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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,073 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $703 in Karamay, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,769 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,126 in Karamay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,464 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,549 in Karamay, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 53% more than Karamay, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Karamay are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 20% lower, Karamay 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.29 ¥28.98

$2.76 ¥18.67

55.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.28 ¥191

$20.48 ¥138

38.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 ¥35.08

$4.83 ¥32.64

7.45%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥20.83

$2.95 ¥19.93

4.41%

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

$0.42 ¥2.86

$0.43 ¥2.93

-2.33%

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

$0.87 ¥5.85

24.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.85

$2.08 ¥14.04

-1.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ¥11.26

$1.85 ¥12.51

-9.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ¥10.86

$1.55 ¥10.45

3.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.56

$0.90 ¥6.06

24.44%

Eggs

$1.71 ¥11.55

$1.59 ¥10.72

7.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.76 ¥106

$12.69 ¥85.8

24.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 ¥21.55

$3.13 ¥21.16

1.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.85 ¥66.5

$10.29 ¥69.6

-4.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 ¥14.14

$1.72 ¥11.65

21.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.22

$1.26 ¥8.53

31.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.96

$1.37 ¥9.26

29.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.59

$1.10 ¥7.40

15.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.78

$0.72 ¥4.85

18.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.13

$0.92 ¥6.21

-1.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.52

$0.55 ¥3.74

21.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ¥3.51

$0.50 ¥3.40

4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 ¥23.25

$3.04 ¥20.56

13.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 ¥99.9

$11.52 ¥77.9

28.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.78

$0.78 ¥5.30

10.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥11.77

$1.59 ¥10.75

9.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ¥3.71

$0.29 ¥1.96

89.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.84 ¥215

$16.73 ¥113

90.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ¥12.46

$1.43 ¥9.67

28.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.36 ¥2.41

-2.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 ¥69.8

$6.71 ¥45.33

53.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$1.18 ¥7.99

-3.39%

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

$18.9K ¥127.4K

$19.4K ¥131.2K

-2.84%

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

$15.9K ¥107.4K

$16.4K ¥110.9K

-3.13%

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

$51.5 ¥348

$46.38 ¥313

11.08%

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

$8.84 ¥59.7

$9.71 ¥65.6

-8.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.44 ¥84.1

$11.75 ¥79.4

5.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.69 ¥336

$41.33 ¥279

20.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 ¥125

$14.00 ¥94.6

32.07%

Cinema Ticket

$8.29 ¥56.1

$6.23 ¥42.12

33.07%

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

$679 ¥4,588

$342 ¥2,309

98.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ¥158.6K

$17.3K ¥116.7K

35.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 ¥423

$43.22 ¥292

44.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.13 ¥231

$30.04 ¥203

13.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$71.4 ¥483

7.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 ¥679

$75.4 ¥509

33.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ¥6,044

$278 ¥1,878

221.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 ¥3,133

$188 ¥1,267

147.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,906 ¥12.9K

$588 ¥3,974

224.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 ¥7,277

$356 ¥2,407

202.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.6K ¥85.1K

$3,086 ¥20.9K

307.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,257 ¥42.3K

$1,820 ¥12.3K

243.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

$591 ¥3,994

165.51%

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): July 12, 2026

Last update for Karamay: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $894 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $278 in Karamay. 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 166% 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 $20.00 in Karamay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $198 – making Karamay 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 Karamay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 53%, 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 $1,055 in Karamay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Karamay, 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 $20.00 in Karamay. 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 $703 in Karamay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Karamay, where all-in costs run around $703, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,073. In Karamay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Karamay – 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 Karamay. 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.