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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,059 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $683 in Changde, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,761 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,076 in Changde, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,463 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,469 in Changde, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 55% more than Changde, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Changde are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower, Changde 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.15 ¥28.05

$2.11 ¥14.26

96.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.92 ¥189

$16.76 ¥113

66.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ¥35.90

$4.82 ¥32.64

10.17%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥20.57

$2.15 ¥14.52

41.40%

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

$0.46 ¥3.11

$0.43 ¥2.93

6.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.04

$0.25 ¥1.68

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.08 ¥7.33

5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.43

$1.93 ¥13.04

10.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ¥11.66

$1.99 ¥13.48

-13.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥10.75

$1.73 ¥11.67

-8.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.46

$0.73 ¥4.96

50.68%

Eggs

$1.65 ¥11.16

$1.61 ¥10.91

2.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ¥108

$15.52 ¥105

2.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ¥21.76

$3.23 ¥21.88

-0.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 ¥67.5

$9.13 ¥61.8

9.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 ¥14.24

$1.55 ¥10.52

36.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.76

$1.13 ¥7.61

40.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 ¥11.76

$1.02 ¥6.88

70.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ¥9.11

$0.82 ¥5.52

64.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.64

$0.53 ¥3.62

56.60%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.25

$0.71 ¥4.81

29.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.83

$0.37 ¥2.48

91.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.79

$0.43 ¥2.89

30.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 ¥23.32

$2.77 ¥18.75

24.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.96 ¥101

$12.24 ¥82.8

22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.80

$0.94 ¥6.37

-8.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥12.46

$0.69 ¥4.65

166.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ¥3.66

$0.29 ¥1.99

86.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.39 ¥212

$16.43 ¥111

91.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ¥12.50

$1.05 ¥7.12

76.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.41

$0.26 ¥1.74

38.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.52 ¥71.1

$8.29 ¥56.1

26.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.41

$1.12 ¥7.56

-1.79%

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

$18.2K ¥122.8K

$20.9K ¥141.1K

-12.95%

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

$15.4K ¥104.1K

$22.2K ¥150.2K

-30.69%

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

$52.7 ¥357

$43.50 ¥294

21.15%

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

$8.97 ¥60.7

$12.18 ¥82.4

-26.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.62 ¥85.4

$14.51 ¥98.2

-13.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.30 ¥327

$41.49 ¥281

16.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.96 ¥122

$13.90 ¥94.1

29.21%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 ¥55.3

$4.08 ¥27.59

100.25%

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

$668 ¥4,518

$179 ¥1,211

273.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K ¥162.9K

$7,353 ¥49.7K

227.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 ¥413

$27.83 ¥188

119.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.02 ¥230

$27.49 ¥186

23.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥520

$83.3 ¥563

-7.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 ¥670

$41.93 ¥284

136.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 ¥6,195

$281 ¥1,899

226.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 ¥3,081

$185 ¥1,250

146.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,913 ¥12.9K

$592 ¥4,007

222.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 ¥7,332

$366 ¥2,473

196.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥83.7K

$3,392 ¥22.9K

264.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,323 ¥42.8K

$1,986 ¥13.4K

218.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

3.89

-6.43%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): May 30, 2026

Last update for Changde: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $916 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $281 in Changde. 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 $28.00 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $17.00 in Changde. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $200 – making Changde 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 Changde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 55%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,589 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,025 in Changde. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Changde, 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 $17.00 in Changde. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,059 in Beijing (Pekin) and $683 in Changde. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Changde, where all-in costs run around $683, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,059. In Changde it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Changde – 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 Changde. 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.