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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,089 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $770 in Changsha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,789 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,221 in Changsha, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,489 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,673 in Changsha, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 41% more than Changsha, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Changsha are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 19% lower, Changsha 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.30 ¥29.44

$2.87 ¥19.63

49.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.98 ¥192

$20.69 ¥142

35.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.29 ¥36.24

$4.91 ¥33.62

7.74%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ¥21.98

$2.96 ¥20.26

8.45%

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

$0.42 ¥2.86

$0.46 ¥3.16

-8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.08

$0.25 ¥1.71

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 ¥7.68

$1.09 ¥7.45

2.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ¥14.54

$1.86 ¥12.74

13.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ¥11.72

$1.93 ¥13.25

-11.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥10.90

$2.24 ¥15.35

-29.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.66

$0.91 ¥6.25

23.08%

Eggs

$1.73 ¥11.83

$1.61 ¥11.06

7.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.79 ¥108

$15.92 ¥109

-0.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 ¥22.81

$3.20 ¥21.94

4.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.66 ¥66.2

$8.89 ¥60.9

8.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 ¥14.13

$1.84 ¥12.61

11.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ¥10.98

$1.34 ¥9.16

19.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.20

$1.78 ¥12.19

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.88

$1.82 ¥12.43

-28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 ¥5.44

$0.89 ¥6.07

-11.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.29

$1.46 ¥9.98

-36.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ¥4.99

$0.48 ¥3.26

52.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.84

$0.40 ¥2.73

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.58 ¥24.55

$2.83 ¥19.38

26.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 ¥71.7

$12.37 ¥84.8

-15.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥5.55

$0.89 ¥6.09

-8.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ¥12.36

$1.43 ¥9.83

25.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ¥3.72

$0.37 ¥2.50

45.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.11 ¥213

$14.21 ¥97.3

118.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 ¥12.47

$1.24 ¥8.49

46.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.26

$0.26 ¥1.78

26.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.31 ¥70.6

$8.13 ¥55.7

26.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.79

$1.18 ¥8.10

-3.39%

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

$18.2K ¥124.6K

$20.7K ¥142.1K

-12.30%

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

$15.6K ¥107.0K

$21.9K ¥149.9K

-28.62%

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

$53.0 ¥363

$42.83 ¥293

23.79%

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

$8.75 ¥59.9

$12.61 ¥86.4

-30.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.49 ¥85.5

$14.52 ¥99.5

-13.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.95 ¥342

$57.1 ¥391

-12.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.40 ¥126

$23.08 ¥158

-20.28%

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 ¥57.1

$5.95 ¥40.75

40.17%

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

$674 ¥4,619

$313 ¥2,144

115.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K ¥166.2K

$7,239 ¥49.6K

235.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 ¥425

$84.7 ¥580

-26.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.39 ¥236

$31.31 ¥214

9.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 ¥540

$82.1 ¥563

-3.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 ¥678

$69.3 ¥475

42.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$886 ¥6,067

$208 ¥1,424

326.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ¥3,137

$171 ¥1,170

168.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,924 ¥13.2K

$506 ¥3,463

280.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,066 ¥7,299

$366 ¥2,504

191.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥85.1K

$2,503 ¥17.1K

396.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,333 ¥43.4K

$1,325 ¥9,073

378.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,618 ¥11.1K

$1,094 ¥7,496

47.83%

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): April 27, 2026

Last update for Changsha: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $886 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $208 in Changsha. 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 48% 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 Changsha. Groceries tell a different story – $213 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $220 in Changsha – so Beijing (Pekin) wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Changsha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 41%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,633 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,154 in Changsha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,089 in Beijing (Pekin) and $770 in Changsha. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Changsha, where all-in costs run around $770, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,089. In Changsha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Changsha – 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 Changsha. 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.