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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,178 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $585 in Taiyuan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,907 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $904 in Taiyuan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,636 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,224 in Taiyuan, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 102% more than Taiyuan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Taiyuan are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 15% lower, Taiyuan 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ¥29.45

$2.29 ¥15.37

92.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.96 ¥201

$14.98 ¥100

100.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.32 ¥35.60

$4.59 ¥30.77

15.90%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ¥22.87

$2.62 ¥17.53

30.15%

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

$0.57 ¥3.80

$0.47 ¥3.12

21.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.79

$0.29 ¥1.93

-6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ¥7.85

$1.22 ¥8.18

-4.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ¥11.31

$2.14 ¥14.32

-21.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ¥12.68

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 ¥11.32

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.71

$0.81 ¥5.43

41.98%

Eggs

$2.07 ¥13.85

$0.94 ¥6.33

120.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 ¥98.5

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 ¥22.59

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.59 ¥70.9

$12.94 ¥86.7

-18.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 ¥13.95

$1.86 ¥12.47

11.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 ¥12.68

$1.31 ¥8.76

44.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 ¥12.79

$0.85 ¥5.66

124.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ¥10.86

$1.11 ¥7.46

45.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.73

$0.49 ¥3.27

44.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 ¥5.84

$0.31 ¥2.10

180.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ¥4.90

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$0.46 ¥3.10

28.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 ¥27.81

$3.05 ¥20.43

36.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 ¥99.2

$7.67 ¥51.4

93.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ¥6.83

$0.87 ¥5.81

17.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ¥12.60

$1.45 ¥9.69

29.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ¥5.13

$0.31 ¥2.10

148.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.99 ¥214

$13.21 ¥88.5

142.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ¥12.71

$1.21 ¥8.09

57.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.38

$0.23 ¥1.53

56.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.48 ¥50.1

$3.76 ¥25.17

98.94%

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

$19.5K ¥130.5K

0.65%

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

$18.5K ¥124.1K

$17.5K ¥117.1K

5.97%

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

$55.2 ¥370

$95.1 ¥637

-41.91%

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

$9.08 ¥60.8

$10.45 ¥70.0

-13.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.38 ¥96.3

$12.77 ¥85.5

12.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ¥277

$45.40 ¥304

-8.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.36 ¥163

$8.79 ¥58.9

177.13%

Cinema Ticket

$7.28 ¥48.74

$6.56 ¥43.93

10.98%

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

$648 ¥4,337

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.7K ¥171.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.8 ¥434

$27.82 ¥186

132.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.72 ¥246

$67.7 ¥453

-45.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 ¥596

$75.4 ¥505

17.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ¥816

$59.1 ¥396

106.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 ¥6,410

$222 ¥1,488

330.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 ¥3,582

$110 ¥737

386.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 ¥15.9K

$536 ¥3,589

341.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 ¥7,550

$264 ¥1,770

326.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥83.3K

$2,675 ¥17.9K

364.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,369 ¥42.7K

$1,223 ¥8,194

420.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,656 ¥11.1K

$921 ¥6,168

79.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.21

3.83

-16.19%

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

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

Last update for Taiyuan: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $957 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $222 in Taiyuan. 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 80% 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 $30.00 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $15.00 in Taiyuan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $102 – making Taiyuan 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 Taiyuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 102%, 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 $1,767 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $877 in Taiyuan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Taiyuan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 142% less in Taiyuan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 126% more in Beijing (Pekin), though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Taiyuan, where all-in costs run around $585, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,178. In Taiyuan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taiyuan – 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 Taiyuan. 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.