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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $723 in Lanzhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,895 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,141 in Lanzhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,580 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,559 in Lanzhou, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 67% more than Lanzhou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Lanzhou are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 12% lower, Lanzhou 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ¥29.52

$2.22 ¥14.89

98.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.24 ¥203

$26.60 ¥179

13.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 ¥34.13

$5.76 ¥38.68

-11.63%

Cappuccino

$3.40 ¥22.79

$2.55 ¥17.11

33.33%

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

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.46 ¥3.10

23.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.95

$0.31 ¥2.08

-6.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 ¥8.07

$0.65 ¥4.36

84.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.87

$2.11 ¥14.18

-23.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ¥12.67

$1.82 ¥12.24

3.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥11.98

$1.65 ¥11.09

8.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.42

$0.99 ¥6.66

12.12%

Eggs

$1.99 ¥13.36

$1.98 ¥13.25

0.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.81 ¥99.4

$13.18 ¥88.5

12.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ¥22.41

$3.46 ¥23.20

-3.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ¥72.8

$12.26 ¥82.3

-11.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ¥13.23

$1.90 ¥12.76

3.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ¥12.75

$1.31 ¥8.76

45.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.26

$1.59 ¥10.65

24.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ¥10.86

$1.24 ¥8.29

30.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.12

$0.61 ¥4.07

24.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 ¥5.63

$0.93 ¥6.26

-9.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.55

$0.58 ¥3.87

17.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.90

$0.58 ¥3.91

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 ¥27.13

$3.79 ¥25.40

6.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.90 ¥100

$11.39 ¥76.5

30.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ¥7.22

$0.80 ¥5.38

35.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ¥12.70

$1.59 ¥10.65

18.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ¥5.20

$0.29 ¥1.93

165.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.53 ¥212

$17.87 ¥120

76.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ¥12.75

$1.84 ¥12.36

3.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.35

$0.29 ¥1.94

20.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 ¥49.46

$7.02 ¥47.08

4.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥8.33

$1.42 ¥9.56

-12.68%

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

$19.0K ¥127.2K

$21.8K ¥146.3K

-13.06%

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

$18.0K ¥120.7K

$15.8K ¥106.1K

13.77%

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

$54.3 ¥364

$55.1 ¥370

-1.47%

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

$8.91 ¥59.8

$8.55 ¥57.4

4.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.43 ¥96.9

$10.94 ¥73.4

31.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.40 ¥271

$40.64 ¥273

-0.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.73 ¥159

$14.60 ¥98.0

62.53%

Cinema Ticket

$7.23 ¥48.52

$6.41 ¥43.00

12.79%

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

$661 ¥4,438

$415 ¥2,787

59.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K ¥169.8K

$16.8K ¥112.9K

50.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ¥422

$41.80 ¥280

50.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.30 ¥250

$33.84 ¥227

10.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 ¥591

$75.0 ¥503

17.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ¥822

$90.1 ¥604

35.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$959 ¥6,438

$293 ¥1,963

227.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$536 ¥3,596

$166 ¥1,114

222.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,364 ¥15.9K

$591 ¥3,965

299.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 ¥7,426

$291 ¥1,953

280.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K ¥82.8K

$2,688 ¥18.0K

359.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,466 ¥43.4K

$1,664 ¥11.2K

288.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,662 ¥11.2K

$953 ¥6,393

74.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.21

7.00%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): August 30, 2026

Last update for Lanzhou: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $959 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $293 in Lanzhou. 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 74% 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 $27.00 in Lanzhou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $233 vs $213 – making Lanzhou 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 Lanzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 67%, 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 $1,813 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,085 in Lanzhou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lanzhou, 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 $30.00 in Beijing (Pekin) and $27.00 in Lanzhou. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,209 in Beijing (Pekin) and $723 in Lanzhou. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Lanzhou, where all-in costs run around $723, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,209. In Lanzhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lanzhou – 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 Lanzhou. 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.