Banknotes will take you through 10 and 50 fen, ¥1, ¥5, ¥10, ¥20, ¥50 and ¥100 yuan each.
It’ll take a little getting used to, but it won’t be long until you’ve mastered Chinese currency correctly.
Fun facts about Chinese cash
- The current banknotes focus more on historical landmarks, portraits of Mao Zedong, and scenic landscapes like the Great Wall of China, the Temple of Heaven, and the Karst mountains.
- While the current series doesn’t feature dragons, dragons were once a key symbol in older Chinese currency, representing power, prosperity, and good fortune.
- Special limited-edition notes are sometimes released to mark anniversaries or major events, such as the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China.
Travel Money Trivia - China edition
- The Chinese Yuan is sometimes colloquially called the ‘kuai’ (meaning ‘lump’) because currency was once quite literally a lump of silver.
- For Bitcoin fans, you’d be intrigued to know that 80% had been exchanged for CNY in 2015.
- The Chinese people were the founders of paper currency, dating back to the 9th century.
- As the inventors of paper currency, the Chinese revolutionized commerce in the 9th century by introducing notes that replaced heavier metal coins—a concept that would eventually be adopted worldwide.
- Inflation on the Chinese yuan has been astonishing, going up over 1000x over the last 40 years.
Why exchange with us?
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Securing the best exchange rate for your NZD to CNY conversion is crucial for a hassle-free travel experience in China. With Travel Money NZ, getting Chinese Yuan is easy, letting you focus on enjoying the sprawling landscapes and rich cultural offerings of China.