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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,058 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $696 in Kaifeng, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,769 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,104 in Kaifeng, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,481 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,512 in Kaifeng, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 52% more than Kaifeng, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.21 ¥28.47

$2.71 ¥18.34

55.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.89 ¥189

$13.87 ¥93.8

101.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.41 ¥36.61

$4.35 ¥29.40

24.37%

Cappuccino

$3.10 ¥20.99

$2.09 ¥14.16

48.33%

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

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.44 ¥2.97

-2.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.22 ¥1.49

27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 ¥7.41

$1.09 ¥7.38

0.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ¥14.32

$2.05 ¥13.88

3.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ¥11.18

$1.84 ¥12.43

-10.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 ¥10.65

$1.59 ¥10.72

-0.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ¥7.25

$0.84 ¥5.65

27.38%

Eggs

$1.72 ¥11.61

$1.55 ¥10.51

10.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.52 ¥105

$13.00 ¥87.9

19.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ¥21.43

$3.23 ¥21.85

-1.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 ¥66.5

$10.32 ¥69.8

-4.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 ¥14.57

$1.80 ¥12.19

19.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ¥10.81

$1.26 ¥8.54

26.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.68

$0.60 ¥4.07

188.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 ¥8.96

$1.09 ¥7.35

22.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$0.72 ¥4.87

9.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 ¥6.66

$0.97 ¥6.55

1.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.58

$0.61 ¥4.10

11.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ¥3.54

$0.54 ¥3.65

-3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 ¥24.04

$3.18 ¥21.52

11.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.73 ¥99.6

$14.89 ¥101

-1.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.78

$0.75 ¥5.05

14.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 ¥12.25

$1.66 ¥11.25

9.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ¥3.67

$0.27 ¥1.81

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.60 ¥214

$16.86 ¥114

87.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ¥12.55

$1.37 ¥9.26

35.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.35 ¥2.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.64 ¥71.9

$6.56 ¥44.35

62.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥7.38

$1.12 ¥7.57

-2.68%

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

$18.5K ¥124.9K

$19.7K ¥133.2K

-6.17%

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

$15.7K ¥106.3K

$16.7K ¥113.0K

-5.98%

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

$51.2 ¥347

$45.40 ¥307

12.86%

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

$8.60 ¥58.2

$9.67 ¥65.4

-11.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.76 ¥86.3

$11.33 ¥76.6

12.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.99 ¥338

$42.07 ¥284

18.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.99 ¥122

$14.13 ¥95.6

27.32%

Cinema Ticket

$8.15 ¥55.1

$6.33 ¥42.79

28.75%

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

$661 ¥4,471

$334 ¥2,259

97.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ¥158.6K

$16.9K ¥114.5K

38.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 ¥421

$42.69 ¥289

45.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ¥236

$30.60 ¥207

13.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 ¥525

$70.3 ¥475

10.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ¥687

$74.9 ¥507

35.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$913 ¥6,171

$278 ¥1,877

228.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$453 ¥3,066

$186 ¥1,260

143.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 ¥13.3K

$589 ¥3,981

234.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 ¥7,325

$358 ¥2,422

202.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K ¥85.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,152 ¥41.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,556 ¥10.5K

$574 ¥3,879

171.25%

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): June 7, 2026

Last update for Kaifeng: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $913 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $278 in Kaifeng. 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 171% 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 $14.00 in Kaifeng. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $220 vs $204 – making Kaifeng 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 Kaifeng: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,587 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,044 in Kaifeng. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kaifeng, 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 $14.00 in Kaifeng. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,058 in Beijing (Pekin) and $696 in Kaifeng. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kaifeng, where all-in costs run around $696, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,058. In Kaifeng it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kaifeng – 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 Kaifeng. 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.