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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,177 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $759 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,908 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,226 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,639 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,692 in Chengdu, rent included.

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

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Chengdu are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 14% lower, Chengdu 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.44 ¥29.78

$2.91 ¥19.51

52.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.71 ¥199

$19.82 ¥133

49.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.36 ¥35.92

$5.34 ¥35.78

0.37%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥23.77

$2.89 ¥19.40

22.84%

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

$0.55 ¥3.68

$0.50 ¥3.36

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.79

$0.28 ¥1.88

-3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.20

$1.46 ¥9.79

-16.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.17

$2.44 ¥16.37

-31.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 ¥11.89

$1.80 ¥12.08

-1.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ¥11.21

$1.67 ¥11.17

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.55

$0.93 ¥6.25

21.51%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥13.47

$1.54 ¥10.30

30.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 ¥96.5

$14.12 ¥94.6

1.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ¥22.40

$3.50 ¥23.45

-4.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.83 ¥72.6

$11.43 ¥76.6

-5.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 ¥14.52

$1.85 ¥12.41

17.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.11

$1.27 ¥8.48

42.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ¥13.00

$1.06 ¥7.12

83.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 ¥10.50

$1.25 ¥8.36

25.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.82

$0.70 ¥4.71

2.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.18

$0.73 ¥4.86

26.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ¥4.68

$0.68 ¥4.59

2.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ¥4.12

$0.55 ¥3.70

12.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 ¥27.87

$3.78 ¥25.32

10.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.66 ¥98.3

$5.45 ¥36.49

168.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ¥7.01

$0.76 ¥5.12

38.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 ¥11.88

$1.47 ¥9.82

20.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ¥5.14

$0.46 ¥3.11

67.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.73 ¥233

$24.55 ¥165

41.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 ¥12.90

$1.32 ¥8.83

46.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.38

$0.29 ¥1.91

20.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.33 ¥49.12

$4.45 ¥29.80

64.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ¥8.82

$1.24 ¥8.31

6.45%

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

$19.7K ¥131.9K

$19.6K ¥131.0K

0.65%

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

$17.8K ¥119.4K

$17.6K ¥118.2K

1.07%

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

$56.4 ¥378

$41.28 ¥277

36.51%

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

$8.95 ¥60.0

$9.61 ¥64.4

-6.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.53 ¥97.4

$12.79 ¥85.7

13.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.46 ¥264

$26.65 ¥179

48.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.00 ¥161

$11.07 ¥74.2

116.80%

Cinema Ticket

$7.64 ¥51.2

$5.93 ¥39.76

28.84%

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

$658 ¥4,410

$411 ¥2,753

60.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K ¥162.6K

$14.8K ¥99.0K

64.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 ¥441

$29.38 ¥197

123.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.10 ¥255

$30.00 ¥201

27.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 ¥574

$60.5 ¥405

41.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 ¥831

$51.1 ¥343

142.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ¥6,600

$485 ¥3,249

103.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 ¥3,583

$261 ¥1,748

105.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,338 ¥15.7K

$860 ¥5,763

171.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 ¥7,427

$561 ¥3,757

97.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.5K ¥83.8K

$3,788 ¥25.4K

230.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,363 ¥42.6K

$1,965 ¥13.2K

223.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,663 ¥11.1K

$1,276 ¥8,549

30.33%

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): September 14, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $485 in Chengdu. 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 30% 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 $30.00 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $20.00 in Chengdu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $229 vs $197 – making Chengdu 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 Chengdu: 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 $1,765 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,139 in Chengdu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chengdu, 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 $30.00 in Beijing (Pekin) and $20.00 in Chengdu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,177 in Beijing (Pekin) and $759 in Chengdu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chengdu, where all-in costs run around $759, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,177. In Chengdu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chengdu – 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 Chengdu. 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.