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 $1,178 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $717 in Qiqihar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,907 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,124 in Qiqihar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,636 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,532 in Qiqihar, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 64% more than Qiqihar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Qiqihar are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 15% lower, Qiqihar 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ¥29.45

$2.84 ¥19.03

54.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.96 ¥201

$21.31 ¥143

40.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.32 ¥35.60

$4.84 ¥32.39

9.92%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ¥22.87

$3.05 ¥20.41

11.80%

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

$0.57 ¥3.80

$0.47 ¥3.15

21.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.79

$0.27 ¥1.78

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ¥7.85

$0.92 ¥6.16

27.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ¥11.31

$2.08 ¥13.92

-18.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ¥12.68

$1.81 ¥12.09

4.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 ¥11.32

$1.54 ¥10.29

9.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.71

$0.97 ¥6.52

18.56%

Eggs

$2.07 ¥13.85

$1.58 ¥10.60

31.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 ¥98.5

$12.80 ¥85.8

14.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 ¥22.59

$3.14 ¥21.03

7.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.59 ¥70.9

$10.17 ¥68.1

4.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 ¥13.95

$1.89 ¥12.66

10.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 ¥12.68

$1.22 ¥8.15

54.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 ¥12.79

$1.52 ¥10.19

25.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ¥10.86

$1.13 ¥7.59

43.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.73

$0.74 ¥4.95

-4.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 ¥5.84

$0.96 ¥6.40

-9.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ¥4.90

$0.56 ¥3.78

30.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$0.54 ¥3.64

9.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 ¥27.81

$3.09 ¥20.68

34.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 ¥99.2

$10.49 ¥70.2

41.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ¥6.83

$0.78 ¥5.26

30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ¥12.60

$1.58 ¥10.55

18.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ¥5.13

$0.27 ¥1.78

185.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.99 ¥214

$16.49 ¥110

94.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ¥12.71

$1.38 ¥9.22

37.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.38

$0.35 ¥2.37

2.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.48 ¥50.1

$6.60 ¥44.17

13.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ¥8.80

$1.18 ¥7.90

11.02%

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

$19.6K ¥131.4K

$19.4K ¥130.1K

0.95%

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

$18.5K ¥124.1K

$17.0K ¥114.1K

8.74%

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

$55.2 ¥370

$44.84 ¥300

23.19%

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

$9.08 ¥60.8

$9.84 ¥65.9

-7.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.38 ¥96.3

$11.66 ¥78.1

23.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ¥277

$41.22 ¥276

0.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.36 ¥163

$13.81 ¥92.5

76.39%

Cinema Ticket

$7.28 ¥48.74

$5.75 ¥38.48

26.61%

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

$648 ¥4,337

$331 ¥2,217

95.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.7K ¥171.9K

$16.6K ¥111.4K

54.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.8 ¥434

$44.01 ¥295

47.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.72 ¥246

$30.77 ¥206

19.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 ¥596

$72.9 ¥488

22.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ¥816

$71.8 ¥481

69.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 ¥6,410

$281 ¥1,885

240.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 ¥3,582

$191 ¥1,282

179.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 ¥15.9K

$593 ¥3,975

299.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 ¥7,550

$356 ¥2,385

216.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥83.3K

$3,031 ¥20.3K

310.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,369 ¥42.7K

$2,046 ¥13.7K

211.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,656 ¥11.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.21

3.89

-17.48%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): September 7, 2026

Last update for Qiqihar: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $957 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $281 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 $30.00 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $21.00 in Qiqihar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $198 – 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 64%, 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 $1,767 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,076 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 $30.00 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 $1,178 in Beijing (Pekin) and $717 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 $717, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,178. 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.