Cost of Living Comparison Between Beijing (Pekin) and Rui'an Cost of Living Comparison Between Beijing (Pekin) and Rui'an

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,073 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $717 in Rui'an, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,769 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,121 in Rui'an, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,464 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,526 in Rui'an, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 50% more than Rui'an, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Rui'an are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 20% lower, Rui'an 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.29 ¥28.98

$2.76 ¥18.63

55.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.28 ¥191

$21.80 ¥147

29.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 ¥35.08

$4.96 ¥33.51

4.64%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥20.83

$3.04 ¥20.57

1.32%

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

$0.42 ¥2.86

$0.46 ¥3.12

-8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.87

$0.27 ¥1.82

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ¥7.31

$0.94 ¥6.32

14.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.85

$2.11 ¥14.25

-2.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ¥11.26

$1.87 ¥12.62

-10.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ¥10.86

$1.55 ¥10.48

3.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.56

$0.89 ¥6.03

25.84%

Eggs

$1.71 ¥11.55

$1.54 ¥10.40

11.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.76 ¥106

$12.76 ¥86.3

23.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 ¥21.55

$3.15 ¥21.29

1.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.85 ¥66.5

$10.07 ¥68.1

-2.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 ¥14.14

$1.82 ¥12.32

14.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.22

$1.27 ¥8.56

30.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.96

$1.48 ¥9.99

19.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.59

$1.09 ¥7.38

16.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.78

$0.75 ¥5.10

13.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.13

$0.94 ¥6.36

-3.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.52

$0.59 ¥4.02

13.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ¥3.51

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 ¥23.25

$3.08 ¥20.78

11.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 ¥99.9

$10.37 ¥70.1

42.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.78

$0.74 ¥4.99

16.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥11.77

$1.59 ¥10.71

9.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ¥3.71

$0.27 ¥1.80

103.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.84 ¥215

$16.68 ¥113

90.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ¥12.46

$1.37 ¥9.23

34.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.33 ¥2.22

6.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 ¥69.8

$6.81 ¥46.00

51.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$1.12 ¥7.56

1.79%

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

$18.9K ¥127.4K

$19.3K ¥130.3K

-2.19%

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

$15.9K ¥107.4K

$17.5K ¥118.0K

-8.96%

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

$51.5 ¥348

$44.94 ¥304

14.64%

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

$8.84 ¥59.7

$9.54 ¥64.5

-7.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.44 ¥84.1

$11.67 ¥78.9

6.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.69 ¥336

$41.25 ¥279

20.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 ¥125

$13.95 ¥94.3

32.54%

Cinema Ticket

$8.29 ¥56.1

$5.81 ¥39.24

42.69%

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

$679 ¥4,588

$337 ¥2,276

101.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ¥158.6K

$16.5K ¥111.6K

42.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 ¥423

$44.23 ¥299

41.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.13 ¥231

$30.51 ¥206

11.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$72.6 ¥491

6.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 ¥679

$73.2 ¥495

37.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ¥6,044

$281 ¥1,902

217.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 ¥3,133

$191 ¥1,293

142.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,906 ¥12.9K

$592 ¥3,998

222.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 ¥7,277

$366 ¥2,474

194.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.6K ¥85.1K

$3,070 ¥20.7K

310.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,257 ¥42.3K

$2,056 ¥13.9K

204.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

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): July 12, 2026

Last update for Rui'an: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $894 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $281 in Rui'an. 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 $28.00 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $22.00 in Rui'an. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $197 – making Rui'an 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 Rui'an: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 50%, 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 $1,610 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,075 in Rui'an. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rui'an, 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 $22.00 in Rui'an. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,073 in Beijing (Pekin) and $717 in Rui'an. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Rui'an, where all-in costs run around $717, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,073. In Rui'an it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rui'an – 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 Rui'an. 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.