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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,058 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $668 in Shenyang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,769 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,081 in Shenyang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,481 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,494 in Shenyang, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 58% more than Shenyang, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Shenyang are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower, Shenyang 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.21 ¥28.47

$2.71 ¥18.32

55.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.89 ¥189

$20.70 ¥140

34.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.41 ¥36.61

$4.93 ¥33.36

9.74%

Cappuccino

$3.10 ¥20.99

$2.56 ¥17.31

21.09%

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

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.48 ¥3.26

-10.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.34 ¥2.31

-17.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 ¥7.41

$0.81 ¥5.50

35.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ¥14.32

$2.08 ¥14.06

1.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ¥11.18

$1.96 ¥13.23

-15.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 ¥10.65

$1.96 ¥13.25

-19.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ¥7.25

$0.99 ¥6.66

8.08%

Eggs

$1.72 ¥11.61

$1.11 ¥7.49

54.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.52 ¥105

$9.98 ¥67.5

55.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ¥21.43

$2.78 ¥18.77

14.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 ¥66.5

$12.03 ¥81.4

-18.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 ¥14.57

$1.39 ¥9.43

54.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ¥10.81

$1.02 ¥6.89

56.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.68

$0.86 ¥5.84

101.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 ¥8.96

$1.28 ¥8.65

3.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$0.47 ¥3.21

68.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 ¥6.66

$0.66 ¥4.47

48.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.58

$0.40 ¥2.70

70.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ¥3.54

$0.63 ¥4.24

-17.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 ¥24.04

$3.07 ¥20.74

15.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.73 ¥99.6

$16.86 ¥114

-12.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.78

$0.72 ¥4.90

19.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 ¥12.25

$0.90 ¥6.07

101.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ¥3.67

$0.34 ¥2.30

58.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.60 ¥214

$12.00 ¥81.1

163.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ¥12.55

$1.28 ¥8.69

45.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.28 ¥1.91

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.64 ¥71.9

$3.58 ¥24.20

197.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥7.38

$1.19 ¥8.05

-8.40%

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

$18.5K ¥124.9K

$18.3K ¥123.4K

1.23%

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

$15.7K ¥106.3K

$19.0K ¥128.6K

-17.36%

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

$51.2 ¥347

$66.4 ¥449

-22.77%

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

$8.60 ¥58.2

$14.83 ¥100

-42.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.76 ¥86.3

$14.01 ¥94.7

-8.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.99 ¥338

$21.11 ¥143

136.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.99 ¥122

$6.30 ¥42.58

185.56%

Cinema Ticket

$8.15 ¥55.1

$5.00 ¥33.79

63.00%

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

$661 ¥4,471

$461 ¥3,116

43.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ¥158.6K

$24.9K ¥168.2K

-5.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 ¥421

$48.45 ¥328

28.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ¥236

$31.22 ¥211

11.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 ¥525

$75.6 ¥511

2.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ¥687

$79.6 ¥538

27.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$913 ¥6,171

$231 ¥1,564

294.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$453 ¥3,066

$143 ¥970

216.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 ¥13.3K

$518 ¥3,504

280.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 ¥7,325

$341 ¥2,305

217.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K ¥85.8K

$2,294 ¥15.5K

452.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,152 ¥41.6K

$1,315 ¥8,893

367.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,556 ¥10.5K

$1,100 ¥7,441

41.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

5.27

-30.93%

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

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

Last update for Shenyang: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $913 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $231 in Shenyang. 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 41% 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 $21.00 in Shenyang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $220 vs $201 – making Shenyang 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 Shenyang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 58%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,587 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,002 in Shenyang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,058 in Beijing (Pekin) and $668 in Shenyang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Shenyang, where all-in costs run around $668, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,058. In Shenyang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shenyang – 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 Shenyang. 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.