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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,079 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $752 in Quanzhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,806 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,116 in Quanzhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,532 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,479 in Quanzhou, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 44% more than Quanzhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Quanzhou are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 19% lower, Quanzhou 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.29 ¥28.97

$2.14 ¥14.47

100.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.07 ¥190

$23.33 ¥158

20.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.21 ¥35.21

$5.42 ¥36.58

-3.87%

Cappuccino

$3.20 ¥21.61

$2.78 ¥18.75

15.11%

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

$0.42 ¥2.85

$0.51 ¥3.43

-17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.03

$0.29 ¥1.98

3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 ¥7.59

$1.43 ¥9.67

-21.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ¥13.81

$2.86 ¥19.31

-28.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ¥11.23

$1.42 ¥9.61

16.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ¥10.62

$0.72 ¥4.86

118.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.53

$0.75 ¥5.09

49.33%

Eggs

$1.74 ¥11.76

$1.19 ¥8.05

46.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ¥108

$11.11 ¥75.1

43.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.18 ¥21.48

$2.25 ¥15.23

41.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.78 ¥66.1

$11.18 ¥75.5

-12.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 ¥14.10

$2.48 ¥16.76

-15.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ¥11.18

$1.13 ¥7.62

46.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.17

$1.55 ¥10.45

16.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 ¥9.00

$1.85 ¥12.51

-28.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 ¥5.39

$0.89 ¥6.01

-10.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.16

$1.64 ¥11.09

-44.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.55

$0.82 ¥5.51

-18.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ¥3.52

$0.51 ¥3.47

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.58 ¥24.18

$2.76 ¥18.62

29.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.97 ¥101

$7.57 ¥51.1

97.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥5.60

$0.79 ¥5.36

5.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥11.76

$1.64 ¥11.11

6.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ¥3.70

$0.27 ¥1.81

103.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.19 ¥211

$33.99 ¥230

-8.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 ¥11.91

$1.13 ¥7.61

55.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ¥2.19

$0.28 ¥1.89

14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.40 ¥70.2

$6.49 ¥43.82

60.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 ¥7.33

$1.12 ¥7.56

-3.57%

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

$18.3K ¥123.8K

$15.3K ¥103.1K

20.16%

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

$15.7K ¥105.9K

$13.9K ¥94.1K

12.53%

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

$53.0 ¥358

$38.78 ¥262

36.64%

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

$8.64 ¥58.3

$4.04 ¥27.26

113.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.80 ¥86.5

$11.38 ¥76.9

12.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.93 ¥337

$41.87 ¥283

19.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.40 ¥124

$27.46 ¥185

-32.99%

Cinema Ticket

$8.19 ¥55.3

$5.46 ¥36.85

50.00%

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

$659 ¥4,454

$114 ¥770

478.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K ¥160.7K

$16.0K ¥108.4K

48.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 ¥423

$28.08 ¥190

122.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.53 ¥233

$26.54 ¥179

30.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 ¥536

$85.3 ¥576

-6.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 ¥693

$79.7 ¥538

28.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$886 ¥5,985

$241 ¥1,631

266.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$461 ¥3,118

$255 ¥1,721

81.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 ¥13.1K

$417 ¥2,816

365.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,073 ¥7,251

$305 ¥2,060

252.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥84.0K

$2,971 ¥20.1K

318.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,153 ¥41.6K

$1,958 ¥13.2K

214.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,582 ¥10.7K

$771 ¥5,209

105.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

3.56

2.25%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): June 14, 2026

Last update for Quanzhou: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $886 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $241 in Quanzhou. 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 105% 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 $23.00 in Quanzhou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $180 – making Quanzhou 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 Quanzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 44%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,619 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,128 in Quanzhou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Quanzhou, 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 $23.00 in Quanzhou. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,079 in Beijing (Pekin) and $752 in Quanzhou. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Quanzhou, where all-in costs run around $752, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,079. In Quanzhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Quanzhou – 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 Quanzhou. 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.