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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $524 in Putian, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,895 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $853 in Putian, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,580 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,183 in Putian, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 131% more than Putian, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Putian are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 12% lower, Putian 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ¥29.48

$2.25 ¥15.11

95.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.24 ¥203

$23.31 ¥156

29.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 ¥34.08

$5.36 ¥35.89

-5.04%

Cappuccino

$3.40 ¥22.76

$2.53 ¥16.98

34.39%

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

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.44 ¥2.92

29.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.95

$0.31 ¥2.09

-6.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 ¥8.06

$0.76 ¥5.08

57.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.86

$2.93 ¥19.65

-44.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ¥12.66

$1.53 ¥10.24

23.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥11.96

$2.26 ¥15.16

-20.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.41

$0.99 ¥6.65

12.12%

Eggs

$1.99 ¥13.35

$1.62 ¥10.85

22.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.81 ¥99.2

$11.91 ¥79.8

24.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ¥22.38

$2.44 ¥16.35

36.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ¥72.7

$12.06 ¥80.8

-10.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ¥13.21

$2.61 ¥17.50

-24.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ¥12.73

$1.43 ¥9.58

32.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.24

$1.66 ¥11.14

19.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ¥10.85

$2.02 ¥13.53

-19.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.12

$0.94 ¥6.32

-19.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 ¥5.63

$1.84 ¥12.33

-54.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.54

$0.87 ¥5.86

-21.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.54 ¥3.60

7.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 ¥27.09

$3.05 ¥20.41

32.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.90 ¥99.9

$10.96 ¥73.5

35.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ¥7.21

$0.84 ¥5.64

28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ¥12.68

$1.71 ¥11.48

10.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ¥5.19

$0.72 ¥4.85

6.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.53 ¥211

$21.92 ¥147

43.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ¥12.73

$1.46 ¥9.81

30.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.35

$0.31 ¥2.08

12.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 ¥49.40

$6.93 ¥46.46

6.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥8.32

$1.27 ¥8.52

-2.36%

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

$19.0K ¥127.0K

$19.1K ¥127.9K

-0.72%

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

$18.0K ¥120.6K

$17.2K ¥115.3K

4.58%

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

$54.3 ¥364

$43.23 ¥290

25.51%

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

$8.91 ¥59.7

$8.56 ¥57.4

4.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.43 ¥96.7

$10.20 ¥68.4

41.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.40 ¥271

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.73 ¥159

Cinema Ticket

$7.23 ¥48.45

$10.15 ¥68.0

-28.77%

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

$661 ¥4,432

$481 ¥3,221

37.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K ¥169.6K

$23.9K ¥159.9K

6.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ¥422

$39.04 ¥262

61.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.30 ¥250

$29.01 ¥194

28.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 ¥590

$105 ¥702

-15.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ¥821

$86.9 ¥582

40.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$959 ¥6,429

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$536 ¥3,592

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,364 ¥15.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 ¥7,416

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K ¥82.7K

$2,607 ¥17.5K

373.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,466 ¥43.3K

$1,136 ¥7,615

469.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,662 ¥11.1K

$477 ¥3,194

248.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.21

3.46

-7.23%

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

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

Last update for Putian: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 249% 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 $23.00 in Putian. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $233 vs $217 – making Putian 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 Putian: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 131%, 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 $1,813 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $785 in Putian. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Beijing (Pekin) and $23.00 in Putian. 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 $524 in Putian. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Putian, where all-in costs run around $524, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,209. In Putian it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Putian – 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 Putian. 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.