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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,177 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $714 in Huainan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,908 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,123 in Huainan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,639 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,531 in Huainan, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 65% more than Huainan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Huainan are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 14% lower, Huainan 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.44 ¥29.73

$2.75 ¥18.38

61.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.71 ¥199

$21.43 ¥143

38.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.36 ¥35.86

$4.78 ¥31.98

12.13%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥23.72

$3.03 ¥20.27

17.16%

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

$0.55 ¥3.68

$0.47 ¥3.16

17.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.79

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.18

$0.90 ¥6.01

35.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.15

$2.13 ¥14.24

-21.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 ¥11.87

$1.86 ¥12.42

-4.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ¥11.19

$1.62 ¥10.82

3.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.54

$0.97 ¥6.46

16.49%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥13.45

$1.53 ¥10.26

31.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 ¥96.3

$12.62 ¥84.4

14.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ¥22.35

$3.18 ¥21.26

5.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.83 ¥72.5

$10.25 ¥68.6

5.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 ¥14.49

$1.87 ¥12.52

16.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.09

$1.21 ¥8.10

49.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ¥12.98

$1.55 ¥10.39

25.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 ¥10.48

$1.11 ¥7.42

41.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.81

$0.69 ¥4.62

4.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.16

$0.91 ¥6.12

1.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ¥4.67

$0.56 ¥3.72

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ¥4.11

$0.55 ¥3.69

12.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 ¥27.82

$3.21 ¥21.44

29.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.66 ¥98.1

$10.73 ¥71.7

36.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ¥6.99

$0.75 ¥5.01

40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 ¥11.85

$1.59 ¥10.62

11.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ¥5.13

$0.29 ¥1.94

165.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.73 ¥232

$16.89 ¥113

105.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 ¥12.88

$1.41 ¥9.44

36.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.33 ¥2.18

6.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.33 ¥49.03

$6.69 ¥44.76

9.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ¥8.80

$1.12 ¥7.49

17.86%

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

$19.7K ¥131.6K

$19.3K ¥129.0K

2.02%

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

$17.8K ¥119.2K

$17.6K ¥117.4K

1.57%

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

$56.4 ¥377

$44.83 ¥300

25.70%

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

$8.95 ¥59.9

$9.98 ¥66.8

-10.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.53 ¥97.2

$11.87 ¥79.4

22.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.46 ¥264

$41.41 ¥277

-4.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.00 ¥161

$13.89 ¥92.9

72.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.64 ¥51.1

$6.09 ¥40.75

25.45%

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

$658 ¥4,402

$336 ¥2,245

96.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K ¥162.3K

$17.0K ¥113.8K

42.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 ¥440

$44.58 ¥298

47.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.10 ¥255

$30.80 ¥206

23.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 ¥573

$70.8 ¥473

21.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 ¥830

$72.7 ¥486

70.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ¥6,588

$280 ¥1,872

252.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 ¥3,577

$192 ¥1,287

178.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,338 ¥15.6K

$582 ¥3,891

301.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 ¥7,413

$359 ¥2,400

208.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.5K ¥83.6K

$3,020 ¥20.2K

314.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,363 ¥42.6K

$2,009 ¥13.4K

216.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,663 ¥11.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.21

3.89

-17.48%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): September 14, 2026

Last update for Huainan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $280 in Huainan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $21.00 in Huainan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $229 vs $199 – making Huainan 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 Huainan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 65%, 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 $1,765 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,071 in Huainan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Huainan, 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 $21.00 in Huainan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,177 in Beijing (Pekin) and $714 in Huainan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Huainan, where all-in costs run around $714, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,177. In Huainan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Huainan – 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 Huainan. 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.