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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,067 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $711 in Datong, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,797 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,127 in Datong, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,526 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,543 in Datong, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 50% more than Datong, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Datong are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower, Datong 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.09 ¥27.96

$2.84 ¥19.43

44.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.09 ¥192

$21.16 ¥145

32.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.36 ¥36.62

$4.96 ¥33.90

8.06%

Cappuccino

$3.05 ¥20.81

$3.03 ¥20.70

0.66%

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

$0.46 ¥3.14

$0.43 ¥2.94

6.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.05

$0.29 ¥2.00

3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ¥7.70

$0.94 ¥6.43

20.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ¥14.46

$2.14 ¥14.61

-0.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ¥11.71

$1.87 ¥12.78

-8.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 ¥11.27

$1.55 ¥10.59

6.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.64

$0.89 ¥6.05

25.84%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.39

$1.55 ¥10.62

7.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.67 ¥107

$12.63 ¥86.2

24.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ¥21.99

$3.21 ¥21.93

0.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.64 ¥65.9

$10.36 ¥70.8

-6.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 ¥14.35

$1.83 ¥12.48

14.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.89

$1.24 ¥8.47

28.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.27

$1.49 ¥10.17

20.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.13

$1.10 ¥7.52

21.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.79

$0.75 ¥5.09

13.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.17

$0.97 ¥6.66

-7.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ¥4.90

$0.56 ¥3.85

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.87

$0.56 ¥3.79

1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.58 ¥24.42

$3.19 ¥21.81

12.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.60 ¥72.4

$10.61 ¥72.5

-0.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥5.82

$0.79 ¥5.37

7.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥11.88

$1.66 ¥11.36

4.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ¥4.01

$0.29 ¥2.00

103.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.30 ¥214

$16.40 ¥112

90.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 ¥12.26

$1.41 ¥9.62

27.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.40

$0.33 ¥2.25

6.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.34 ¥70.6

$6.81 ¥46.52

51.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.78

$1.16 ¥7.94

-1.72%

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

$18.8K ¥128.4K

$19.4K ¥132.5K

-3.14%

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

$15.8K ¥107.9K

$17.1K ¥117.0K

-7.75%

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

$51.2 ¥350

$44.59 ¥305

14.91%

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

$9.00 ¥61.5

$10.02 ¥68.4

-10.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.44 ¥84.9

$11.84 ¥80.8

5.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.97 ¥341

$41.02 ¥280

21.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.24 ¥125

$13.79 ¥94.2

32.27%

Cinema Ticket

$8.51 ¥58.1

$6.07 ¥41.46

40.20%

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

$683 ¥4,665

$334 ¥2,280

104.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K ¥162.9K

$16.8K ¥114.7K

41.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥420

$43.51 ¥297

41.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.26 ¥234

$30.40 ¥208

12.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 ¥531

$71.1 ¥486

9.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ¥695

$71.7 ¥490

41.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$914 ¥6,242

$273 ¥1,867

234.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ¥3,129

$191 ¥1,304

140.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,918 ¥13.1K

$589 ¥4,020

225.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,085 ¥7,409

$364 ¥2,483

198.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.1K ¥82.7K

$2,997 ¥20.5K

304.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,141 ¥41.9K

$2,036 ¥13.9K

201.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,581 ¥10.8K

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 13, 2026

Last update for Datong: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $914 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $273 in Datong. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $21 in Datong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $214 vs $199 – making Datong 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 Datong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 50%, 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 $1,601 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,067 in Datong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,067 in Beijing (Pekin) and $711 in Datong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Datong, where all-in costs run around $711, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,067. In Datong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Datong – 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 Datong. 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.