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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,072 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $634 in Chongqing, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,804 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,031 in Chongqing, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,537 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,429 in Chongqing, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 69% more than Chongqing, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Chongqing are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 20% lower, Chongqing 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.16 ¥28.44

$2.73 ¥18.66

52.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.41 ¥187

$21.15 ¥145

29.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 ¥35.41

$4.98 ¥34.09

4.02%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ¥21.93

$2.38 ¥16.25

34.87%

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

$0.46 ¥3.14

$0.44 ¥3.00

4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.07

$0.29 ¥1.98

3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ¥7.75

$0.95 ¥6.50

18.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥14.04

$2.13 ¥14.57

-3.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ¥11.78

$1.78 ¥12.16

-3.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 ¥11.19

$1.25 ¥8.52

31.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ¥7.29

$0.73 ¥4.96

46.58%

Eggs

$1.74 ¥11.89

$1.86 ¥12.70

-6.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ¥109

$15.87 ¥109

0.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.35 ¥22.88

$2.51 ¥17.14

33.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.81 ¥67.1

$10.37 ¥70.9

-5.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 ¥14.29

$1.48 ¥10.11

41.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 ¥11.17

$1.31 ¥8.94

24.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 ¥11.77

$1.07 ¥7.34

60.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 ¥8.81

$1.13 ¥7.75

14.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 ¥5.86

$0.65 ¥4.44

32.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.63

$0.90 ¥6.12

7.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ¥4.96

$0.54 ¥3.67

35.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.86

$0.63 ¥4.31

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ¥23.23

$3.15 ¥21.57

7.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.54 ¥72.1

$8.89 ¥60.8

18.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥5.60

$0.96 ¥6.56

-14.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ¥12.54

$1.98 ¥13.55

-7.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ¥3.72

$0.27 ¥1.84

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.84 ¥218

$25.11 ¥172

26.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ¥12.73

$1.41 ¥9.61

31.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.41

$0.30 ¥2.03

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.31 ¥70.5

$2.71 ¥18.54

280.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.52

$1.11 ¥7.59

-0.90%

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

$18.9K ¥129.1K

$18.3K ¥125.4K

2.94%

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

$15.3K ¥104.6K

$16.3K ¥111.5K

-6.19%

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

$53.1 ¥363

$35.98 ¥246

47.61%

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

$8.61 ¥58.9

$6.04 ¥41.33

42.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.56 ¥85.9

$8.45 ¥57.8

48.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.03 ¥335

$21.73 ¥149

125.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 ¥125

$15.95 ¥109

14.98%

Cinema Ticket

$8.45 ¥57.8

$5.46 ¥37.31

54.76%

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

$682 ¥4,662

$331 ¥2,264

105.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K ¥164.5K

$27.4K ¥187.5K

-12.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.3 ¥433

$29.34 ¥201

115.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.25 ¥241

$28.75 ¥197

22.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 ¥528

$58.5 ¥400

32.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ¥689

$60.0 ¥410

67.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ¥6,096

$266 ¥1,818

235.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ¥3,066

$158 ¥1,083

183.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,954 ¥13.4K

$582 ¥3,979

235.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 ¥7,399

$324 ¥2,214

234.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K ¥83.9K

$2,569 ¥17.6K

377.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,293 ¥43.0K

$1,657 ¥11.3K

279.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,586 ¥10.8K

$1,041 ¥7,123

52.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

3.74

-2.67%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): April 21, 2026

Last update for Chongqing: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $891 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $266 in Chongqing. 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 52% 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 $27 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $21 in Chongqing. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $215 vs $197 – making Chongqing 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 Chongqing: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 69%, 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 $1,608 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $951 in Chongqing. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chongqing, 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 $27.00 in Beijing (Pekin) and $21.00 in Chongqing. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,072 in Beijing (Pekin) and $634 in Chongqing. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Chongqing, where all-in costs run around $634, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,072. In Chongqing it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chongqing – 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 Chongqing. 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.