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 $1,097 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $774 in Quanzhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,790 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,142 in Quanzhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,484 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,510 in Quanzhou, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 42% more than Quanzhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Quanzhou are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 18% lower, Quanzhou 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 ¥27.40

$2.14 ¥14.48

89.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.60 ¥186

$23.42 ¥158

17.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 ¥35.64

$5.74 ¥38.72

-8.01%

Cappuccino

$3.10 ¥20.94

$2.71 ¥18.31

14.39%

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

$0.42 ¥2.85

$0.51 ¥3.45

-17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.27 ¥1.82

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ¥7.33

$1.41 ¥9.53

-22.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ¥14.31

$2.98 ¥20.11

-28.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ¥11.77

$1.35 ¥9.12

28.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ¥11.25

$0.73 ¥4.92

128.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.55

$0.77 ¥5.18

45.45%

Eggs

$1.71 ¥11.57

$1.13 ¥7.65

51.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ¥108

$11.35 ¥76.6

40.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ¥21.43

$2.27 ¥15.35

39.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.69 ¥65.4

$10.99 ¥74.2

-11.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 ¥14.49

$2.48 ¥16.72

-13.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ¥11.07

$1.14 ¥7.68

43.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.01

$1.49 ¥10.05

19.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 ¥9.01

$1.93 ¥13.00

-31.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 ¥5.80

$0.97 ¥6.54

-11.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.25

$1.72 ¥11.60

-45.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.52

$0.81 ¥5.45

-17.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ¥3.73

$0.54 ¥3.67

1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 ¥24.06

$2.87 ¥19.38

24.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 ¥100

$7.22 ¥48.75

105.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.81

$0.79 ¥5.35

8.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ¥12.17

$1.58 ¥10.67

13.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ¥3.70

$0.29 ¥1.96

89.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.71 ¥214

$33.49 ¥226

-5.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.77 ¥11.94

$1.13 ¥7.63

56.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.21

$0.26 ¥1.74

26.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.42 ¥70.3

$6.48 ¥43.77

60.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥7.34

$1.16 ¥7.84

-6.03%

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

$18.5K ¥124.6K

$15.5K ¥104.3K

19.44%

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

$15.9K ¥107.2K

$14.0K ¥94.2K

13.81%

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

$52.8 ¥356

$38.59 ¥261

36.72%

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

$9.10 ¥61.4

$4.16 ¥28.09

118.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.77 ¥86.2

$11.41 ¥77.0

11.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.21 ¥332

$41.61 ¥281

18.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ¥122

$28.00 ¥189

-35.39%

Cinema Ticket

$8.13 ¥54.9

$5.55 ¥37.46

46.49%

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

$675 ¥4,555

$116 ¥781

483.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K ¥159.1K

$16.0K ¥108.0K

47.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 ¥417

$28.38 ¥192

117.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.07 ¥230

$26.83 ¥181

26.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 ¥535

$83.3 ¥562

-4.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ¥679

$80.9 ¥546

24.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$909 ¥6,135

$239 ¥1,613

280.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 ¥3,018

$254 ¥1,713

76.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,949 ¥13.2K

$421 ¥2,843

362.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 ¥7,351

$301 ¥2,035

261.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K ¥85.6K

$2,980 ¥20.1K

325.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,117 ¥41.3K

$1,994 ¥13.5K

206.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,579 ¥10.7K

$814 ¥5,493

94.00%

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): July 25, 2026

Last update for Quanzhou: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $909 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $239 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 94% 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: $224 vs $179 – 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 42%, 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 $1,645 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,160 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 $1,097 in Beijing (Pekin) and $774 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 $774, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,097. 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.