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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,058 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $717 in Jilin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,769 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,129 in Jilin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,481 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,541 in Jilin, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 48% more than Jilin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Jilin are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower, Jilin 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.21 ¥28.51

$2.73 ¥18.48

54.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.89 ¥189

$21.14 ¥143

31.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.41 ¥36.66

$4.94 ¥33.42

9.51%

Cappuccino

$3.10 ¥21.02

$3.16 ¥21.39

-1.90%

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

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.41 ¥2.76

4.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.22 ¥1.49

27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$1.09 ¥7.38

0.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ¥14.34

$2.13 ¥14.39

-0.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ¥11.19

$1.62 ¥11.00

1.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 ¥10.67

$1.53 ¥10.36

3.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ¥7.26

$0.90 ¥6.11

18.89%

Eggs

$1.72 ¥11.62

$1.62 ¥10.96

6.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.52 ¥105

$13.05 ¥88.4

18.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ¥21.46

$3.10 ¥21.01

2.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 ¥66.6

$10.02 ¥67.8

-1.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 ¥14.59

$1.74 ¥11.79

23.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ¥10.82

$1.20 ¥8.15

33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.70

$1.40 ¥9.50

23.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 ¥8.98

$1.14 ¥7.69

16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 ¥5.33

$0.67 ¥4.52

17.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 ¥6.67

$0.97 ¥6.59

1.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.58

$0.59 ¥4.02

15.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ¥3.55

$0.55 ¥3.71

-5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 ¥24.08

$3.09 ¥20.93

15.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.73 ¥99.8

$10.98 ¥74.4

34.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.79

$0.76 ¥5.12

13.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 ¥12.27

$1.64 ¥11.13

10.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ¥3.67

$0.27 ¥1.82

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.60 ¥214

$16.47 ¥112

91.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ¥12.57

$0.99 ¥6.73

87.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.38

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.64 ¥72.0

$6.54 ¥44.31

62.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥7.39

$1.13 ¥7.66

-3.54%

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

$18.5K ¥125.1K

$19.3K ¥131.0K

-4.47%

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

$15.7K ¥106.4K

$16.7K ¥113.1K

-5.86%

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

$51.2 ¥347

$45.73 ¥310

12.05%

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

$8.60 ¥58.3

$9.81 ¥66.4

-12.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.76 ¥86.4

$11.74 ¥79.5

8.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.99 ¥339

$41.08 ¥278

21.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.99 ¥122

$13.97 ¥94.6

28.78%

Cinema Ticket

$8.15 ¥55.2

$6.22 ¥42.10

31.03%

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

$661 ¥4,478

$340 ¥2,304

94.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ¥158.8K

$17.0K ¥115.2K

37.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 ¥422

$42.66 ¥289

45.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ¥236

$30.97 ¥210

12.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 ¥526

$70.6 ¥478

10.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ¥688

$74.0 ¥501

37.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$913 ¥6,180

$280 ¥1,896

225.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$453 ¥3,071

$191 ¥1,291

137.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 ¥13.4K

$601 ¥4,073

227.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 ¥7,335

$358 ¥2,421

202.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K ¥85.9K

$3,235 ¥21.9K

291.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,152 ¥41.7K

$1,531 ¥10.4K

301.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,556 ¥10.5K

$451 ¥3,052

245.20%

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): June 7, 2026

Last update for Jilin: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $913 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $280 in Jilin. 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 245% 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 $21.00 in Jilin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $220 vs $195 – making Jilin 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 Jilin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 48%, 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 $1,587 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,076 in Jilin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,058 in Beijing (Pekin) and $717 in Jilin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jilin, where all-in costs run around $717, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,058. In Jilin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jilin – 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 Jilin. 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.