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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,073 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $646 in Jinhua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,769 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,027 in Jinhua, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,464 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,408 in Jinhua, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 66% more than Jinhua, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Jinhua are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 20% lower, Jinhua 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.29 ¥28.98

$4.79 ¥32.39

-10.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.28 ¥191

$20.86 ¥141

35.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 ¥35.08

$5.60 ¥37.81

-7.32%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥20.83

$1.37 ¥9.29

124.82%

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

$0.42 ¥2.86

$0.40 ¥2.70

5.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.87

$0.27 ¥1.81

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ¥7.31

$0.41 ¥2.75

163.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.85

$1.37 ¥9.29

49.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ¥11.26

$1.41 ¥9.54

18.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ¥10.86

$1.36 ¥9.22

18.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.56

$0.68 ¥4.61

64.71%

Eggs

$1.71 ¥11.55

$1.20 ¥8.12

42.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.76 ¥106

$15.22 ¥103

3.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 ¥21.55

$3.12 ¥21.10

2.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.85 ¥66.5

$8.12 ¥54.9

21.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 ¥14.14

$1.65 ¥11.15

26.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.22

$1.09 ¥7.35

52.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.96

$1.08 ¥7.32

63.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.59

$1.36 ¥9.22

-6.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.78

$0.69 ¥4.64

23.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.13

$0.69 ¥4.64

31.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.52

$0.14 ¥0.94

378.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ¥3.51

$0.29 ¥1.98

79.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 ¥23.25

$2.74 ¥18.51

25.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 ¥99.9

$11.72 ¥79.2

26.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.78

$0.41 ¥2.77

109.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥11.77

$1.35 ¥9.15

28.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ¥3.71

$0.29 ¥1.97

89.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.84 ¥215

$16.97 ¥115

87.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ¥12.46

$1.38 ¥9.30

33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.20 ¥1.35

75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 ¥69.8

$8.58 ¥58.0

20.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$1.14 ¥7.73

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

$18.9K ¥127.4K

$11.2K ¥75.5K

68.78%

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

$15.9K ¥107.4K

$14.1K ¥95.6K

12.37%

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

$51.5 ¥348

$21.00 ¥142

145.33%

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

$8.84 ¥59.7

$7.43 ¥50.2

18.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.44 ¥84.1

$13.94 ¥94.2

-10.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.69 ¥336

$42.16 ¥285

17.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 ¥125

$13.96 ¥94.4

32.45%

Cinema Ticket

$8.29 ¥56.1

$4.07 ¥27.49

103.69%

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

$679 ¥4,588

$335 ¥2,266

102.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ¥158.6K

$30.9K ¥208.7K

-23.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 ¥423

$20.95 ¥142

199.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.13 ¥231

$38.16 ¥258

-10.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$70.1 ¥473

9.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 ¥679

$27.50 ¥186

265.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ¥6,044

$244 ¥1,650

266.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 ¥3,133

$187 ¥1,265

147.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,906 ¥12.9K

$459 ¥3,105

314.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 ¥7,277

$348 ¥2,351

209.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.6K ¥85.1K

$3,147 ¥21.3K

300.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,257 ¥42.3K

$1,846 ¥12.5K

238.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

$1,480 ¥10.0K

6.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

21.33%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): July 12, 2026

Last update for Jinhua: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $894 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $244 in Jinhua. 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 6% 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 Jinhua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $183 – making Jinhua 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 Jinhua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 66%, 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 $1,610 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $969 in Jinhua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,073 in Beijing (Pekin) and $646 in Jinhua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jinhua, where all-in costs run around $646, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,073. In Jinhua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jinhua – 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 Jinhua. 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.