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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,178 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $695 in Baoding, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,907 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,089 in Baoding, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,636 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,483 in Baoding, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 70% more than Baoding, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Baoding are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 15% lower, Baoding 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ¥29.45

$1.75 ¥11.73

151.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.96 ¥201

$18.00 ¥121

66.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.32 ¥35.60

$4.72 ¥31.59

12.71%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ¥22.87

$1.32 ¥8.87

158.33%

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

$0.57 ¥3.80

$0.50 ¥3.34

14.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.79

$0.21 ¥1.40

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ¥7.85

$0.73 ¥4.89

60.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ¥11.31

$1.23 ¥8.20

37.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ¥12.68

$1.50 ¥10.06

26.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 ¥11.32

$1.71 ¥11.45

-1.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.71

$0.77 ¥5.14

49.35%

Eggs

$2.07 ¥13.85

$0.80 ¥5.37

158.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 ¥98.5

$14.60 ¥97.8

0.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 ¥22.59

$1.79 ¥12.01

88.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.59 ¥70.9

$7.38 ¥49.42

43.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 ¥13.95

$0.78 ¥5.20

166.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 ¥12.68

$0.58 ¥3.88

225.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 ¥12.79

$1.96 ¥13.11

-2.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ¥10.86

$0.57 ¥3.80

184.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.73

$0.44 ¥2.94

61.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 ¥5.84

$0.57 ¥3.83

52.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ¥4.90

$0.73 ¥4.89

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$0.47 ¥3.12

25.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 ¥27.81

$4.22 ¥28.25

-1.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 ¥99.2

$14.59 ¥97.7

1.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ¥6.83

$0.61 ¥4.05

67.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ¥12.60

$1.02 ¥6.82

84.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ¥5.13

$0.21 ¥1.40

266.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.99 ¥214

$17.77 ¥119

80.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ¥12.71

$1.33 ¥8.90

42.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.38

$0.32 ¥2.18

12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.48 ¥50.1

$7.28 ¥48.76

2.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ¥8.80

$1.17 ¥7.84

11.97%

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

$19.6K ¥131.4K

$19.1K ¥127.8K

2.78%

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

$18.5K ¥124.1K

$18.0K ¥120.5K

3.00%

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

$55.2 ¥370

$54.7 ¥366

1.06%

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

$9.08 ¥60.8

$4.33 ¥29.01

109.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.38 ¥96.3

$4.57 ¥30.59

214.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ¥277

$40.90 ¥274

1.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.36 ¥163

$14.99 ¥100

62.51%

Cinema Ticket

$7.28 ¥48.74

$5.10 ¥34.18

42.75%

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

$648 ¥4,337

$662 ¥4,432

-2.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.7K ¥171.9K

$25.6K ¥171.3K

0.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.8 ¥434

$63.7 ¥427

1.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.72 ¥246

$36.60 ¥245

0.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 ¥596

$88.8 ¥595

0.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ¥816

$122 ¥814

0.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 ¥6,410

$286 ¥1,913

235.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 ¥3,582

$183 ¥1,228

191.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 ¥15.9K

$607 ¥4,064

290.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 ¥7,550

$369 ¥2,475

205.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥83.3K

$3,194 ¥21.4K

289.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,369 ¥42.7K

$1,963 ¥13.1K

224.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,656 ¥11.1K

$1,275 ¥8,536

29.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.21

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): September 7, 2026

Last update for Baoding: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $957 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $286 in Baoding. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 30% higher in Beijing (Pekin), which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $18.00 in Baoding. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $177 – making Baoding 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 Baoding: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,178 in Beijing (Pekin), $695 in Baoding – roughly 70% apart. Beijing (Pekin) costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,767 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,042 in Baoding. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 80% less in Baoding. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $648 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $662 in Baoding. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Baoding, where all-in costs run around $695, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,178. In Baoding it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Baoding – 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 Baoding. 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.