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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,059 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $816 in Dalian, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,761 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,276 in Dalian, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,463 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,737 in Dalian, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 30% more than Dalian, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Dalian are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower, Dalian 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.15 ¥28.13

$3.46 ¥23.45

19.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.92 ¥189

$24.17 ¥164

15.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ¥35.99

$4.97 ¥33.74

6.84%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥20.62

$3.00 ¥20.32

1.33%

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

$0.46 ¥3.12

$0.48 ¥3.25

-4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.04

$0.24 ¥1.61

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.73

$0.86 ¥5.82

32.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.47

$1.50 ¥10.18

42.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ¥11.69

$1.64 ¥11.15

4.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥10.78

$1.46 ¥9.92

8.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.48

$0.90 ¥6.13

22.22%

Eggs

$1.65 ¥11.19

$1.94 ¥13.15

-14.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ¥108

$19.15 ¥130

-17.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ¥21.82

$2.71 ¥18.37

18.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 ¥67.7

$10.39 ¥70.5

-3.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 ¥14.28

$1.28 ¥8.70

64.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.79

$1.11 ¥7.52

43.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 ¥11.79

$1.27 ¥8.64

37.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ¥9.14

$0.75 ¥5.11

80.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.66

$0.71 ¥4.85

16.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.27

$0.77 ¥5.19

19.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.85

$0.69 ¥4.68

2.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.80

$0.56 ¥3.83

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 ¥23.38

$3.57 ¥24.24

-3.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.96 ¥101

$17.59 ¥119

-14.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.81

$0.85 ¥5.74

1.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥12.50

$1.48 ¥10.01

24.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ¥3.67

$0.29 ¥1.98

86.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.39 ¥213

$28.07 ¥190

11.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ¥12.53

$1.36 ¥9.24

36.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.42

$0.40 ¥2.69

-10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.52 ¥71.3

$3.93 ¥26.68

167.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.43

$1.17 ¥7.94

-5.98%

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

$18.2K ¥123.1K

$17.9K ¥121.4K

1.45%

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

$15.4K ¥104.4K

$16.3K ¥110.8K

-5.76%

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

$52.7 ¥357

$44.59 ¥302

18.19%

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

$8.97 ¥60.9

$9.51 ¥64.5

-5.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.62 ¥85.6

$11.15 ¥75.6

13.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.30 ¥328

$36.39 ¥247

32.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.96 ¥122

$24.47 ¥166

-26.60%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 ¥55.4

$6.56 ¥44.50

24.54%

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

$668 ¥4,530

$451 ¥3,058

48.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K ¥163.3K

$9,593 ¥65.1K

151.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 ¥414

$56.0 ¥380

9.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.02 ¥231

$51.5 ¥349

-33.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥521

$104 ¥707

-26.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 ¥672

$95.0 ¥644

4.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 ¥6,211

$360 ¥2,444

154.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 ¥3,089

$205 ¥1,393

121.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,913 ¥13.0K

$646 ¥4,380

196.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 ¥7,351

$370 ¥2,506

193.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥83.9K

$2,695 ¥18.3K

359.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,323 ¥42.9K

$1,645 ¥11.2K

284.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

$1,085 ¥7,362

44.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

4.18

-12.92%

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

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

Last update for Dalian: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $916 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $360 in Dalian. 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 45% 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 $24.00 in Dalian. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $222 – making Dalian 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 Dalian: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 30%, 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 $1,224 in Dalian. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dalian, 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 $24.00 in Dalian. 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 $816 in Dalian. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Dalian, where all-in costs run around $816, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,059. In Dalian it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dalian – 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 Dalian. 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.