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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $706 in Tangshan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,895 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,132 in Tangshan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,580 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,559 in Tangshan, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 71% more than Tangshan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Tangshan are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 12% lower, Tangshan 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ¥29.52

$2.71 ¥18.20

62.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.24 ¥203

$21.93 ¥147

37.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 ¥34.13

$5.01 ¥33.60

1.60%

Cappuccino

$3.40 ¥22.79

$2.97 ¥19.95

14.48%

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

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.47 ¥3.15

21.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.95

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 ¥8.07

$0.90 ¥6.03

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.87

$2.10 ¥14.12

-22.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ¥12.67

$1.80 ¥12.08

5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥11.98

$1.56 ¥10.44

14.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.42

$0.89 ¥5.98

24.72%

Eggs

$1.99 ¥13.36

$1.54 ¥10.33

29.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.81 ¥99.4

$13.02 ¥87.4

13.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ¥22.41

$3.23 ¥21.65

3.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ¥72.8

$10.02 ¥67.2

8.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ¥13.23

$1.79 ¥12.01

10.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ¥12.75

$1.21 ¥8.11

57.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.26

$1.48 ¥9.93

33.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ¥10.86

$1.10 ¥7.41

47.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.12

$0.69 ¥4.63

10.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 ¥5.63

$0.89 ¥5.94

-5.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.55

$0.57 ¥3.80

19.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.90

$0.54 ¥3.63

7.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 ¥27.13

$3.12 ¥20.93

29.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.90 ¥100

$10.75 ¥72.2

38.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ¥7.22

$0.80 ¥5.39

35.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ¥12.70

$1.59 ¥10.69

18.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ¥5.20

$0.27 ¥1.79

185.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.53 ¥212

$16.51 ¥111

90.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ¥12.75

$1.35 ¥9.05

40.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.35

$0.32 ¥2.17

9.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 ¥49.46

$6.78 ¥45.51

8.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥8.33

$1.12 ¥7.49

10.71%

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

$19.0K ¥127.2K

$19.5K ¥131.1K

-2.96%

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

$18.0K ¥120.7K

$17.3K ¥116.0K

4.03%

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

$54.3 ¥364

$44.60 ¥299

21.66%

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

$8.91 ¥59.8

$9.97 ¥66.9

-10.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.43 ¥96.9

$11.81 ¥79.3

22.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.40 ¥271

$42.09 ¥282

-4.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.73 ¥159

$13.91 ¥93.3

70.60%

Cinema Ticket

$7.23 ¥48.52

$5.89 ¥39.50

22.75%

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

$661 ¥4,438

$336 ¥2,252

97.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K ¥169.8K

$16.8K ¥113.0K

50.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ¥422

$44.51 ¥299

41.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.30 ¥250

$30.13 ¥202

23.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 ¥591

$70.4 ¥473

25.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ¥822

$72.6 ¥487

68.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$959 ¥6,438

$274 ¥1,837

250.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$536 ¥3,596

$192 ¥1,288

179.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,364 ¥15.9K

$588 ¥3,947

301.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 ¥7,426

$363 ¥2,433

205.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K ¥82.8K

$3,019 ¥20.3K

308.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,466 ¥43.4K

$2,064 ¥13.8K

213.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,662 ¥11.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.21

3.89

-17.48%

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

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

Last update for Tangshan: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $959 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $274 in Tangshan. 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 $30.00 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $22.00 in Tangshan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $233 vs $198 – making Tangshan 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 Tangshan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 71%, 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 $1,813 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,059 in Tangshan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tangshan, 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 $30.00 in Beijing (Pekin) and $22.00 in Tangshan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,209 in Beijing (Pekin) and $706 in Tangshan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tangshan, where all-in costs run around $706, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,209. In Tangshan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tangshan – 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 Tangshan. 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.