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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,073 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $698 in Baiquan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,769 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $1,127 in Baiquan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,464 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $1,556 in Baiquan.

Living in Beijing (Pekin) is roughly 54% more expensive than in Baiquan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Beijing (Pekin) 20% lower, Baiquan 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.29 ¥28.98

$2.84 ¥19.19

51.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.28 ¥191

$21.09 ¥143

34.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 ¥35.08

$4.92 ¥33.23

5.49%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥20.83

$2.92 ¥19.76

5.48%

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

$0.42 ¥2.86

$0.46 ¥3.11

-8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.87

$0.27 ¥1.80

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ¥7.31

$0.88 ¥5.96

22.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.85

$2.13 ¥14.36

-3.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ¥11.26

$1.77 ¥11.97

-5.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ¥10.86

$1.56 ¥10.53

3.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.56

$0.96 ¥6.46

16.67%

Eggs

$1.71 ¥11.55

$1.64 ¥11.11

4.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.76 ¥106

$12.80 ¥86.5

23.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 ¥21.55

$3.24 ¥21.90

-1.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.85 ¥66.5

$10.02 ¥67.7

-1.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 ¥14.14

$1.71 ¥11.54

22.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.22

$1.25 ¥8.42

32.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.96

$1.42 ¥9.56

24.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.59

$1.14 ¥7.69

11.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.78

$0.69 ¥4.66

23.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.13

$0.97 ¥6.56

-6.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.52

$0.59 ¥4.00

13.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ¥3.51

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 ¥23.25

$3.06 ¥20.66

12.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 ¥99.9

$10.48 ¥70.8

41.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.78

$0.75 ¥5.08

14.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥11.77

$1.60 ¥10.82

8.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ¥3.71

$0.29 ¥1.97

89.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.84 ¥215

$16.77 ¥113

89.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ¥12.46

$1.35 ¥9.12

36.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.37

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 ¥69.8

$6.74 ¥45.55

53.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$1.12 ¥7.59

1.79%

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

$18.9K ¥127.4K

$19.7K ¥133.0K

-4.21%

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

$15.9K ¥107.4K

$16.7K ¥112.7K

-4.63%

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

$51.5 ¥348

$46.53 ¥314

10.72%

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

$8.84 ¥59.7

$10.03 ¥67.7

-11.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.44 ¥84.1

$11.60 ¥78.4

7.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.69 ¥336

$41.58 ¥281

19.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 ¥125

$14.11 ¥95.4

31.04%

Cinema Ticket

$8.29 ¥56.1

$6.42 ¥43.35

29.13%

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

$679 ¥4,588

$342 ¥2,310

98.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ¥158.6K

$16.6K ¥112.2K

41.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 ¥423

$44.14 ¥298

41.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.13 ¥231

$30.58 ¥207

11.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$71.5 ¥483

7.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 ¥679

$75.2 ¥508

33.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ¥6,044

$273 ¥1,846

227.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 ¥3,133

$186 ¥1,254

149.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,906 ¥12.9K

$591 ¥3,991

222.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 ¥7,277

$353 ¥2,389

204.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.6K ¥85.1K

$2,714 ¥18.3K

363.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,257 ¥42.3K

$2,029 ¥13.7K

208.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

3.87

-5.94%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): July 12, 2026

Last update for Baiquan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $894 in Beijing (Pekin) and $273 in Baiquan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $28.00 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $21.00 in Baiquan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $196 per month, with Baiquan 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 Baiquan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baiquan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 54% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,610 in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,047 in Baiquan to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $894 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $273 in Baiquan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $679 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $342 in Baiquan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Beijing (Pekin). For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $698 in Baiquan versus $1,073 in Beijing (Pekin), a $1,500 budget is realistic in Baiquan but tight or insufficient in Beijing (Pekin). The gap between the two cities makes Baiquan 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.

Safety-wise, Beijing (Pekin) and Baiquan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Baiquan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Beijing (Pekin). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.