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 $1,072 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $809 in Dalian, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,804 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,275 in Dalian, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,537 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,741 in Dalian, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 32% more than Dalian, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Dalian are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 20% lower, Dalian 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.16 ¥28.44

$3.54 ¥24.20

17.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.41 ¥187

$24.02 ¥164

14.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 ¥35.41

$4.72 ¥32.32

9.75%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ¥21.93

$3.01 ¥20.58

6.64%

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

$0.46 ¥3.14

$0.48 ¥3.26

-4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.07

$0.26 ¥1.79

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ¥7.75

$0.87 ¥5.96

29.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥14.04

$1.54 ¥10.57

33.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ¥11.78

$1.59 ¥10.84

8.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 ¥11.19

$1.51 ¥10.30

8.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ¥7.29

$0.89 ¥6.05

20.22%

Eggs

$1.74 ¥11.89

$2.04 ¥13.93

-14.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ¥109

$19.26 ¥132

-17.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.35 ¥22.88

$2.72 ¥18.59

23.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.81 ¥67.1

$10.22 ¥69.9

-4.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 ¥14.29

$1.24 ¥8.49

68.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 ¥11.17

$1.15 ¥7.85

41.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 ¥11.77

$1.30 ¥8.89

32.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 ¥8.81

$0.77 ¥5.26

67.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 ¥5.86

$0.73 ¥5.02

17.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.63

$0.76 ¥5.20

27.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ¥4.96

$0.73 ¥5.01

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.86

$0.57 ¥3.87

-1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ¥23.23

$3.39 ¥23.20

0.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.54 ¥72.1

$17.18 ¥118

-38.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥5.60

$0.79 ¥5.39

3.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ¥12.54

$1.48 ¥10.09

23.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ¥3.72

$0.27 ¥1.83

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.84 ¥218

$27.83 ¥190

14.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ¥12.73

$1.36 ¥9.27

36.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.41

$0.42 ¥2.89

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.31 ¥70.5

$3.99 ¥27.26

158.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.52

$1.19 ¥8.12

-7.56%

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

$18.9K ¥129.1K

$18.2K ¥124.4K

3.75%

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

$15.3K ¥104.6K

$15.7K ¥107.5K

-2.69%

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

$53.1 ¥363

$43.98 ¥301

20.76%

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

$8.61 ¥58.9

$9.35 ¥63.9

-7.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.56 ¥85.9

$11.30 ¥77.3

11.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.03 ¥335

$36.47 ¥249

34.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 ¥125

$24.57 ¥168

-25.36%

Cinema Ticket

$8.45 ¥57.8

$6.65 ¥45.46

27.07%

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

$682 ¥4,662

$458 ¥3,131

48.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K ¥164.5K

$9,555 ¥65.4K

151.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.3 ¥433

$55.2 ¥378

14.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.25 ¥241

$52.3 ¥357

-32.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 ¥528

$105 ¥719

-26.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ¥689

$93.1 ¥637

8.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ¥6,096

$356 ¥2,435

150.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ¥3,066

$206 ¥1,409

117.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,954 ¥13.4K

$640 ¥4,378

205.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 ¥7,399

$358 ¥2,447

202.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K ¥83.9K

$2,732 ¥18.7K

349.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,293 ¥43.0K

$1,592 ¥10.9K

295.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,586 ¥10.8K

$1,086 ¥7,431

45.97%

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): April 21, 2026

Last update for Dalian: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $891 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $356 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 46% 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 $24 in Dalian. Groceries tell a different story – $215 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $221 in Dalian – 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 Dalian: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 32%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. 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 $1,214 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 $27.00 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 $1,072 in Beijing (Pekin) and $809 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 $809, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,072. 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.