Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Beijing (Pekin) and Jingmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Jingmen: $741 a month against $1,184 in Beijing (Pekin), rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Beijing (Pekin)
🇨🇳 China
$1,184
/mo nomad
Jingmen
🇨🇳 China
$741
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Beijing (Pekin) and in Jingmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Beijing (Pekin) and in Jingmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,184 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $741 in Jingmen, rent included.

  • Beijing (Pekin) $1,184
  • Jingmen $741

A couple spends around $1,916 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,215 in Jingmen, rent included.

  • Beijing (Pekin) $1,916
  • Jingmen $1,215

A family of three spends $2,647 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,689 in Jingmen, rent included.

  • Beijing (Pekin) $2,647
  • Jingmen $1,689

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 60% more than Jingmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Jingmen are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 12% lower, Jingmen 45% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Beijing (Pekin)
Jingmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ¥29.86
$3.08 ¥20.58
45.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.66 ¥198
$22.61 ¥151
31.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.21 ¥34.80
$4.11 ¥27.49
26.76%
Cappuccino
$3.72 ¥24.86
$2.21 ¥14.76
68.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ¥3.34
$0.43 ¥2.90
16.28%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.26 ¥1.73
$0.29 ¥1.92
-10.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.17 ¥7.84
$0.86 ¥5.78
36.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66 ¥11.07
$1.07 ¥7.17
55.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Beijing (Pekin)
Jingmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.65 ¥11.05
$2.00 ¥13.38
-17.50%
White Bread (500g)
$1.76 ¥11.74
$1.79 ¥11.94
-1.68%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.27 ¥8.51
$1.03 ¥6.89
23.30%
Eggs
$1.88 ¥12.55
$1.67 ¥11.15
12.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.65 ¥98.0
$13.15 ¥87.9
11.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.15 ¥21.03
$3.69 ¥24.66
-14.63%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.03 ¥73.8
$13.68 ¥91.4
-19.37%
Apples (1kg)
$2.02 ¥13.53
$2.20 ¥14.73
-8.18%
Banana (1kg)
$1.72 ¥11.47
$1.20 ¥8.03
43.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.08 ¥13.94
$1.41 ¥9.45
47.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.55 ¥10.35
$1.11 ¥7.40
39.64%
Potato (1kg)
$0.72 ¥4.82
$0.82 ¥5.51
-12.20%
Onion (1kg)
$0.85 ¥5.68
$0.77 ¥5.16
10.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.69 ¥4.60
$0.38 ¥2.52
81.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.61 ¥4.10
$0.43 ¥2.89
41.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.32 ¥28.88
$6.53 ¥43.65
-33.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.10 ¥94.3
$14.67 ¥98.1
-3.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.01 ¥6.76
$0.75 ¥5.00
34.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.82 ¥12.17
$2.04 ¥13.61
-10.78%
🚌 Getting Around
Beijing (Pekin)
Jingmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.70 ¥4.67
$0.32 ¥2.14
118.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$34.48 ¥231
$19.67 ¥132
75.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.92 ¥12.84
$1.47 ¥9.82
30.61%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.33 ¥2.19
$0.29 ¥1.91
13.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.67 ¥51.3
$4.34 ¥29.03
76.73%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 ¥8.93
$1.07 ¥7.17
25.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.3K ¥128.9K
$19.7K ¥131.5K
-2.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.3K ¥122.3K
$16.8K ¥112.5K
8.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Beijing (Pekin)
Jingmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$57.3 ¥383
$57.6 ¥385
-0.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.13 ¥61.0
$7.52 ¥50.3
21.41%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.22 ¥95.1
$11.70 ¥78.3
21.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Beijing (Pekin)
Jingmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.34 ¥283
$44.91 ¥300
-5.72%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.61 ¥165
$12.76 ¥85.3
92.87%
Cinema Ticket
$7.40 ¥49.48
$5.35 ¥35.74
38.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Beijing (Pekin)
Jingmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$660 ¥4,410
$375 ¥2,505
76.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$24.2K ¥161.9K
$11.9K ¥79.3K
104.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Beijing (Pekin)
Jingmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.8 ¥467
$54.4 ¥363
28.42%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.69 ¥265
$33.37 ¥223
18.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.9 ¥594
$60.6 ¥405
46.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$127 ¥849
$113 ¥756
12.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Beijing (Pekin)
Jingmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$940 ¥6,286
$277 ¥1,850
239.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$524 ¥3,501
$170 ¥1,134
208.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,319 ¥15.5K
$664 ¥4,438
249.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,128 ¥7,542
$396 ¥2,648
184.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$12.4K ¥82.8K
$3,203 ¥21.4K
286.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,284 ¥42.0K
$2,196 ¥14.7K
186.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Beijing (Pekin)
Jingmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,713 ¥11.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.12
3.31
-5.74%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): October 11, 2026

Last update for Jingmen: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Beijing (Pekin)
$524
Jingmen
$170 67.6% $354
Groceries & Markets
Beijing (Pekin)
$227
Jingmen
$225 0.9% $2
Clothing & Footwear
Beijing (Pekin)
$146
Jingmen
$118 19.6% $29
Eating Out
Beijing (Pekin)
$108
Jingmen
$73 32.7% $35
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Beijing (Pekin)
$81
Jingmen
$77 4.7% $3.8
Sport & Entertainment
Beijing (Pekin)
$57
Jingmen
$56 2.7% $1.5
Getting Around
Beijing (Pekin)
$41
Jingmen
$24 41.6% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $940 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $277 in Jingmen. 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 $23.00 in Jingmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $227 vs $225 – making Jingmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇳 Beijing (Pekin)
🇨🇳 Jingmen
🕒 Local time
17:16 5:16 PM
17:16 5:16 PM
Same time as Beijing (Pekin)
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
21,893,095 Capital
2,873,687
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Beijing (Pekin) Jingmen 1,060 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Beijing (Pekin)
  • Jingmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Jingmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jingmen cheaper than Beijing (Pekin)?
Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 60%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,775 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,112 in Jingmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Jingmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Beijing (Pekin) or in Jingmen?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Beijing (Pekin) and $23.00 in Jingmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Beijing (Pekin) and in Jingmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,184 in Beijing (Pekin) and $741 in Jingmen. That's a gap of about 60%.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Beijing (Pekin) or in Jingmen?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Jingmen, where all-in costs run around $741, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,184. In Jingmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Beijing (Pekin) or Jingmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Jingmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Jingmen. 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.

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