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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $776 in Hefei, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,895 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,235 in Hefei, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,580 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,694 in Hefei, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 56% more than Hefei, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Hefei are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 12% lower, Hefei 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ¥29.48

$2.46 ¥16.48

78.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.24 ¥203

$22.01 ¥148

37.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 ¥34.08

$4.51 ¥30.25

12.86%

Cappuccino

$3.40 ¥22.76

$2.71 ¥18.13

25.46%

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

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.53 ¥3.53

7.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.95

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 ¥8.06

$1.02 ¥6.81

17.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.86

$2.05 ¥13.75

-20.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ¥12.66

$1.62 ¥10.85

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥11.96

$1.95 ¥13.04

-8.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.41

$0.80 ¥5.38

38.75%

Eggs

$1.99 ¥13.35

$1.83 ¥12.25

8.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.81 ¥99.2

$13.89 ¥93.1

6.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ¥22.38

$4.91 ¥32.93

-31.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ¥72.7

$11.58 ¥77.6

-6.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ¥13.21

$2.22 ¥14.89

-11.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ¥12.73

$1.67 ¥11.19

13.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.24

$1.71 ¥11.46

15.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ¥10.85

$1.53 ¥10.23

5.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.12

$0.82 ¥5.52

-7.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 ¥5.63

$0.92 ¥6.18

-8.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.54

$0.85 ¥5.68

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.70 ¥4.67

-17.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 ¥27.09

$3.03 ¥20.29

33.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.90 ¥99.9

$11.86 ¥79.5

25.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ¥7.21

$0.92 ¥6.16

17.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ¥12.68

$1.97 ¥13.19

-4.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ¥5.19

$0.29 ¥1.93

165.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.53 ¥211

$45.35 ¥304

-30.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ¥12.73

$1.18 ¥7.87

61.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.35

$0.31 ¥2.11

12.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 ¥49.40

$3.47 ¥23.26

112.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥8.32

$1.23 ¥8.27

0.81%

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

$19.0K ¥127.0K

$19.2K ¥128.5K

-1.12%

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

$18.0K ¥120.6K

$16.7K ¥112.2K

7.43%

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

$54.3 ¥364

$49.41 ¥331

9.82%

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

$8.91 ¥59.7

$9.12 ¥61.1

-2.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.43 ¥96.7

$11.74 ¥78.7

22.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.40 ¥271

$15.74 ¥105

156.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.73 ¥159

$15.29 ¥102

55.20%

Cinema Ticket

$7.23 ¥48.45

$6.20 ¥41.53

16.61%

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

$661 ¥4,432

$244 ¥1,636

170.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K ¥169.6K

$8,710 ¥58.4K

190.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ¥422

$89.8 ¥602

-29.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.30 ¥250

$32.55 ¥218

14.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 ¥590

$63.2 ¥424

39.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ¥821

$94.8 ¥635

29.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$959 ¥6,429

$247 ¥1,655

288.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$536 ¥3,592

$182 ¥1,220

194.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,364 ¥15.8K

$545 ¥3,654

333.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 ¥7,416

$334 ¥2,236

231.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K ¥82.7K

$3,509 ¥23.5K

251.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,466 ¥43.3K

$1,939 ¥13.0K

233.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,662 ¥11.1K

$1,014 ¥6,796

63.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.21

3.15

1.90%

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

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

Last update for Hefei: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $959 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $247 in Hefei. 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 64% 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 $30.00 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $22.00 in Hefei. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $233 vs $231 – making Hefei 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 Hefei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 56%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,813 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,165 in Hefei. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hefei, 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 $30.00 in Beijing (Pekin) and $22.00 in Hefei. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,209 in Beijing (Pekin) and $776 in Hefei. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hefei, where all-in costs run around $776, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,209. In Hefei it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hefei – 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 Hefei. 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.