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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,178 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $656 in Jinan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,907 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,089 in Jinan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,636 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,521 in Jinan, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 80% more than Jinan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Jinan are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 15% lower, Jinan 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ¥29.45

$2.66 ¥17.79

65.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.96 ¥201

$24.25 ¥162

23.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.32 ¥35.60

$5.05 ¥33.82

5.35%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ¥22.87

$2.54 ¥17.00

34.25%

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

$0.57 ¥3.80

$0.44 ¥2.95

29.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.79

$0.21 ¥1.41

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ¥7.85

$0.88 ¥5.88

32.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ¥11.31

$1.95 ¥13.03

-13.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ¥12.68

$1.50 ¥10.04

26.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 ¥11.32

$1.45 ¥9.73

16.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.71

$1.19 ¥7.94

-3.36%

Eggs

$2.07 ¥13.85

$1.14 ¥7.64

81.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 ¥98.5

$11.60 ¥77.7

26.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 ¥22.59

$3.21 ¥21.52

4.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.59 ¥70.9

$11.36 ¥76.1

-6.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 ¥13.95

$1.98 ¥13.27

5.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 ¥12.68

$1.06 ¥7.09

78.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 ¥12.79

$1.88 ¥12.60

1.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ¥10.86

$1.38 ¥9.24

17.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.73

$0.68 ¥4.56

4.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 ¥5.84

$0.79 ¥5.29

10.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ¥4.90

$0.58 ¥3.86

25.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$0.65 ¥4.37

-9.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 ¥27.81

$3.76 ¥25.16

10.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 ¥99.2

$10.19 ¥68.2

45.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ¥6.83

$0.68 ¥4.53

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ¥12.60

$1.34 ¥8.98

40.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ¥5.13

$0.29 ¥1.92

165.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.99 ¥214

$9.02 ¥60.4

254.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ¥12.71

$1.84 ¥12.33

3.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.38

$0.29 ¥1.93

24.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.48 ¥50.1

$4.44 ¥29.76

68.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ¥8.80

$1.22 ¥8.16

7.38%

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

$19.6K ¥131.4K

$19.2K ¥128.8K

1.97%

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

$18.5K ¥124.1K

$15.2K ¥101.8K

21.99%

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

$55.2 ¥370

$71.6 ¥479

-22.81%

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

$9.08 ¥60.8

$6.89 ¥46.13

31.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.38 ¥96.3

$5.18 ¥34.72

177.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ¥277

$31.46 ¥211

31.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.36 ¥163

$9.40 ¥63.0

159.15%

Cinema Ticket

$7.28 ¥48.74

$5.97 ¥40.00

21.94%

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

$648 ¥4,337

$218 ¥1,462

196.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.7K ¥171.9K

$20.3K ¥136.0K

26.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.8 ¥434

$33.03 ¥221

96.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.72 ¥246

$42.64 ¥286

-13.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 ¥596

$69.8 ¥467

27.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ¥816

$69.9 ¥468

74.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 ¥6,410

$249 ¥1,666

284.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 ¥3,582

$148 ¥988

262.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 ¥15.9K

$603 ¥4,040

292.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 ¥7,550

$363 ¥2,429

210.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥83.3K

$2,465 ¥16.5K

404.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,369 ¥42.7K

$1,321 ¥8,849

382.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,656 ¥11.1K

$970 ¥6,494

70.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.21

3.13

2.56%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): September 7, 2026

Last update for Jinan: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $957 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $249 in Jinan. 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 71% 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 $24.00 in Jinan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $195 – making Jinan 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 Jinan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 80%, 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 $1,767 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $984 in Jinan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jinan, 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 $24.00 in Jinan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,178 in Beijing (Pekin) and $656 in Jinan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jinan, where all-in costs run around $656, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,178. In Jinan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jinan – 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 Jinan. 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.