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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,073 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $710 in Tonghua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,769 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,116 in Tonghua, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,464 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,521 in Tonghua, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 51% more than Tonghua, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Tonghua are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 20% lower, Tonghua 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.29 ¥28.98

$2.81 ¥18.97

52.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.28 ¥191

$20.55 ¥139

37.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 ¥35.08

$5.02 ¥33.89

3.39%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥20.83

$2.92 ¥19.73

5.48%

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

$0.42 ¥2.86

$0.44 ¥2.96

-4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.87

$0.27 ¥1.80

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ¥7.31

$0.94 ¥6.37

14.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.85

$2.03 ¥13.74

0.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ¥11.26

$1.62 ¥10.96

3.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ¥10.86

$1.55 ¥10.46

3.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.56

$0.96 ¥6.47

16.67%

Eggs

$1.71 ¥11.55

$1.58 ¥10.67

8.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.76 ¥106

$13.01 ¥87.9

21.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 ¥21.55

$3.21 ¥21.69

-0.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.85 ¥66.5

$10.02 ¥67.7

-1.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 ¥14.14

$1.72 ¥11.61

21.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.22

$1.24 ¥8.41

33.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.96

$1.41 ¥9.50

25.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.59

$1.08 ¥7.31

17.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.78

$0.73 ¥4.96

16.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.13

$0.92 ¥6.24

-1.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.52

$0.60 ¥4.07

11.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ¥3.51

$0.50 ¥3.41

4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 ¥23.25

$3.19 ¥21.58

7.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 ¥99.9

$11.96 ¥80.8

23.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.78

$0.75 ¥5.08

14.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥11.77

$1.63 ¥11.03

6.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ¥3.71

$0.29 ¥1.98

89.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.84 ¥215

$16.69 ¥113

90.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ¥12.46

$1.43 ¥9.67

28.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.33 ¥2.21

6.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 ¥69.8

$6.59 ¥44.52

56.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$1.18 ¥7.97

-3.39%

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

$18.9K ¥127.4K

$19.1K ¥129.4K

-1.52%

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

$15.9K ¥107.4K

$16.4K ¥111.1K

-3.25%

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

$51.5 ¥348

$45.78 ¥309

12.54%

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

$8.84 ¥59.7

$9.63 ¥65.1

-8.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.44 ¥84.1

$11.40 ¥77.0

9.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.69 ¥336

$41.33 ¥279

20.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 ¥125

$14.02 ¥94.7

31.88%

Cinema Ticket

$8.29 ¥56.1

$6.29 ¥42.53

31.80%

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

$679 ¥4,588

$335 ¥2,262

102.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ¥158.6K

$17.2K ¥116.1K

36.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 ¥423

$42.90 ¥290

46.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.13 ¥231

$30.63 ¥207

11.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$71.6 ¥484

7.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 ¥679

$74.8 ¥505

34.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ¥6,044

$283 ¥1,911

216.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 ¥3,133

$190 ¥1,286

143.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,906 ¥12.9K

$583 ¥3,938

227.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 ¥7,277

$362 ¥2,444

197.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.6K ¥85.1K

$3,060 ¥20.7K

311.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,257 ¥42.3K

$1,832 ¥12.4K

241.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

$502 ¥3,390

212.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

3.87

-5.94%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): July 12, 2026

Last update for Tonghua: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $894 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $283 in Tonghua. 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 213% 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 Tonghua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $198 – making Tonghua 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 Tonghua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 51%, 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 $1,610 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,065 in Tonghua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tonghua, 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 Tonghua. 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 $710 in Tonghua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tonghua, where all-in costs run around $710, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,073. In Tonghua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tonghua – 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 Tonghua. 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.