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 $1,059 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $753 in Foshan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,761 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,220 in Foshan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,463 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,687 in Foshan, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 41% more than Foshan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Foshan are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower, Foshan 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.15 ¥28.07

$3.22 ¥21.80

28.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.92 ¥189

$22.60 ¥153

23.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ¥35.92

$4.99 ¥33.76

6.41%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥20.58

$3.16 ¥21.42

-3.80%

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

$0.46 ¥3.11

$0.46 ¥3.10

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.04

$0.28 ¥1.87

7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.09 ¥7.38

4.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.44

$1.65 ¥11.19

29.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ¥11.67

$1.79 ¥12.14

-3.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥10.75

$1.96 ¥13.24

-18.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.47

$1.22 ¥8.28

-9.84%

Eggs

$1.65 ¥11.16

$1.87 ¥12.66

-11.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ¥108

$13.00 ¥88.0

22.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ¥21.77

$3.86 ¥26.13

-16.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 ¥67.6

$13.38 ¥90.6

-25.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 ¥14.25

$1.81 ¥12.25

16.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.77

$1.27 ¥8.57

25.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 ¥11.77

$1.73 ¥11.70

0.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ¥9.12

$1.40 ¥9.48

-3.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.65

$1.00 ¥6.79

-17.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.25

$1.05 ¥7.08

-12.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.84

$0.70 ¥4.71

1.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.80

$0.61 ¥4.11

-8.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 ¥23.33

$3.55 ¥24.06

-2.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.96 ¥101

$10.24 ¥69.3

46.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.80

$0.96 ¥6.51

-10.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥12.47

$1.40 ¥9.48

31.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ¥3.67

$0.27 ¥1.81

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.39 ¥212

$11.02 ¥74.6

184.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ¥12.50

$1.71 ¥11.58

8.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.41

$0.35 ¥2.35

2.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.52 ¥71.2

$6.93 ¥46.91

51.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$1.17 ¥7.92

-5.98%

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

$18.2K ¥122.9K

$21.3K ¥144.1K

-14.76%

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

$15.4K ¥104.2K

$19.6K ¥132.4K

-21.30%

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

$52.7 ¥357

$65.1 ¥441

-19.08%

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

$8.97 ¥60.7

$10.20 ¥69.1

-12.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.62 ¥85.4

$12.90 ¥87.3

-2.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.30 ¥327

$66.9 ¥453

-27.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.96 ¥122

$20.34 ¥138

-11.70%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 ¥55.3

$6.22 ¥42.10

31.35%

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

$668 ¥4,521

$415 ¥2,809

60.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K ¥163.0K

$18.2K ¥123.2K

32.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 ¥413

$42.80 ¥290

42.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.02 ¥230

$28.67 ¥194

18.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥520

$70.5 ¥477

9.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 ¥671

$77.9 ¥527

27.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 ¥6,199

$280 ¥1,894

227.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 ¥3,083

$142 ¥958

221.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,913 ¥12.9K

$580 ¥3,927

229.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 ¥7,336

$313 ¥2,119

246.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥83.8K

$4,353 ¥29.5K

184.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,323 ¥42.8K

$1,819 ¥12.3K

247.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

$793 ¥5,367

97.85%

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): May 30, 2026

Last update for Foshan: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $916 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $280 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 98% 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. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $222 – making Foshan 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 Foshan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 41%, 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 $1,129 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 $1,059 in Beijing (Pekin) and $753 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 $753, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,059. 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.