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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $704 in Ningbo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,895 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,203 in Ningbo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,580 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,702 in Ningbo, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 72% more than Ningbo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Ningbo are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 12% lower, Ningbo 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ¥29.48

$2.80 ¥18.79

57.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.24 ¥203

$29.65 ¥199

1.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 ¥34.08

$4.48 ¥29.99

13.62%

Cappuccino

$3.40 ¥22.76

$3.41 ¥22.82

-0.29%

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

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.47 ¥3.17

21.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.95

$0.29 ¥1.92

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 ¥8.06

$1.05 ¥7.05

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.86

$3.43 ¥22.97

-52.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ¥12.66

$1.82 ¥12.18

3.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥11.96

$1.14 ¥7.63

57.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.41

$0.68 ¥4.55

63.24%

Eggs

$1.99 ¥13.35

$1.56 ¥10.47

27.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.81 ¥99.2

$18.23 ¥122

-18.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ¥22.38

$3.75 ¥25.10

-10.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ¥72.7

$8.63 ¥57.8

25.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ¥13.21

$1.07 ¥7.15

84.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ¥12.73

$1.53 ¥10.22

24.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.24

$1.50 ¥10.05

32.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ¥10.85

$1.21 ¥8.14

33.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.12

$0.61 ¥4.07

24.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 ¥5.63

$0.71 ¥4.74

18.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.54

$0.65 ¥4.33

4.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.58 ¥3.90

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 ¥27.09

$4.52 ¥30.30

-10.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.90 ¥99.9

$8.24 ¥55.3

80.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ¥7.21

$0.81 ¥5.44

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ¥12.68

$1.46 ¥9.80

29.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ¥5.19

$0.31 ¥2.09

148.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.53 ¥211

$16.62 ¥111

89.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ¥12.73

$1.68 ¥11.26

13.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.35

$0.38 ¥2.52

-7.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 ¥49.40

$7.26 ¥48.65

1.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥8.32

$1.25 ¥8.35

-0.80%

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

$19.0K ¥127.0K

$19.1K ¥128.2K

-0.90%

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

$18.0K ¥120.6K

$17.7K ¥118.9K

1.39%

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

$54.3 ¥364

$50.7 ¥340

6.98%

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

$8.91 ¥59.7

$6.53 ¥43.74

36.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.43 ¥96.7

$7.86 ¥52.7

83.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.40 ¥271

$25.30 ¥170

59.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.73 ¥159

$14.30 ¥95.8

65.94%

Cinema Ticket

$7.23 ¥48.45

$7.86 ¥52.7

-8.02%

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

$661 ¥4,432

$954 ¥6,390

-30.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K ¥169.6K

$15.9K ¥106.4K

59.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ¥422

$64.3 ¥431

-2.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.30 ¥250

$26.19 ¥176

42.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 ¥590

$62.0 ¥416

42.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ¥821

$52.1 ¥349

135.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$959 ¥6,429

$351 ¥2,355

173.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$536 ¥3,592

$181 ¥1,215

195.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,364 ¥15.8K

$770 ¥5,162

206.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 ¥7,416

$463 ¥3,105

138.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K ¥82.7K

$3,889 ¥26.1K

217.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,466 ¥43.3K

$2,049 ¥13.7K

215.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,662 ¥11.1K

$1,169 ¥7,834

42.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.21

3.18

0.94%

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

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

Last update for Ningbo: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $959 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $351 in Ningbo. 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 42% 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 $30.00 in Ningbo. Groceries tell a different story – $233 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $201 in Ningbo – so Ningbo 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 Ningbo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 72%, 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 $1,056 in Ningbo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ningbo, 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 $30.00 in Ningbo. 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 $704 in Ningbo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ningbo, where all-in costs run around $704, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,209. In Ningbo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ningbo – 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 Ningbo. 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.