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 $1,059 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $718 in Datong, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,761 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,141 in Datong, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,463 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,564 in Datong, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 47% more than Datong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Datong are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower, Datong 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.15 ¥28.13

$2.84 ¥19.25

46.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.92 ¥189

$21.18 ¥144

31.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ¥35.99

$4.73 ¥32.08

12.26%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥20.62

$2.97 ¥20.13

2.36%

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

$0.46 ¥3.12

$0.46 ¥3.13

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.04

$0.29 ¥1.98

3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.73

$0.88 ¥5.96

29.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.47

$2.07 ¥14.01

2.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ¥11.69

$1.86 ¥12.60

-7.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥10.78

$1.54 ¥10.44

3.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.48

$0.89 ¥6.02

23.60%

Eggs

$1.65 ¥11.19

$1.53 ¥10.39

7.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ¥108

$12.70 ¥86.1

25.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ¥21.82

$3.10 ¥21.03

3.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 ¥67.7

$10.35 ¥70.2

-3.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 ¥14.28

$1.86 ¥12.59

13.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.79

$1.26 ¥8.56

26.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 ¥11.79

$1.48 ¥10.06

17.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ¥9.14

$1.10 ¥7.45

22.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.66

$0.70 ¥4.75

18.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.27

$0.95 ¥6.42

-3.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.85

$0.61 ¥4.12

16.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.80

$0.51 ¥3.45

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 ¥23.38

$3.09 ¥20.94

11.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.96 ¥101

$10.74 ¥72.9

39.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.81

$0.76 ¥5.14

13.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥12.50

$1.61 ¥10.90

14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ¥3.67

$0.29 ¥1.97

86.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.39 ¥213

$16.99 ¥115

84.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ¥12.53

$1.35 ¥9.18

37.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.42

$0.35 ¥2.38

2.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.52 ¥71.3

$6.54 ¥44.39

60.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.43

$1.18 ¥8.00

-6.78%

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

$18.2K ¥123.1K

$19.4K ¥131.4K

-6.34%

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

$15.4K ¥104.4K

$16.9K ¥114.8K

-9.05%

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

$52.7 ¥357

$45.90 ¥311

14.81%

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

$8.97 ¥60.9

$9.91 ¥67.2

-9.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.62 ¥85.6

$11.87 ¥80.5

6.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.30 ¥328

$41.85 ¥284

15.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.96 ¥122

$13.71 ¥93.0

31.00%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 ¥55.4

$6.09 ¥41.27

34.15%

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

$668 ¥4,530

$328 ¥2,223

103.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K ¥163.3K

$16.9K ¥114.4K

42.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 ¥414

$44.31 ¥301

37.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.02 ¥231

$30.17 ¥205

12.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥521

$72.2 ¥490

6.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 ¥672

$71.2 ¥483

39.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 ¥6,211

$281 ¥1,907

225.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 ¥3,089

$196 ¥1,332

131.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,913 ¥13.0K

$593 ¥4,025

222.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 ¥7,351

$359 ¥2,437

201.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥83.9K

$3,073 ¥20.8K

302.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,323 ¥42.9K

$2,047 ¥13.9K

208.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

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): May 30, 2026

Last update for Datong: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $916 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $281 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 $28.00 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $21.00 in Datong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $198 – 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 47%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,077 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 $1,059 in Beijing (Pekin) and $718 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 $718, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,059. 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.