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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $710 in Jiamusi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,895 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,135 in Jiamusi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,580 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,561 in Jiamusi, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 70% more than Jiamusi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Jiamusi are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 12% lower, Jiamusi 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ¥29.48

$2.73 ¥18.27

61.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.24 ¥203

$21.20 ¥142

42.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 ¥34.08

$4.97 ¥33.32

2.41%

Cappuccino

$3.40 ¥22.76

$3.00 ¥20.11

13.33%

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

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.43 ¥2.90

32.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.95

$0.27 ¥1.78

7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 ¥8.06

$0.90 ¥6.00

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.86

$2.15 ¥14.39

-24.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ¥12.66

$1.84 ¥12.36

2.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥11.96

$1.59 ¥10.69

12.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.41

$0.89 ¥5.95

24.72%

Eggs

$1.99 ¥13.35

$1.53 ¥10.26

30.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.81 ¥99.2

$12.82 ¥85.9

15.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ¥22.38

$3.11 ¥20.82

7.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ¥72.7

$10.13 ¥67.9

7.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ¥13.21

$1.80 ¥12.06

9.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ¥12.73

$1.24 ¥8.32

53.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.24

$1.47 ¥9.84

34.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ¥10.85

$1.14 ¥7.66

42.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.12

$0.70 ¥4.68

8.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 ¥5.63

$0.90 ¥6.04

-6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.54

$0.57 ¥3.81

19.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.51 ¥3.41

13.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 ¥27.09

$3.04 ¥20.40

32.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.90 ¥99.9

$10.46 ¥70.1

42.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ¥7.21

$0.74 ¥4.94

45.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ¥12.68

$1.64 ¥10.98

15.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ¥5.19

$0.27 ¥1.81

185.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.53 ¥211

$16.99 ¥114

85.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ¥12.73

$1.43 ¥9.58

32.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.35

$0.33 ¥2.20

6.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 ¥49.40

$6.51 ¥43.63

13.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥8.32

$1.16 ¥7.81

6.90%

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

$19.0K ¥127.0K

$19.2K ¥128.7K

-1.27%

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

$18.0K ¥120.6K

$16.9K ¥113.2K

6.48%

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

$54.3 ¥364

$45.44 ¥305

19.41%

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

$8.91 ¥59.7

$9.75 ¥65.3

-8.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.43 ¥96.7

$11.65 ¥78.1

23.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.40 ¥271

$41.80 ¥280

-3.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.73 ¥159

$13.96 ¥93.6

69.99%

Cinema Ticket

$7.23 ¥48.45

$5.83 ¥39.08

24.01%

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

$661 ¥4,432

$330 ¥2,209

100.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K ¥169.6K

$16.5K ¥110.7K

53.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ¥422

$43.19 ¥289

45.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.30 ¥250

$30.92 ¥207

20.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 ¥590

$71.9 ¥482

22.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ¥821

$71.4 ¥478

71.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$959 ¥6,429

$283 ¥1,899

238.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$536 ¥3,592

$189 ¥1,266

183.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,364 ¥15.8K

$586 ¥3,928

303.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 ¥7,416

$360 ¥2,410

207.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K ¥82.7K

$3,012 ¥20.2K

309.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,466 ¥43.3K

$2,005 ¥13.4K

222.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,662 ¥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): August 30, 2026

Last update for Jiamusi: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $959 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $283 in Jiamusi. 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 Jiamusi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $233 vs $197 – making Jiamusi 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 Jiamusi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 70%, 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 $1,813 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,065 in Jiamusi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jiamusi, 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 Jiamusi. 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 $710 in Jiamusi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jiamusi, where all-in costs run around $710, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,209. In Jiamusi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jiamusi – 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 Jiamusi. 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.