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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,073 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $735 in Foshan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,769 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,180 in Foshan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,464 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,625 in Foshan, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 46% more than Foshan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Foshan are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 20% lower, Foshan 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.29 ¥28.98

$3.11 ¥21.00

37.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.28 ¥191

$22.61 ¥153

25.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 ¥35.08

$4.94 ¥33.37

5.06%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥20.83

$3.10 ¥20.97

-0.65%

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

$0.42 ¥2.86

$0.50 ¥3.35

-16.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.87

$0.30 ¥2.05

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ¥7.31

$1.09 ¥7.37

-0.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.85

$1.64 ¥11.09

25.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ¥11.26

$1.74 ¥11.78

-4.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ¥10.86

$2.02 ¥13.68

-20.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.56

$1.24 ¥8.38

-9.68%

Eggs

$1.71 ¥11.55

$1.88 ¥12.67

-9.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.76 ¥106

$13.04 ¥88.1

20.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 ¥21.55

$4.06 ¥27.40

-21.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.85 ¥66.5

$13.55 ¥91.6

-27.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 ¥14.14

$1.82 ¥12.31

14.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.22

$1.22 ¥8.21

36.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.96

$1.74 ¥11.77

1.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.59

$1.39 ¥9.40

-8.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.78

$1.01 ¥6.81

-15.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.13

$1.06 ¥7.15

-14.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.52

$0.74 ¥4.99

-9.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ¥3.51

$0.56 ¥3.79

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 ¥23.25

$3.38 ¥22.82

1.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 ¥99.9

$10.34 ¥69.9

43.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.78

$0.97 ¥6.58

-11.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥11.77

$1.43 ¥9.69

21.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ¥3.71

$0.29 ¥1.98

89.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.84 ¥215

$11.21 ¥75.7

184.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ¥12.46

$1.69 ¥11.42

8.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.37 ¥2.53

-5.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 ¥69.8

$6.67 ¥45.06

54.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$1.17 ¥7.92

-2.56%

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

$18.9K ¥127.4K

$20.9K ¥141.0K

-9.63%

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

$15.9K ¥107.4K

$19.7K ¥133.1K

-19.27%

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

$51.5 ¥348

$65.4 ¥442

-21.25%

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

$8.84 ¥59.7

$10.19 ¥68.8

-13.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.44 ¥84.1

$13.17 ¥89.0

-5.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.69 ¥336

$67.9 ¥459

-26.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 ¥125

$19.83 ¥134

-6.76%

Cinema Ticket

$8.29 ¥56.1

$6.39 ¥43.20

29.73%

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

$679 ¥4,588

$415 ¥2,802

63.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ¥158.6K

$18.4K ¥124.6K

27.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 ¥423

$43.07 ¥291

45.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.13 ¥231

$28.15 ¥190

21.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$70.0 ¥473

9.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 ¥679

$78.8 ¥533

27.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ¥6,044

$281 ¥1,896

218.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 ¥3,133

$141 ¥956

227.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,906 ¥12.9K

$572 ¥3,866

233.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 ¥7,277

$309 ¥2,090

248.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.6K ¥85.1K

$4,243 ¥28.7K

196.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,257 ¥42.3K

$1,850 ¥12.5K

238.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

$811 ¥5,478

93.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

4.04

-9.90%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): July 12, 2026

Last update for Foshan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $894 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $281 in Foshan. 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 94% 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 $23.00 in Foshan. Groceries tell a different story – $221 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $224 in Foshan – 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 Foshan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 46%, 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 $1,610 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,103 in Foshan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Foshan, 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 $23.00 in Foshan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,073 in Beijing (Pekin) and $735 in Foshan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Foshan, where all-in costs run around $735, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,073. In Foshan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Foshan – 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 Foshan. 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.