Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Beijing (Pekin) and Baoji

For one person, living is cheaper in Baoji: $710 a month against $1,197 in Beijing (Pekin), rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Beijing (Pekin), China
Baoji, China
Beijing (Pekin)
🇨🇳 China
$1,197
/mo nomad
Baoji
🇨🇳 China
$710
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Beijing (Pekin) and in Baoji

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Beijing (Pekin) and in Baoji actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,197 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $710 in Baoji.

  • Beijing (Pekin) $1,197
  • Baoji $710

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,913 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $1,140 in Baoji.

  • Beijing (Pekin) $1,913
  • Baoji $1,140

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,630 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $1,571 in Baoji.

  • Beijing (Pekin) $2,630
  • Baoji $1,571

Living in Beijing (Pekin) is roughly 69% more expensive than in Baoji, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Beijing (Pekin) 12% lower, Baoji 48% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Beijing (Pekin)
Baoji
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.42 ¥29.39
$2.72 ¥18.07
62.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.66 ¥197
$11.77 ¥78.3
152.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.37 ¥35.76
$4.42 ¥29.44
21.49%
Cappuccino
$3.73 ¥24.81
$2.09 ¥13.89
78.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ¥3.71
$0.29 ¥1.93
93.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29 ¥1.94
$0.29 ¥1.95
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.19 ¥7.91
$1.46 ¥9.71
-18.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 ¥11.55
$1.48 ¥9.84
16.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Beijing (Pekin)
Baoji
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 ¥11.43
$1.43 ¥9.50
20.28%
White Bread (500g)
$1.77 ¥11.80
$1.74 ¥11.58
1.72%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.29 ¥8.62
$0.84 ¥5.57
53.57%
Eggs
$1.91 ¥12.74
$0.87 ¥5.76
119.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.70 ¥97.8
$11.57 ¥77.0
27.05%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.22 ¥21.46
$4.01 ¥26.69
-19.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.23 ¥74.7
$10.66 ¥70.9
5.35%
Apples (1kg)
$2.13 ¥14.15
$1.63 ¥10.86
30.67%
Banana (1kg)
$1.79 ¥11.89
$1.12 ¥7.45
59.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.05 ¥13.62
$1.24 ¥8.23
65.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.53 ¥10.19
$1.34 ¥8.89
14.18%
Potato (1kg)
$0.74 ¥4.89
$0.66 ¥4.38
12.12%
Onion (1kg)
$0.92 ¥6.15
$0.73 ¥4.88
26.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.69 ¥4.60
$0.62 ¥4.13
11.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.61 ¥4.04
$0.58 ¥3.89
5.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44 ¥29.58
$3.36 ¥22.33
32.14%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.00 ¥93.2
$9.49 ¥63.2
47.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.03 ¥6.84
$0.80 ¥5.35
28.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 ¥12.01
$1.69 ¥11.24
6.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Beijing (Pekin)
Baoji
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.59 ¥3.90
$0.29 ¥1.93
103.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$32.53 ¥217
$16.72 ¥111
94.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.00 ¥13.33
$1.29 ¥8.59
55.04%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.33 ¥2.19
$0.29 ¥1.90
13.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.68 ¥51.1
$4.47 ¥29.78
71.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 ¥8.64
$1.29 ¥8.60
0.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.7K ¥131.4K
$19.7K ¥131.0K
0.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.0K ¥119.8K
$18.1K ¥120.3K
-0.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Beijing (Pekin)
Baoji
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$58.8 ¥392
$90.5 ¥602
-34.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.71 ¥58.0
$6.32 ¥42.09
37.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.51 ¥96.6
$10.91 ¥72.6
33.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Beijing (Pekin)
Baoji
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.71 ¥311
$39.00 ¥260
19.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.48 ¥163
$16.41 ¥109
49.18%
Cinema Ticket
$7.60 ¥50.6
$5.78 ¥38.45
31.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Beijing (Pekin)
Baoji
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$985 ¥6,556
$684 ¥4,549
44.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$24.5K ¥163.2K
$17.8K ¥118.2K
38.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Beijing (Pekin)
Baoji
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.1 ¥480
$38.84 ¥258
85.53%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.22 ¥268
$37.99 ¥253
5.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.8 ¥578
$74.0 ¥493
17.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$126 ¥839
$90.3 ¥601
39.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Beijing (Pekin)
Baoji
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$933 ¥6,209
$284 ¥1,887
229.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$530 ¥3,524
$159 ¥1,059
232.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,279 ¥15.2K
$592 ¥3,937
285.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,096 ¥7,293
$416 ¥2,769
163.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$11.8K ¥78.6K
$2,853 ¥19.0K
313.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,566 ¥43.7K
$1,714 ¥11.4K
283.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Beijing (Pekin)
Baoji
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,707 ¥11.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.12
3.35
-6.87%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): October 26, 2026

Last update for Baoji: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Beijing (Pekin)
$530
Baoji
$159 70% $370
Groceries & Markets
Beijing (Pekin)
$230
Baoji
$191 16.8% $39
Clothing & Footwear
Beijing (Pekin)
$146
Baoji
$109 25.8% $38
Eating Out
Beijing (Pekin)
$109
Baoji
$73 33.4% $36
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Beijing (Pekin)
$82
Baoji
$108 31.3% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Beijing (Pekin)
$62
Baoji
$51 18.3% $11
Getting Around
Beijing (Pekin)
$39
Baoji
$21 46.5% $18

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $933 in Beijing (Pekin) and $284 in Baoji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $30 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $12 in Baoji for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $191 per month, with Baoji cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇳 Beijing (Pekin)
🇨🇳 Baoji
🕒 Local time
13:25 1:25 PM
13:25 1:25 PM
Same time as Beijing (Pekin)
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
21,893,095 Capital
1,438,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 6.65 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.41 CNY (1 CNY = 0.135 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Beijing (Pekin) Baoji 1,020 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Beijing (Pekin)
  • Baoji

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Baoji: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Baoji cheaper than Beijing (Pekin)?
Baoji is about 41% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $1,796 in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,065 in Baoji 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.
What is the rent difference between Beijing (Pekin) and Baoji?
Rent for a central apartment: $933 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $284 in Baoji. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Baoji runs roughly 49% less than in Beijing (Pekin). The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $985 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $684 in Baoji. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Beijing (Pekin) or in Baoji?
At $710 in Baoji versus $1,197 in Beijing (Pekin), a $1,000 budget is realistic in Baoji but tight or insufficient in Beijing (Pekin). The gap between the two cities makes Baoji the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Beijing (Pekin) or Baoji more family-friendly?
For families, Baoji is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Beijing (Pekin), and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Baoji gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Beijing (Pekin). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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