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: $1,209 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $733 in Baiquan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,895 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $1,170 in Baiquan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,580 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $1,606 in Baiquan.

Living in Beijing (Pekin) is roughly 65% more expensive than in Baiquan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Beijing (Pekin) 12% lower, Baiquan 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ¥29.52

$2.94 ¥19.75

49.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.24 ¥203

$24.26 ¥163

24.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 ¥34.13

$5.36 ¥36.00

-5.04%

Cappuccino

$3.40 ¥22.79

$2.56 ¥17.21

32.81%

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

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.45 ¥3.03

26.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.95

$0.30 ¥1.98

-3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 ¥8.07

$1.01 ¥6.77

18.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.87

$1.87 ¥12.56

-13.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ¥12.67

$1.65 ¥11.07

14.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥11.98

$1.65 ¥11.04

8.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.42

$1.07 ¥7.21

3.74%

Eggs

$1.99 ¥13.36

$1.81 ¥12.16

9.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.81 ¥99.4

$13.09 ¥87.8

13.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ¥22.41

$3.35 ¥22.50

-0.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ¥72.8

$10.68 ¥71.7

1.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ¥13.23

$1.86 ¥12.50

5.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ¥12.75

$1.29 ¥8.67

47.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.26

$1.38 ¥9.26

43.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ¥10.86

$1.28 ¥8.56

26.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.12

$0.77 ¥5.17

-1.30%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 ¥5.63

$0.95 ¥6.38

-11.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.55

$0.62 ¥4.15

9.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.90

$0.51 ¥3.42

13.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 ¥27.13

$3.23 ¥21.68

25.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.90 ¥100

$10.61 ¥71.2

40.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ¥7.22

$0.86 ¥5.77

25.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ¥12.70

$1.77 ¥11.90

6.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ¥5.20

$0.26 ¥1.75

196.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.53 ¥212

$15.51 ¥104

103.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ¥12.75

$1.71 ¥11.47

11.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.35

$0.32 ¥2.16

9.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 ¥49.46

$8.07 ¥54.2

-8.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥8.33

$1.39 ¥9.30

-10.79%

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

$19.0K ¥127.2K

$22.1K ¥148.4K

-14.31%

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

$18.0K ¥120.7K

$19.2K ¥128.8K

-6.29%

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

$54.3 ¥364

$60.2 ¥404

-9.91%

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

$8.91 ¥59.8

$9.44 ¥63.3

-5.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.43 ¥96.9

$12.37 ¥83.0

16.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.40 ¥271

$40.09 ¥269

0.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.73 ¥159

$16.51 ¥111

43.73%

Cinema Ticket

$7.23 ¥48.52

$6.78 ¥45.52

6.64%

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

$661 ¥4,438

$406 ¥2,727

62.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K ¥169.8K

$15.2K ¥101.7K

66.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ¥422

$39.74 ¥267

58.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.30 ¥250

$29.57 ¥198

26.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 ¥591

$75.5 ¥507

16.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ¥822

$70.2 ¥471

74.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$959 ¥6,438

$306 ¥2,053

213.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$536 ¥3,596

$201 ¥1,349

166.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,364 ¥15.9K

$669 ¥4,491

253.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 ¥7,426

$324 ¥2,174

241.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K ¥82.8K

$3,379 ¥22.7K

265.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,466 ¥43.4K

$2,106 ¥14.1K

206.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,662 ¥11.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.21

3.38

-5.03%

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

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

Last update for Baiquan: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $959 in Beijing (Pekin) and $306 in Baiquan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $30.00 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $24.00 in Baiquan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $203 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 65% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,813 in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,100 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: $959 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $306 in Baiquan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $661 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $406 in Baiquan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Beijing (Pekin). For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $733 in Baiquan versus $1,209 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 65% less than in Beijing (Pekin). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.