Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Beijing (Pekin) and Jinhua

For one person, living is cheaper in Jinhua: $640 a month against $1,185 in Beijing (Pekin), rent and utilities included – about $6,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Beijing (Pekin)
🇨🇳 China
$1,185
/mo nomad
Jinhua
🇨🇳 China
$640
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Jinhua actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,185 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $640 in Jinhua, rent included.

  • Beijing (Pekin) $1,185
  • Jinhua $640

A couple spends around $1,917 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,056 in Jinhua, rent included.

  • Beijing (Pekin) $1,917
  • Jinhua $1,056

A family of three spends $2,648 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,471 in Jinhua, rent included.

  • Beijing (Pekin) $2,648
  • Jinhua $1,471

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 85% more than Jinhua, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Jinhua are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 13% lower, Jinhua 53% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Beijing (Pekin)
Jinhua
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.53 ¥30.24
$4.58 ¥30.56
-1.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$30.16 ¥201
$22.28 ¥149
35.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.36 ¥35.74
$5.13 ¥34.21
4.48%
Cappuccino
$3.57 ¥23.78
$1.52 ¥10.13
134.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.51 ¥3.38
$0.46 ¥3.09
10.87%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.28 ¥1.89
$0.29 ¥1.91
-3.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.19 ¥7.92
$0.44 ¥2.93
170.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.71 ¥11.40
$1.50 ¥10.02
14.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Beijing (Pekin)
Jinhua
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ¥11.64
$1.52 ¥10.14
14.47%
White Bread (500g)
$1.77 ¥11.80
$1.52 ¥10.13
16.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.29 ¥8.59
$0.76 ¥5.09
69.74%
Eggs
$1.95 ¥12.98
$1.28 ¥8.57
52.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.29 ¥95.3
$16.98 ¥113
-15.84%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.31 ¥22.07
$3.29 ¥21.97
0.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.11 ¥74.1
$8.79 ¥58.6
26.39%
Apples (1kg)
$2.12 ¥14.15
$1.82 ¥12.12
16.48%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 ¥11.54
$1.18 ¥7.85
46.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.09 ¥13.94
$1.18 ¥7.85
77.12%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.54 ¥10.27
$1.51 ¥10.05
1.99%
Potato (1kg)
$0.69 ¥4.63
$0.79 ¥5.24
-12.66%
Onion (1kg)
$0.91 ¥6.07
$0.78 ¥5.21
16.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.75 ¥5.03
$0.14 ¥0.94
435.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.61 ¥4.05
$0.29 ¥1.92
110.34%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 ¥28.46
$3.69 ¥24.60
15.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.90 ¥92.7
$10.81 ¥72.1
28.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.02 ¥6.78
$0.47 ¥3.15
117.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81 ¥12.07
$1.51 ¥10.08
19.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Beijing (Pekin)
Jinhua
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.69 ¥4.64
$0.31 ¥2.10
122.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$34.82 ¥232
$17.84 ¥119
95.18%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.90 ¥12.70
$1.47 ¥9.80
29.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.35 ¥2.35
$0.21 ¥1.40
66.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.28 ¥48.56
$9.19 ¥61.3
-20.78%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 ¥8.85
$1.28 ¥8.52
3.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.6K ¥131.0K
$11.7K ¥78.2K
67.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.0K ¥120.3K
$14.7K ¥98.1K
22.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Beijing (Pekin)
Jinhua
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$59.1 ¥394
$22.71 ¥151
160.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.77 ¥58.5
$7.99 ¥53.3
9.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.22 ¥94.8
$10.43 ¥69.6
36.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Beijing (Pekin)
Jinhua
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.06 ¥274
$41.36 ¥276
-0.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.89 ¥166
$14.72 ¥98.2
69.09%
Cinema Ticket
$7.44 ¥49.62
$4.41 ¥29.42
68.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Beijing (Pekin)
Jinhua
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$654 ¥4,365
$417 ¥2,779
57.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$24.0K ¥160.2K
$28.1K ¥187.5K
-14.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Beijing (Pekin)
Jinhua
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.2 ¥475
$22.53 ¥150
215.93%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.02 ¥267
$37.73 ¥252
6.07%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.2 ¥588
$73.8 ¥492
19.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$127 ¥844
$30.19 ¥201
319.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Beijing (Pekin)
Jinhua
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$945 ¥6,302
$258 ¥1,720
266.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$523 ¥3,491
$179 ¥1,192
192.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,362 ¥15.8K
$477 ¥3,182
395.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,122 ¥7,482
$376 ¥2,510
198.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$12.3K ¥81.8K
$3,429 ¥22.9K
257.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,446 ¥43.0K
$1,972 ¥13.2K
226.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Beijing (Pekin)
Jinhua
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,715 ¥11.4K
$1,502 ¥10.0K
14.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.12
3
4.00%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): October 17, 2026

Last update for Jinhua: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Beijing (Pekin)
$523
Jinhua
$179 65.9% $345
Groceries & Markets
Beijing (Pekin)
$229
Jinhua
$196 14.4% $33
Clothing & Footwear
Beijing (Pekin)
$147
Jinhua
$74 49.6% $73
Eating Out
Beijing (Pekin)
$108
Jinhua
$78 27.1% $29
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Beijing (Pekin)
$82
Jinhua
$41 49.9% $41
Sport & Entertainment
Beijing (Pekin)
$56
Jinhua
$50 10.3% $5.8
Getting Around
Beijing (Pekin)
$41
Jinhua
$22 47.6% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $945 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $258 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 14% 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 $22.00 in Jinhua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $229 vs $196 – making Jinhua the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇳 Beijing (Pekin)
🇨🇳 Jinhua
🕒 Local time
23:43 11:43 PM
23:43 11:43 PM
Same time as Beijing (Pekin)
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
21,893,095 Capital
5,361,572
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 6.67 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.5 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Beijing (Pekin) Jinhua 1,240 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Beijing (Pekin)
  • Jinhua

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 Jinhua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jinhua cheaper than Beijing (Pekin)?
Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 85%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,778 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $960 in Jinhua. 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 Jinhua, 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 Jinhua?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Beijing (Pekin) and $22.00 in Jinhua. 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 Jinhua?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,185 in Beijing (Pekin) and $640 in Jinhua. That's a gap of about 85%.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Beijing (Pekin) or in Jinhua?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jinhua, where all-in costs run around $640, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,185. In Jinhua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Beijing (Pekin) or Jinhua more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

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