Harbin rewards the broke traveller: the Songhua riverbank, the Daowai baroque quarter and half the city's Russian facades cost nothing. Buses are ¥1–2, a plate of dumplings ¥12, and student hostels near the university run ¥45 a night.
Free open-air district of 1920s merchant courtyards where Chinese craftsmen copied European baroque facades onto siheyuan houses. Wander Jingyu Street and the alleys off Nanerdao Street; courtyards are open, no ticket, no gate, no fixed hours.
Century-old Daowai steamed-bun shop, three-fried baozi and pork-and-scallion buns from about ¥12 a basket, sour cabbage soup ¥6. Plastic stools, communal tables, cash and WeChat Pay. Open roughly 06:30–19:00 daily.
A 1,750m free riverside park strung with Russian-style pergolas and the 1958 Flood Control Monument. In winter locals cut ice blocks and ride sleds on the frozen river; in summer they swim off the sand. Open 24 hours, no entry fee.
When the Songhua freezes (late December to early March) you can walk straight across the ice to Sun Island's outer shore for nothing, instead of paying the ¥20 ferry or ¥50 cable car. The unfenced outer beach area needs no ticket.
Harbin's biggest morning street market, roughly 1km of stalls between Hongzhuan Street and Shangzhi Street, running about 04:00–10:00. Fried dough sticks ¥2, soy milk ¥2, hand-pulled sugar candy ¥5, seasonal mushrooms sold by the jin.
The streets around HIT's main gate on Xidazhi Street are lined with student canteens and hole-in-the-wall noodle shops: malatang by weight from ¥12, beef noodles ¥10, rice-with-two-dishes sets ¥15. Prices set by student budgets, not tourists.
Free-entry museum in a 1906 Russian department store on Hongjun Street, holding Jinnan dinosaur skeletons, the Manchurian mammoth and Jin dynasty relics. Open 09:00–16:00, closed Mondays; bring your passport to collect a free ticket.
Student night market near Harbin Normal University, Limin district end of Hexing Road: lamb skewers ¥2 each, grilled squid ¥8, stir-fried noodles ¥10, Harbin Beer ¥5 a bottle. Busiest 18:00–22:00 during term time.
The 1901 Russian-built railway bridge over the Songhua was converted into a free pedestrian deck with a glass-floor section and views straight down the river to Sun Island. Open daylight hours, no ticket, entrance from the Stalin Park end.
Nangang's Russian-named boulevard, lined with cheap bakeries selling Harbin lieba rye loaves for ¥8-15 and red sausage by the 100g. Buy bread, sausage and a bottle of kvass for under ¥30 and eat it on the benches by Bagua Street.
Public park in Nangang holding the world's only children's railway, a 2km narrow-gauge line built in 1956 and staffed by schoolchildren. Park entry is free; the summer train ride costs about ¥10. Open 06:00–20:00.
Zaha-Hadid-era white ribbon building on the Songhua's north bank in Songbei; the outdoor ramps, roof walkway and surrounding wetland boardwalk are open to the public without a ticket, and sunset over the reeds is the payoff.