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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $721 in Beihai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,895 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,162 in Beihai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,580 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,603 in Beihai, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 68% more than Beihai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Beihai are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 12% lower, Beihai 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ¥29.52

$3.00 ¥20.13

46.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.24 ¥203

$23.63 ¥159

27.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 ¥34.13

$4.66 ¥31.30

9.23%

Cappuccino

$3.40 ¥22.79

$2.85 ¥19.15

19.30%

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

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.55 ¥3.68

3.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.95

$0.33 ¥2.18

-12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 ¥8.07

$0.93 ¥6.21

29.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.87

$2.38 ¥15.94

-31.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ¥12.67

$1.76 ¥11.82

7.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥11.98

$1.54 ¥10.36

16.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.42

$0.96 ¥6.45

15.63%

Eggs

$1.99 ¥13.36

$1.48 ¥9.93

34.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.81 ¥99.4

$14.60 ¥98.0

1.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ¥22.41

$3.87 ¥25.95

-13.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ¥72.8

$10.63 ¥71.3

2.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ¥13.23

$1.70 ¥11.43

15.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ¥12.75

$1.29 ¥8.66

47.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.26

$1.35 ¥9.08

46.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ¥10.86

$1.21 ¥8.15

33.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.12

$0.68 ¥4.54

11.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 ¥5.63

$0.80 ¥5.35

5.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.55

$0.56 ¥3.74

21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.90

$0.57 ¥3.79

1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 ¥27.13

$3.44 ¥23.11

17.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.90 ¥100

$10.56 ¥70.9

41.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ¥7.22

$0.92 ¥6.19

17.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ¥12.70

$1.57 ¥10.51

20.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ¥5.20

$0.28 ¥1.86

175.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.53 ¥212

$18.04 ¥121

74.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ¥12.75

$1.54 ¥10.35

23.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.35

$0.29 ¥1.95

20.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 ¥49.46

$7.43 ¥49.85

-0.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥8.33

$1.41 ¥9.49

-12.06%

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

$19.0K ¥127.2K

$21.1K ¥141.6K

-10.18%

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

$18.0K ¥120.7K

$15.9K ¥106.6K

13.25%

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

$54.3 ¥364

$56.2 ¥377

-3.52%

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

$8.91 ¥59.8

$8.85 ¥59.4

0.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.43 ¥96.9

$11.54 ¥77.4

25.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.40 ¥271

$41.24 ¥277

-2.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.73 ¥159

$13.83 ¥92.8

71.58%

Cinema Ticket

$7.23 ¥48.52

$5.53 ¥37.12

30.74%

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

$661 ¥4,438

$473 ¥3,174

39.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K ¥169.8K

$18.9K ¥126.6K

34.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ¥422

$40.51 ¥272

55.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.30 ¥250

$30.23 ¥203

23.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 ¥591

$76.1 ¥511

15.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ¥822

$71.8 ¥482

70.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$959 ¥6,438

$329 ¥2,210

191.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$536 ¥3,596

$157 ¥1,051

242.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,364 ¥15.9K

$665 ¥4,460

255.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 ¥7,426

$407 ¥2,734

171.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K ¥82.8K

$3,321 ¥22.3K

271.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,466 ¥43.4K

$2,217 ¥14.9K

191.60%

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 Beihai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $959 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $329 in Beihai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $24.00 in Beihai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $233 vs $207 – making Beihai 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 Beihai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 68% more than Beihai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,813 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,081 in Beihai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 12% more in Beijing (Pekin), though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Beijing (Pekin) and $24.00 in Beihai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Beihai, where all-in costs run around $721, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,209. In Beihai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Beihai – 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 Beihai. 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.