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 $1,059 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $629 in Taiyuan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,761 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,018 in Taiyuan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,463 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,406 in Taiyuan, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 68% more than Taiyuan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Taiyuan are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower, Taiyuan 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.15 ¥28.07

$2.15 ¥14.53

93.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.92 ¥189

$21.14 ¥143

32.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ¥35.92

$4.30 ¥29.11

23.49%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥20.58

$2.38 ¥16.14

27.73%

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

$0.46 ¥3.11

$0.54 ¥3.66

-14.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.04

$0.32 ¥2.20

-6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.27 ¥8.62

-10.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.44

$2.15 ¥14.55

-0.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ¥11.67

$1.37 ¥9.26

25.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥10.75

$2.85 ¥19.26

-44.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.47

$0.70 ¥4.77

57.14%

Eggs

$1.65 ¥11.16

$0.93 ¥6.33

77.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ¥108

$14.09 ¥95.4

12.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ¥21.77

$2.84 ¥19.25

13.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 ¥67.6

$10.94 ¥74.1

-8.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 ¥14.25

$2.14 ¥14.51

-1.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.77

$1.32 ¥8.90

20.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 ¥11.77

$0.83 ¥5.61

109.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ¥9.12

$1.09 ¥7.36

23.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.65

$0.49 ¥3.33

69.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.25

$0.40 ¥2.71

130.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.84

$0.44 ¥2.97

61.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.80

$0.41 ¥2.76

36.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 ¥23.33

$2.11 ¥14.27

63.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.96 ¥101

$7.29 ¥49.34

105.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.80

$0.72 ¥4.85

19.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥12.47

$1.36 ¥9.21

35.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ¥3.67

$0.29 ¥1.97

86.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.39 ¥212

$12.36 ¥83.7

153.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ¥12.50

$1.08 ¥7.34

71.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.41

$0.21 ¥1.42

71.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.52 ¥71.2

$3.44 ¥23.31

205.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$1.10 ¥7.43

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

$18.2K ¥122.9K

$23.0K ¥155.9K

-21.22%

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

$15.4K ¥104.2K

$20.4K ¥138.2K

-24.61%

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

$52.7 ¥357

$69.0 ¥467

-23.59%

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

$8.97 ¥60.7

$9.73 ¥65.9

-7.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.62 ¥85.4

$12.08 ¥81.7

4.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.30 ¥327

$41.84 ¥283

15.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.96 ¥122

$8.45 ¥57.2

112.54%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 ¥55.3

$5.59 ¥37.82

46.15%

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

$668 ¥4,521

$417 ¥2,822

60.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K ¥163.0K

$4,244 ¥28.7K

467.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 ¥413

$23.85 ¥161

155.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.02 ¥230

$48.81 ¥330

-30.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥520

$68.5 ¥463

12.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 ¥671

$65.8 ¥445

50.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 ¥6,199

$208 ¥1,410

339.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 ¥3,083

$106 ¥715

331.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,913 ¥12.9K

$502 ¥3,399

280.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 ¥7,336

$247 ¥1,672

338.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥83.8K

$2,663 ¥18.0K

364.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,323 ¥42.8K

$1,226 ¥8,296

415.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

$925 ¥6,258

69.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

3.83

-4.96%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): May 30, 2026

Last update for Taiyuan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $916 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $208 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 70% 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 Taiyuan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $195 – 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 68%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,589 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $944 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Beijing (Pekin) and $21.00 in Taiyuan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,059 in Beijing (Pekin) and $629 in Taiyuan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Taiyuan, where all-in costs run around $629, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,059. 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.