I’m trying to decide the best city to study Chinese in 2026 and would love some advice from people who have actually studied in China.
Right now I’m considering cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Kunming, but they all seem so different in terms of lifestyle, Mandarin level, cost, and overall experience.
If you’ve studied Chinese abroad before, which city would you recommend and why?
I’ve done Guilin and Beijing study abroad (and have also visited other cities). I think the best place is more about personal preferences, because you want to enjoy the day-to-day to help you feel motivated 
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In my case, I prefer smaller cities with warm weather, cheap as well so I don’t have to say no to things. I also went to Beijing when my Chinese level was higher, so I didn’t “cheat” (speak English), but in Guilin that wasn’t even an option so even though their accent is thicker I had to speak anyway. I’m a bit shy so that really made a difference for me
Happy to chat more