It costs between $15,000 and $25,000 to adopt from China. The lower figure assumes a really inexpensive agency, one parent travelling, minimal travel within China, preparing documents and mailing things by the cheapest, not the fastest, means, etc. The upper bound is based on anecdotal accounts and is based on the highest numbers that we've heard about. Also based on anecdotal accounts, it sounds like about $18,000 is an average for the total cost of adopting a child from China. Here's a breakdown of the costs by major category:
| Expenses Before Dossier to China | Low Cost Estimate | High Cost Estimate |
| Adoption Agency Fee (Including Home Study) | $5,000 | $10,000 |
| Dossier Preparation Expenses | $1,000 | $3,000 |
| Costs for the Adoption Trip to China | ||
| Plane Tickets, Hotels, Meals etc | $3,000 | $6,000 |
| Required Donation to Orphanage | $3,000 | $3,500 |
| Other Legal Fees | $3,000 | $4,000 |
| Total Estimated Costs: | $15,000 | $25,000 |