Cost of Living Comparison Between Beijing (Pekin) and Ankang Cost of Living Comparison Between Beijing (Pekin) and Ankang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,059 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $658 in Ankang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,761 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,041 in Ankang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,463 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,424 in Ankang, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 61% more than Ankang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Ankang are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower, Ankang 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.15 ¥28.09

$2.84 ¥19.22

46.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.92 ¥189

$18.21 ¥123

53.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ¥35.94

$5.52 ¥37.41

-3.80%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥20.59

$2.24 ¥15.18

35.71%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ¥3.12

$0.42 ¥2.87

9.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.04

$0.28 ¥1.91

7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.72

$1.08 ¥7.30

5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.45

$1.72 ¥11.65

23.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ¥11.68

$1.55 ¥10.48

10.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥10.76

$1.57 ¥10.64

1.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.47

$0.85 ¥5.76

29.41%

Eggs

$1.65 ¥11.17

$1.61 ¥10.90

2.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ¥108

$7.13 ¥48.31

122.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ¥21.79

$2.06 ¥13.94

56.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 ¥67.6

$8.85 ¥59.9

12.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 ¥14.26

$1.58 ¥10.73

33.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.77

$1.14 ¥7.70

39.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 ¥11.78

$1.33 ¥9.01

30.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ¥9.12

$0.76 ¥5.16

77.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.65

$0.70 ¥4.75

18.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.26

$0.60 ¥4.06

53.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.84

$0.54 ¥3.68

31.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.80

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 ¥23.35

$2.78 ¥18.80

24.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.96 ¥101

$7.59 ¥51.4

97.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.81

$0.77 ¥5.19

11.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥12.48

$1.70 ¥11.54

8.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ¥3.67

$0.29 ¥1.97

86.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.39 ¥213

$16.74 ¥113

87.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ¥12.51

$1.40 ¥9.46

32.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.52 ¥71.2

$4.13 ¥28.00

154.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$1.19 ¥8.06

-7.56%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$18.2K ¥122.9K

$20.9K ¥141.6K

-13.19%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$15.4K ¥104.2K

$16.5K ¥111.6K

-6.60%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$52.7 ¥357

$46.38 ¥314

13.63%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$8.97 ¥60.8

$3.10 ¥20.98

189.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.62 ¥85.5

$12.11 ¥82.0

4.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.30 ¥327

$41.20 ¥279

17.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.96 ¥122

$14.10 ¥95.5

27.38%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 ¥55.4

$4.95 ¥33.51

65.05%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$668 ¥4,524

$340 ¥2,306

96.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K ¥163.1K

$17.9K ¥121.0K

34.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 ¥413

$54.6 ¥370

11.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.02 ¥230

$36.64 ¥248

-7.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥520

$69.1 ¥468

11.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 ¥671

$71.6 ¥485

38.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 ¥6,202

$279 ¥1,887

228.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 ¥3,084

$190 ¥1,286

139.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,913 ¥13.0K

$594 ¥4,022

222.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 ¥7,340

$356 ¥2,410

204.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥83.8K

$3,246 ¥22.0K

281.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,323 ¥42.8K

$1,757 ¥11.9K

259.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

4.32

-15.74%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): May 30, 2026

Last update for Ankang: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $916 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $279 in Ankang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $18.00 in Ankang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $158 – making Ankang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Beijing (Pekin) vs Ankang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 61%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,589 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $988 in Ankang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ankang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 88% less in Ankang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $668 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $340 in Ankang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ankang, where all-in costs run around $658, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,059. In Ankang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ankang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Ankang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Beijing (Pekin) makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.