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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,073 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $608 in Nantong, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,769 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,012 in Nantong, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,464 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,416 in Nantong, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 76% more than Nantong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Nantong are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 20% lower, Nantong 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.29 ¥28.98

$2.71 ¥18.34

58.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.28 ¥191

$22.07 ¥149

28.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 ¥35.08

$4.40 ¥29.73

17.95%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥20.83

$2.65 ¥17.88

16.23%

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

$0.42 ¥2.86

$0.44 ¥3.01

-4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.87

$0.26 ¥1.76

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ¥7.31

$0.72 ¥4.89

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.85

$2.07 ¥13.97

-0.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ¥11.26

$1.51 ¥10.22

10.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ¥10.86

$1.42 ¥9.59

13.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.56

$0.64 ¥4.34

75.00%

Eggs

$1.71 ¥11.55

$1.49 ¥10.04

14.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.76 ¥106

$6.23 ¥42.07

152.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 ¥21.55

$2.70 ¥18.24

18.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.85 ¥66.5

$9.17 ¥62.0

7.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 ¥14.14

$2.15 ¥14.53

-2.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.22

$1.44 ¥9.72

15.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.96

$1.63 ¥11.00

8.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.59

$1.15 ¥7.77

10.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.78

$0.58 ¥3.95

46.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.13

$0.92 ¥6.20

-1.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.52

$0.73 ¥4.96

-8.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ¥3.51

$0.47 ¥3.19

10.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 ¥23.25

$3.20 ¥21.59

7.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 ¥99.9

$9.09 ¥61.4

62.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.78

$0.94 ¥6.38

-8.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥11.77

$1.54 ¥10.41

12.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ¥3.71

$0.20 ¥1.35

175.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.84 ¥215

$21.24 ¥144

49.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ¥12.46

$1.49 ¥10.08

23.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.26 ¥1.74

34.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 ¥69.8

$8.60 ¥58.1

20.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$1.14 ¥7.73

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

$18.9K ¥127.4K

$17.3K ¥116.8K

9.06%

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

$15.9K ¥107.4K

$14.7K ¥99.2K

8.32%

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

$51.5 ¥348

$39.71 ¥268

29.74%

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

$8.84 ¥59.7

$8.19 ¥55.3

7.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.44 ¥84.1

$11.16 ¥75.4

11.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.69 ¥336

$41.54 ¥281

19.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 ¥125

$11.17 ¥75.5

65.53%

Cinema Ticket

$8.29 ¥56.1

$5.59 ¥37.79

48.30%

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

$679 ¥4,588

$187 ¥1,264

263.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ¥158.6K

$11.2K ¥75.6K

109.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 ¥423

$43.55 ¥294

43.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.13 ¥231

$33.41 ¥226

2.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$60.6 ¥409

27.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 ¥679

$83.7 ¥566

20.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ¥6,044

$208 ¥1,404

330.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 ¥3,133

$137 ¥926

238.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,906 ¥12.9K

$753 ¥5,087

153.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 ¥7,277

$326 ¥2,200

230.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.6K ¥85.1K

$3,680 ¥24.9K

242.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,257 ¥42.3K

$2,410 ¥16.3K

159.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

$1,322 ¥8,936

18.69%

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 Nantong: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $894 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $208 in Nantong. 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 19% 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 Nantong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $167 – making Nantong 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 Nantong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 76%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $913 in Nantong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nantong, 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 Nantong. 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 $608 in Nantong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nantong, where all-in costs run around $608, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,073. In Nantong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nantong – 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 Nantong. 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.