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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,059 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $669 in Guilin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,761 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,081 in Guilin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,463 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,493 in Guilin, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 58% more than Guilin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Guilin are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower, Guilin 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.15 ¥28.05

$4.14 ¥27.98

0.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.92 ¥189

$18.72 ¥127

49.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ¥35.90

$3.42 ¥23.15

55.26%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥20.57

$2.72 ¥18.38

11.76%

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

$0.46 ¥3.11

$0.69 ¥4.69

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.04

$0.27 ¥1.82

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.02 ¥6.91

11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.43

$2.04 ¥13.82

4.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ¥11.66

$1.37 ¥9.27

25.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥10.75

$1.43 ¥9.68

11.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.46

$0.63 ¥4.25

74.60%

Eggs

$1.65 ¥11.16

$1.69 ¥11.43

-2.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ¥108

$12.92 ¥87.4

22.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ¥21.76

$3.19 ¥21.58

0.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 ¥67.5

$8.14 ¥55.0

22.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 ¥14.24

$1.77 ¥11.98

19.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.76

$1.22 ¥8.24

30.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 ¥11.76

$1.37 ¥9.27

27.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ¥9.11

$1.08 ¥7.31

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.64

$0.72 ¥4.89

15.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.25

$0.96 ¥6.51

-4.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.83

$0.59 ¥4.01

20.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.79

$0.94 ¥6.37

-40.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 ¥23.32

$3.11 ¥21.04

10.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.96 ¥101

$11.42 ¥77.2

31.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.80

$0.87 ¥5.92

-1.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥12.46

$1.59 ¥10.78

15.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ¥3.66

$0.27 ¥1.81

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.39 ¥212

$16.49 ¥112

90.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ¥12.50

$0.93 ¥6.29

98.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.41

$0.31 ¥2.08

16.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.52 ¥71.1

$6.74 ¥45.57

56.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.41

$1.13 ¥7.62

-2.65%

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

$18.2K ¥122.8K

$19.2K ¥129.8K

-5.42%

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

$15.4K ¥104.1K

$16.9K ¥114.4K

-8.98%

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

$52.7 ¥357

$27.83 ¥188

89.36%

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

$8.97 ¥60.7

$4.97 ¥33.63

80.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.62 ¥85.4

$11.52 ¥77.9

9.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.30 ¥327

$42.22 ¥286

14.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.96 ¥122

$13.74 ¥92.9

30.71%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 ¥55.3

$4.08 ¥27.57

100.25%

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

$668 ¥4,518

$340 ¥2,298

96.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K ¥162.9K

$17.0K ¥115.1K

41.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 ¥413

$43.10 ¥292

41.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.02 ¥230

$30.82 ¥209

10.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥520

$72.7 ¥492

5.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 ¥670

$74.1 ¥501

33.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 ¥6,195

$279 ¥1,886

228.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 ¥3,081

$191 ¥1,290

138.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,913 ¥12.9K

$582 ¥3,936

228.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 ¥7,332

$355 ¥2,399

205.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥83.7K

$1,329 ¥8,988

831.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,323 ¥42.8K

$1,715 ¥11.6K

268.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

$479 ¥3,240

227.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

3.87

-5.94%

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

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

Last update for Guilin: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $916 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $279 in Guilin. 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 228% 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 $19.00 in Guilin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $192 – making Guilin 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 Guilin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 58%, 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 $1,003 in Guilin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Guilin, 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 $19.00 in Guilin. 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 $669 in Guilin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Guilin, where all-in costs run around $669, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,059. In Guilin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Guilin – 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 Guilin. 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.