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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,059 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $697 in Jining, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,761 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,132 in Jining, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,463 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,567 in Jining, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 52% more than Jining, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Jining are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower, Jining 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.15 ¥28.09

$2.75 ¥18.60

50.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.92 ¥189

$20.75 ¥141

34.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ¥35.94

$4.99 ¥33.80

6.41%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥20.59

$3.05 ¥20.68

-0.33%

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

$0.46 ¥3.12

$0.43 ¥2.94

6.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.04

$0.27 ¥1.81

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.72

$0.93 ¥6.27

22.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.45

$2.14 ¥14.47

-0.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ¥11.68

$1.80 ¥12.18

-4.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥10.76

$1.53 ¥10.34

3.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.47

$0.92 ¥6.22

19.57%

Eggs

$1.65 ¥11.17

$1.63 ¥11.01

1.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ¥108

$13.09 ¥88.7

21.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ¥21.79

$3.12 ¥21.13

3.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 ¥67.6

$10.17 ¥68.9

-1.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 ¥14.26

$1.79 ¥12.10

17.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.77

$1.27 ¥8.58

25.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 ¥11.78

$1.36 ¥9.21

27.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ¥9.12

$1.09 ¥7.39

23.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.65

$0.73 ¥4.94

13.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.26

$0.92 ¥6.24

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.84

$0.59 ¥4.01

20.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.80

$0.55 ¥3.73

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 ¥23.35

$3.04 ¥20.60

13.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.96 ¥101

$8.62 ¥58.4

73.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.81

$0.80 ¥5.45

7.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥12.48

$1.66 ¥11.27

10.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ¥3.67

$0.27 ¥1.82

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.39 ¥213

$16.98 ¥115

84.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ¥12.51

$1.35 ¥9.15

37.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.41

$0.33 ¥2.22

9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.52 ¥71.2

$6.52 ¥44.17

61.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$1.18 ¥7.96

-6.78%

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

$18.2K ¥122.9K

$19.4K ¥131.6K

-6.56%

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

$15.4K ¥104.2K

$16.7K ¥113.0K

-7.79%

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

$52.7 ¥357

$45.43 ¥308

16.00%

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

$8.97 ¥60.8

$9.76 ¥66.1

-8.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.62 ¥85.5

$11.47 ¥77.7

10.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.30 ¥327

$41.93 ¥284

15.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.96 ¥122

$13.88 ¥94.0

29.39%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 ¥55.4

$6.20 ¥42.01

31.77%

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

$668 ¥4,524

$339 ¥2,295

97.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K ¥163.1K

$17.0K ¥115.3K

41.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 ¥413

$44.29 ¥300

37.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.02 ¥230

$30.40 ¥206

11.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥520

$70.5 ¥478

8.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 ¥671

$74.2 ¥503

33.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 ¥6,202

$282 ¥1,910

224.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 ¥3,084

$184 ¥1,247

147.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,913 ¥13.0K

$603 ¥4,084

217.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 ¥7,340

$365 ¥2,472

196.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥83.8K

$3,175 ¥21.5K

289.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,323 ¥42.8K

$1,791 ¥12.1K

252.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

$577 ¥3,909

171.84%

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): May 30, 2026

Last update for Jining: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $916 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $282 in Jining. 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 172% 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 Jining. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $194 – making Jining 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 Jining: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 52%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,589 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,046 in Jining. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,059 in Beijing (Pekin) and $697 in Jining. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jining, where all-in costs run around $697, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,059. In Jining it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jining – 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 Jining. 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.