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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,059 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $791 in Fuzhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,761 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,278 in Fuzhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,463 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,766 in Fuzhou, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 34% more than Fuzhou, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Fuzhou are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower, Fuzhou 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.15 ¥28.04

$2.78 ¥18.79

49.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.92 ¥189

$22.62 ¥153

23.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ¥35.88

$5.37 ¥36.29

-1.12%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥20.56

$2.86 ¥19.31

6.29%

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

$0.46 ¥3.11

$0.40 ¥2.74

15.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.04

$0.25 ¥1.69

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$0.83 ¥5.61

37.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.42

$1.71 ¥11.57

24.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ¥11.66

$1.88 ¥12.70

-8.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥10.74

$1.27 ¥8.57

25.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.46

$0.80 ¥5.42

37.50%

Eggs

$1.65 ¥11.15

$1.33 ¥8.99

24.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ¥107

$11.61 ¥78.5

36.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ¥21.75

$4.97 ¥33.59

-35.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 ¥67.5

$13.03 ¥88.1

-23.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 ¥14.24

$2.21 ¥14.96

-4.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.76

$1.32 ¥8.94

20.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 ¥11.76

$1.82 ¥12.32

-4.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ¥9.11

$1.23 ¥8.31

9.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.64

$0.67 ¥4.54

23.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.25

$1.05 ¥7.13

-12.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.83

$0.59 ¥3.96

20.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.79

$0.48 ¥3.21

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 ¥23.31

$2.75 ¥18.59

25.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.96 ¥101

$11.20 ¥75.8

33.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.80

$0.75 ¥5.08

14.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥12.46

$1.00 ¥6.74

84.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ¥3.66

$0.27 ¥1.80

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.39 ¥212

$41.41 ¥280

-24.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ¥12.49

$1.37 ¥9.27

35.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.41

$0.28 ¥1.92

28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.52 ¥71.1

$6.83 ¥46.20

54.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.41

$1.14 ¥7.70

-3.51%

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

$18.2K ¥122.7K

$21.1K ¥143.0K

-14.16%

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

$15.4K ¥104.0K

$17.4K ¥117.6K

-11.50%

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

$52.7 ¥356

$38.75 ¥262

36.00%

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

$8.97 ¥60.7

$9.73 ¥65.8

-7.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.62 ¥85.4

$7.45 ¥50.4

69.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.30 ¥327

$45.08 ¥305

7.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.96 ¥121

$14.13 ¥95.5

27.11%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 ¥55.3

$6.80 ¥45.97

20.15%

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

$668 ¥4,516

$227 ¥1,533

194.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K ¥162.8K

$9,287 ¥62.8K

159.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 ¥413

$54.7 ¥370

11.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.02 ¥230

$27.46 ¥186

23.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥519

$80.2 ¥542

-4.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 ¥670

$89.2 ¥603

11.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 ¥6,192

$354 ¥2,391

159.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 ¥3,079

$224 ¥1,515

103.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,913 ¥12.9K

$825 ¥5,577

131.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 ¥7,328

$416 ¥2,814

160.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥83.7K

$4,592 ¥31.1K

169.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,323 ¥42.8K

$2,335 ¥15.8K

170.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

$972 ¥6,573

61.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

3.56

2.25%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): May 30, 2026

Last update for Fuzhou: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $916 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $354 in Fuzhou. 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 61% 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 Fuzhou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $211 – making Fuzhou 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 Fuzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 34%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $1,186 in Fuzhou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fuzhou, 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 Fuzhou. 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 $791 in Fuzhou. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Fuzhou, where all-in costs run around $791, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,059. In Fuzhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Fuzhou – 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 Fuzhou. 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.