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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,067 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $714 in Qiqihar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,797 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,129 in Qiqihar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,526 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,543 in Qiqihar, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 49% more than Qiqihar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Qiqihar are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower, Qiqihar 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.09 ¥27.96

$2.74 ¥18.71

49.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.09 ¥192

$21.16 ¥145

32.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.36 ¥36.62

$4.78 ¥32.64

12.13%

Cappuccino

$3.05 ¥20.81

$2.93 ¥20.02

4.10%

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

$0.46 ¥3.14

$0.46 ¥3.17

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.05

$0.27 ¥1.82

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ¥7.70

$0.94 ¥6.39

20.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ¥14.46

$2.13 ¥14.53

-0.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ¥11.71

$1.88 ¥12.82

-9.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 ¥11.27

$1.61 ¥10.99

2.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.64

$0.95 ¥6.47

17.89%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.39

$1.54 ¥10.51

8.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.67 ¥107

$12.75 ¥87.1

22.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ¥21.99

$3.28 ¥22.37

-1.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.64 ¥65.9

$10.19 ¥69.6

-5.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 ¥14.35

$1.89 ¥12.90

11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.89

$1.20 ¥8.18

32.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.27

$1.54 ¥10.52

16.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.13

$1.14 ¥7.78

17.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.79

$0.73 ¥5.01

16.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.17

$0.95 ¥6.46

-5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ¥4.90

$0.55 ¥3.78

30.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.87

$0.51 ¥3.51

11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.58 ¥24.42

$3.11 ¥21.26

15.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.60 ¥72.4

$10.64 ¥72.7

-0.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥5.82

$0.74 ¥5.08

14.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥11.88

$1.58 ¥10.81

10.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ¥4.01

$0.27 ¥1.82

118.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.30 ¥214

$16.40 ¥112

90.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 ¥12.26

$1.36 ¥9.29

32.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.40

$0.36 ¥2.43

-2.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.34 ¥70.6

$6.65 ¥45.45

55.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.78

$1.18 ¥8.04

-3.39%

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

$18.8K ¥128.4K

$19.2K ¥131.0K

-1.99%

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

$15.8K ¥107.9K

$17.5K ¥119.8K

-9.94%

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

$51.2 ¥350

$44.91 ¥307

14.09%

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

$9.00 ¥61.5

$9.92 ¥67.8

-9.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.44 ¥84.9

$11.76 ¥80.3

5.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.97 ¥341

$42.43 ¥290

17.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.24 ¥125

$13.88 ¥94.8

31.41%

Cinema Ticket

$8.51 ¥58.1

$5.97 ¥40.81

42.55%

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

$683 ¥4,665

$337 ¥2,301

102.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K ¥162.9K

$16.8K ¥115.1K

41.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥420

$43.87 ¥300

40.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.26 ¥234

$31.01 ¥212

10.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 ¥531

$72.9 ¥498

6.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ¥695

$72.1 ¥493

41.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$914 ¥6,242

$278 ¥1,899

228.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ¥3,129

$190 ¥1,300

140.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,918 ¥13.1K

$589 ¥4,024

225.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,085 ¥7,409

$361 ¥2,464

200.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.1K ¥82.7K

$2,974 ¥20.3K

307.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,141 ¥41.9K

$2,068 ¥14.1K

196.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,581 ¥10.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

3.89

-6.43%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): April 13, 2026

Last update for Qiqihar: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $914 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $278 in Qiqihar. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $21 in Qiqihar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $214 vs $199 – making Qiqihar 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 Qiqihar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 49%, 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 $1,601 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,072 in Qiqihar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Qiqihar, 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 $21.00 in Qiqihar. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,067 in Beijing (Pekin) and $714 in Qiqihar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Qiqihar, where all-in costs run around $714, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,067. In Qiqihar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Qiqihar – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Qiqihar. 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.