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 $1,073 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $840 in Ningbo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,769 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,322 in Ningbo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,464 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,804 in Ningbo, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 28% more than Ningbo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Ningbo are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 20% lower, Ningbo 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.29 ¥28.98

$3.12 ¥21.08

37.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.28 ¥191

$24.61 ¥166

14.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 ¥35.08

$4.12 ¥27.83

25.97%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥20.83

$3.06 ¥20.68

0.65%

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

$0.42 ¥2.86

$0.41 ¥2.80

2.44%

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

$0.94 ¥6.33

14.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.85

$2.05 ¥13.88

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ¥11.26

$2.07 ¥14.01

-19.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ¥10.86

$2.71 ¥18.35

-40.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.56

$0.80 ¥5.40

40.00%

Eggs

$1.71 ¥11.55

$1.36 ¥9.16

25.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.76 ¥106

$20.53 ¥139

-23.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 ¥21.55

$4.87 ¥32.89

-34.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.85 ¥66.5

$12.06 ¥81.5

-18.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 ¥14.14

$1.91 ¥12.90

9.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.22

$1.41 ¥9.52

17.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.96

$2.23 ¥15.07

-20.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.59

$1.15 ¥7.76

10.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.78

$0.67 ¥4.52

26.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.13

$0.79 ¥5.31

15.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.52

$0.59 ¥4.00

13.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ¥3.51

$0.61 ¥4.09

-14.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 ¥23.25

$5.38 ¥36.32

-36.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 ¥99.9

$8.35 ¥56.4

77.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.78

$1.14 ¥7.73

-24.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥11.77

$2.04 ¥13.78

-14.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ¥3.71

$0.29 ¥1.99

89.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.84 ¥215

$16.81 ¥114

89.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ¥12.46

$1.65 ¥11.18

11.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.33 ¥2.21

6.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 ¥69.8

$6.98 ¥47.15

47.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$1.18 ¥8.00

-3.39%

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

$18.9K ¥127.4K

$21.3K ¥144.0K

-11.52%

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

$15.9K ¥107.4K

$19.7K ¥132.8K

-19.11%

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

$51.5 ¥348

$64.3 ¥435

-19.90%

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

$8.84 ¥59.7

$15.88 ¥107

-44.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.44 ¥84.1

$6.77 ¥45.78

83.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.69 ¥336

$21.69 ¥147

129.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 ¥125

$12.89 ¥87.1

43.44%

Cinema Ticket

$8.29 ¥56.1

$8.44 ¥57.1

-1.78%

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

$679 ¥4,588

$597 ¥4,034

13.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ¥158.6K

$15.1K ¥101.7K

55.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 ¥423

$42.71 ¥289

46.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.13 ¥231

$29.77 ¥201

14.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$69.0 ¥466

11.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 ¥679

$62.8 ¥425

59.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ¥6,044

$384 ¥2,593

133.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 ¥3,133

$256 ¥1,731

80.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,906 ¥12.9K

$860 ¥5,811

121.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 ¥7,277

$489 ¥3,306

120.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.6K ¥85.1K

$4,649 ¥31.4K

170.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,257 ¥42.3K

$2,583 ¥17.5K

142.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

$1,192 ¥8,055

31.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

4.85

-24.95%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): July 12, 2026

Last update for Ningbo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $894 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $384 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 32% 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 $25.00 in Ningbo. Groceries tell a different story – $221 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $251 in Ningbo – 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 Ningbo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 28%, 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 $1,610 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,260 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 $28.00 in Beijing (Pekin) and $25.00 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 $1,073 in Beijing (Pekin) and $840 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 $840, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,073. 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.