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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,097 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $659 in Benxi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,790 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $931 in Benxi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,484 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,204 in Benxi, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 67% more than Benxi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Benxi are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 18% lower, Benxi 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 ¥27.42

$2.75 ¥18.58

47.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.60 ¥186

$21.14 ¥143

30.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 ¥35.66

$4.96 ¥33.50

6.45%

Cappuccino

$3.10 ¥20.95

$2.62 ¥17.67

18.32%

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

$0.42 ¥2.85

$0.46 ¥3.09

-8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.27 ¥1.82

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ¥7.34

$0.71 ¥4.81

53.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ¥14.32

$1.70 ¥11.51

24.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ¥11.78

$1.76 ¥11.92

-1.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ¥11.26

$1.08 ¥7.32

54.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.55

$0.74 ¥4.97

51.35%

Eggs

$1.71 ¥11.57

$1.09 ¥7.38

56.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ¥108

$8.97 ¥60.6

78.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ¥21.44

$2.76 ¥18.66

14.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.69 ¥65.4

$8.60 ¥58.1

12.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 ¥14.49

$1.46 ¥9.87

47.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ¥11.08

$1.30 ¥8.77

26.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.02

$1.56 ¥10.52

14.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 ¥9.01

$1.23 ¥8.30

8.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 ¥5.81

$0.59 ¥3.96

45.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.26

$1.78 ¥12.01

-47.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.53

$1.17 ¥7.90

-42.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ¥3.74

$0.65 ¥4.42

-15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 ¥24.07

$2.87 ¥19.39

24.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 ¥100

$8.19 ¥55.3

81.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.82

$0.54 ¥3.66

59.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ¥12.17

$0.91 ¥6.12

97.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ¥3.70

$0.27 ¥1.82

103.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.71 ¥214

$11.20 ¥75.6

183.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.77 ¥11.95

$0.88 ¥5.92

101.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.21

$0.26 ¥1.75

26.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.42 ¥70.4

$3.51 ¥23.72

196.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥7.35

$1.05 ¥7.11

3.81%

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

$18.5K ¥124.7K

$18.1K ¥122.1K

2.12%

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

$15.9K ¥107.3K

$16.7K ¥113.0K

-5.11%

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

$52.8 ¥356

$50.3 ¥339

4.97%

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

$9.10 ¥61.4

$6.16 ¥41.58

47.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.77 ¥86.3

$9.80 ¥66.2

30.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.21 ¥332

$62.5 ¥422

-21.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ¥122

$7.85 ¥53.0

130.45%

Cinema Ticket

$8.13 ¥54.9

$4.73 ¥31.95

71.88%

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

$675 ¥4,558

$417 ¥2,820

61.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K ¥159.2K

$8,257 ¥55.8K

185.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 ¥417

$27.32 ¥185

126.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.07 ¥230

$30.25 ¥204

12.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 ¥535

$56.7 ¥383

39.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ¥679

$49.30 ¥333

103.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$909 ¥6,138

$128 ¥863

611.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 ¥3,020

$188 ¥1,270

137.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,949 ¥13.2K

$249 ¥1,679

684.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 ¥7,356

$141 ¥951

673.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K ¥85.7K

$3,504 ¥23.7K

262.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,117 ¥41.3K

$1,912 ¥12.9K

219.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,579 ¥10.7K

$451 ¥3,046

250.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

-9.00%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): July 25, 2026

Last update for Benxi: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $909 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $128 in Benxi. 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 250% 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 $28.00 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $21.00 in Benxi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $224 vs $169 – making Benxi 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 Benxi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 67%, 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 $1,645 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $988 in Benxi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Benxi, 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 $21.00 in Benxi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,097 in Beijing (Pekin) and $659 in Benxi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Benxi, where all-in costs run around $659, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,097. In Benxi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Benxi – 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 Benxi. 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.