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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,067 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $657 in Bengbu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,797 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,050 in Bengbu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,526 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,443 in Bengbu, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 62% more than Bengbu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Bengbu are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower, Bengbu 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.09 ¥27.96

$2.84 ¥19.40

44.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.09 ¥192

$22.65 ¥155

24.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.36 ¥36.62

$4.85 ¥33.12

10.52%

Cappuccino

$3.05 ¥20.81

$3.11 ¥21.26

-1.93%

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

$0.46 ¥3.14

$0.45 ¥3.05

2.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.05

$0.24 ¥1.63

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ¥7.70

$0.80 ¥5.47

41.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ¥14.46

$2.15 ¥14.70

-1.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ¥11.71

$2.06 ¥14.07

-16.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 ¥11.27

$1.01 ¥6.92

63.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.64

$0.67 ¥4.54

67.16%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.39

$1.49 ¥10.20

12.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.67 ¥107

$9.31 ¥63.6

68.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ¥21.99

$2.84 ¥19.36

13.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.64 ¥65.9

$9.18 ¥62.7

5.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 ¥14.35

$1.36 ¥9.32

54.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.89

$1.01 ¥6.88

57.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.27

$1.36 ¥9.32

32.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.13

$0.71 ¥4.85

88.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.79

$0.58 ¥3.93

46.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.17

$0.58 ¥3.98

55.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ¥4.90

$0.71 ¥4.85

1.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.87

$0.44 ¥2.99

29.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.58 ¥24.42

$2.82 ¥19.26

26.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.60 ¥72.4

$6.03 ¥41.16

75.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥5.82

$0.71 ¥4.87

19.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥11.88

$1.35 ¥9.21

28.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ¥4.01

$0.29 ¥1.99

103.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.30 ¥214

$16.96 ¥116

84.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 ¥12.26

$1.49 ¥10.17

20.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.40

$0.33 ¥2.22

6.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.34 ¥70.6

$8.23 ¥56.2

25.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.78

$1.18 ¥8.05

-3.39%

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

$18.8K ¥128.4K

$17.1K ¥117.0K

9.71%

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

$15.8K ¥107.9K

$14.2K ¥97.0K

11.25%

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

$51.2 ¥350

$34.29 ¥234

49.43%

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

$9.00 ¥61.5

$4.94 ¥33.73

82.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.44 ¥84.9

$8.48 ¥57.9

46.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.97 ¥341

$42.48 ¥290

17.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.24 ¥125

$14.01 ¥95.7

30.19%

Cinema Ticket

$8.51 ¥58.1

$5.65 ¥38.59

50.62%

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

$683 ¥4,665

$411 ¥2,807

66.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K ¥162.9K

$18.2K ¥124.2K

31.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥420

$43.09 ¥294

42.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.26 ¥234

$32.50 ¥222

5.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 ¥531

$67.2 ¥459

15.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ¥695

$82.1 ¥561

23.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$914 ¥6,242

$282 ¥1,929

223.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ¥3,129

$184 ¥1,256

149.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,918 ¥13.1K

$593 ¥4,053

223.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,085 ¥7,409

$360 ¥2,459

201.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.1K ¥82.7K

$3,185 ¥21.8K

280.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,141 ¥41.9K

$1,807 ¥12.3K

239.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,581 ¥10.8K

$660 ¥4,508

139.56%

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): April 13, 2026

Last update for Bengbu: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $914 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $282 in Bengbu. 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 140% 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 $28 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $23 in Bengbu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $214 vs $160 – making Bengbu 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 Bengbu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 62%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,601 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $986 in Bengbu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Beijing (Pekin) and $23.00 in Bengbu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,067 in Beijing (Pekin) and $657 in Bengbu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bengbu, where all-in costs run around $657, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,067. In Bengbu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bengbu – 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 Bengbu. 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.