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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,177 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $731 in Nanning, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,908 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,163 in Nanning, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,639 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,596 in Nanning, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 61% more than Nanning, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Nanning are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 14% lower, Nanning 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.44 ¥29.77

$3.07 ¥20.54

44.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.71 ¥199

$20.35 ¥136

46.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.36 ¥35.91

$5.62 ¥37.65

-4.63%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥23.76

$2.41 ¥16.14

47.30%

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

$0.55 ¥3.68

$0.59 ¥3.95

-6.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.79

$0.27 ¥1.78

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.20

$0.91 ¥6.09

34.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.17

$2.26 ¥15.14

-26.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 ¥11.89

$2.24 ¥14.99

-20.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ¥11.21

$2.20 ¥14.75

-24.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.55

$1.11 ¥7.42

1.80%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥13.47

$2.03 ¥13.57

-0.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 ¥96.5

$10.59 ¥70.9

35.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ¥22.39

$3.89 ¥26.08

-14.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.83 ¥72.6

$17.21 ¥115

-37.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 ¥14.51

$1.79 ¥11.96

21.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.10

$1.31 ¥8.78

38.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ¥13.00

$1.51 ¥10.13

28.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 ¥10.50

$1.66 ¥11.14

-5.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.82

$0.91 ¥6.07

-20.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.17

$1.17 ¥7.81

-21.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ¥4.68

$0.53 ¥3.57

32.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ¥4.12

$0.62 ¥4.17

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 ¥27.86

$4.19 ¥28.05

-0.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.66 ¥98.2

$14.77 ¥99.0

-0.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ¥7.00

$0.97 ¥6.51

8.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 ¥11.87

$1.58 ¥10.57

12.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ¥5.13

$0.50 ¥3.33

54.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.73 ¥233

$15.85 ¥106

119.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 ¥12.90

$1.30 ¥8.72

48.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.38

$0.47 ¥3.13

-25.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.33 ¥49.10

$7.36 ¥49.31

-0.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ¥8.81

$1.24 ¥8.31

6.45%

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

$19.7K ¥131.8K

$23.3K ¥156.1K

-15.54%

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

$17.8K ¥119.4K

$13.5K ¥90.2K

32.30%

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

$56.4 ¥377

$32.95 ¥221

71.02%

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

$8.95 ¥60.0

$14.29 ¥95.7

-37.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.53 ¥97.3

$10.48 ¥70.2

38.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.46 ¥264

$75.7 ¥507

-47.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.00 ¥161

$7.39 ¥49.50

224.76%

Cinema Ticket

$7.64 ¥51.2

$6.59 ¥44.16

15.93%

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

$658 ¥4,408

$300 ¥2,009

119.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K ¥162.5K

$4,500 ¥30.1K

439.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 ¥441

$19.97 ¥134

229.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.10 ¥255

$30.13 ¥202

26.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 ¥574

$64.9 ¥434

32.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 ¥831

$73.9 ¥495

67.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ¥6,598

$249 ¥1,671

294.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 ¥3,582

$153 ¥1,022

250.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,338 ¥15.7K

$376 ¥2,515

522.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 ¥7,424

$294 ¥1,968

277.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.5K ¥83.8K

$3,414 ¥22.9K

266.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,363 ¥42.6K

$1,555 ¥10.4K

309.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,663 ¥11.1K

$667 ¥4,468

149.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.21

3.63

-11.57%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): September 14, 2026

Last update for Nanning: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $249 in Nanning. 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 149% 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 $20.00 in Nanning. Groceries tell a different story – $229 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $243 in Nanning – so Beijing (Pekin) wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Nanning: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 61%, 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 $1,765 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,096 in Nanning. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nanning, 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 $20.00 in Nanning. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,177 in Beijing (Pekin) and $731 in Nanning. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nanning, where all-in costs run around $731, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,177. In Nanning it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nanning – 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 Nanning. 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.