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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,059 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $562 in Anshan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,761 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $883 in Anshan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,463 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $1,205 in Anshan.

Living in Beijing (Pekin) is roughly 89% more expensive than Anshan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower, Anshan 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.15 ¥28.07

$3.55 ¥24.02

16.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.92 ¥189

$17.30 ¥117

61.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ¥35.92

$4.27 ¥28.88

24.36%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥20.58

$2.81 ¥19.02

8.19%

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

$0.46 ¥3.11

$0.32 ¥2.20

43.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.04

$0.22 ¥1.49

36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$0.68 ¥4.58

67.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.44

$1.55 ¥10.52

37.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ¥11.67

$1.59 ¥10.77

8.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥10.75

$1.15 ¥7.80

38.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.47

$0.37 ¥2.48

197.30%

Eggs

$1.65 ¥11.16

$2.03 ¥13.71

-18.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ¥108

$8.23 ¥55.7

93.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ¥21.77

$1.62 ¥11.00

98.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 ¥67.6

$8.24 ¥55.8

21.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 ¥14.25

$0.98 ¥6.66

115.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.77

$1.10 ¥7.44

44.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 ¥11.77

$1.08 ¥7.33

61.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ¥9.12

$0.72 ¥4.85

87.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.65

$0.27 ¥1.82

207.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.25

$0.77 ¥5.22

19.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.84

$0.60 ¥4.03

18.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.80

$0.43 ¥2.94

30.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 ¥23.33

$3.51 ¥23.73

-1.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.96 ¥101

$11.40 ¥77.2

31.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.80

$0.67 ¥4.52

28.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥12.47

$1.36 ¥9.23

35.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ¥3.67

$0.27 ¥1.82

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.39 ¥212

$16.69 ¥113

88.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ¥12.50

$0.93 ¥6.26

98.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.41

$0.33 ¥2.22

9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.52 ¥71.2

$3.99 ¥26.99

163.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$1.03 ¥6.96

6.80%

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

$18.2K ¥122.9K

$18.1K ¥122.4K

0.41%

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

$15.4K ¥104.2K

$13.9K ¥93.8K

11.08%

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

$52.7 ¥357

$27.67 ¥187

90.46%

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

$8.97 ¥60.7

$6.90 ¥46.72

30.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.62 ¥85.4

$11.30 ¥76.5

11.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.30 ¥327

$27.61 ¥187

74.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.96 ¥122

$13.69 ¥92.7

31.19%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 ¥55.3

$5.69 ¥38.51

43.59%

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

$668 ¥4,521

$207 ¥1,403

222.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K ¥163.0K

$9,333 ¥63.2K

158.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 ¥413

$34.30 ¥232

77.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.02 ¥230

$34.89 ¥236

-2.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥520

$84.9 ¥575

-9.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 ¥671

$69.0 ¥467

43.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 ¥6,199

$139 ¥941

558.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 ¥3,083

$114 ¥768

301.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,913 ¥12.9K

$275 ¥1,858

596.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 ¥7,336

$205 ¥1,391

427.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥83.8K

$2,785 ¥18.8K

344.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,323 ¥42.8K

$1,790 ¥12.1K

253.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

$940 ¥6,365

66.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

82.00%

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

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

Last update for Anshan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $916 in Beijing (Pekin) and $139 in Anshan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Beijing (Pekin) pays 67% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $28.00 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $17.00 in Anshan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $153 per month, with Anshan cheaper across the board.

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 Anshan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Anshan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 89% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Beijing (Pekin) pays 67% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $916 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $139 in Anshan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Anshan – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $28.00 in Beijing (Pekin). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,059 per month in Beijing (Pekin) versus $562 in Anshan – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $562 in Anshan versus $1,059 in Beijing (Pekin), a $1,500 budget is realistic in Anshan but tight or insufficient in Beijing (Pekin). The gap between the two cities makes Anshan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Anshan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Beijing (Pekin). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.