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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,059 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $830 in Nanjing, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,761 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,302 in Nanjing, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,463 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,773 in Nanjing, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 28% more than Nanjing, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Nanjing are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower, Nanjing 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.15 ¥28.07

$2.72 ¥18.42

52.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.92 ¥189

$22.36 ¥151

24.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ¥35.92

$4.80 ¥32.48

10.62%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥20.58

$3.12 ¥21.15

-2.56%

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

$0.46 ¥3.11

$0.45 ¥3.03

2.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.04

$0.24 ¥1.62

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$0.82 ¥5.58

39.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.44

$2.06 ¥13.93

3.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ¥11.67

$2.33 ¥15.76

-26.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥10.75

$2.16 ¥14.65

-26.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.47

$0.77 ¥5.22

42.86%

Eggs

$1.65 ¥11.16

$1.49 ¥10.12

10.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ¥108

$9.23 ¥62.5

72.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ¥21.77

$2.75 ¥18.63

17.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 ¥67.6

$8.96 ¥60.6

11.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 ¥14.25

$2.22 ¥15.02

-4.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.77

$1.42 ¥9.63

11.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 ¥11.77

$1.63 ¥11.04

6.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ¥9.12

$1.20 ¥8.12

12.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.65

$0.92 ¥6.23

-9.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.25

$0.91 ¥6.17

1.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.84

$0.83 ¥5.59

-14.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.80

$0.57 ¥3.86

-1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 ¥23.33

$3.52 ¥23.82

-1.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.96 ¥101

$13.05 ¥88.3

14.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.80

$0.92 ¥6.20

-6.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥12.47

$1.51 ¥10.20

21.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ¥3.67

$0.27 ¥1.82

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.39 ¥212

$27.67 ¥187

13.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ¥12.50

$1.57 ¥10.60

17.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.41

$0.36 ¥2.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.52 ¥71.2

$8.41 ¥56.9

25.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$1.13 ¥7.61

-2.65%

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

$18.2K ¥122.9K

$17.0K ¥114.8K

7.00%

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

$15.4K ¥104.2K

$14.7K ¥99.2K

4.98%

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

$52.7 ¥357

$42.34 ¥287

24.47%

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

$8.97 ¥60.7

$10.72 ¥72.6

-16.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.62 ¥85.4

$10.92 ¥73.9

15.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.30 ¥327

$26.44 ¥179

82.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.96 ¥122

$29.37 ¥199

-38.85%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 ¥55.3

$5.41 ¥36.65

51.02%

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

$668 ¥4,521

$406 ¥2,748

64.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K ¥163.0K

$18.5K ¥125.0K

30.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 ¥413

$42.23 ¥286

44.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.02 ¥230

$33.05 ¥224

2.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥520

$67.2 ¥455

14.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 ¥671

$84.6 ¥573

17.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 ¥6,199

$425 ¥2,880

115.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 ¥3,083

$300 ¥2,029

51.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,913 ¥12.9K

$911 ¥6,169

109.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 ¥7,336

$541 ¥3,664

100.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥83.8K

$5,311 ¥35.9K

133.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,323 ¥42.8K

$3,154 ¥21.3K

100.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

$1,388 ¥9,395

13.03%

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 Nanjing: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $916 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $425 in Nanjing. 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 13% 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 $22.00 in Nanjing. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $203 – making Nanjing 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 Nanjing: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. 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 $1,245 in Nanjing. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nanjing, 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 $22.00 in Nanjing. 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 $830 in Nanjing. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nanjing, where all-in costs run around $830, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,059. In Nanjing it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nanjing – 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 Nanjing. 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.