Cost of Living Comparison Between Beijing (Pekin) and Xi'an Cost of Living Comparison Between Beijing (Pekin) and Xi'an

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,058 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $687 in Xi'an, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,769 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,101 in Xi'an, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,481 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,515 in Xi'an, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 54% more than Xi'an, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Xi'an are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower, Xi'an 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.21 ¥28.47

$2.80 ¥18.97

50.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.89 ¥189

$18.20 ¥123

53.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.41 ¥36.61

$5.49 ¥37.12

-1.46%

Cappuccino

$3.10 ¥20.99

$3.32 ¥22.43

-6.63%

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

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.40 ¥2.70

7.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.26 ¥1.75

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 ¥7.41

$1.10 ¥7.43

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ¥14.32

$1.70 ¥11.48

24.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ¥11.18

$1.58 ¥10.65

4.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 ¥10.65

$1.56 ¥10.53

1.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ¥7.25

$0.81 ¥5.50

32.10%

Eggs

$1.72 ¥11.61

$1.65 ¥11.19

4.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.52 ¥105

$6.87 ¥46.42

125.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ¥21.43

$1.97 ¥13.30

60.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 ¥66.5

$9.09 ¥61.5

8.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 ¥14.57

$1.60 ¥10.82

34.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ¥10.81

$1.13 ¥7.61

41.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.68

$1.33 ¥8.96

30.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 ¥8.96

$0.76 ¥5.16

75.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$0.65 ¥4.41

21.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 ¥6.66

$0.55 ¥3.74

78.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.58

$0.51 ¥3.42

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ¥3.54

$0.56 ¥3.81

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 ¥24.04

$2.72 ¥18.41

30.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.73 ¥99.6

$7.29 ¥49.29

102.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.78

$0.74 ¥4.99

16.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 ¥12.25

$1.70 ¥11.52

6.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ¥3.67

$0.47 ¥3.21

14.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.60 ¥214

$33.61 ¥227

-5.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ¥12.55

$1.33 ¥9.00

39.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.30 ¥2.00

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.64 ¥71.9

$4.21 ¥28.48

152.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥7.38

$1.19 ¥8.07

-8.40%

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

$18.5K ¥124.9K

$21.1K ¥142.8K

-12.51%

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

$15.7K ¥106.3K

$16.4K ¥110.7K

-4.04%

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

$51.2 ¥347

$44.91 ¥304

14.09%

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

$8.60 ¥58.2

$5.95 ¥40.22

44.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.76 ¥86.3

$11.73 ¥79.3

8.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.99 ¥338

$42.44 ¥287

17.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.99 ¥122

$16.97 ¥115

6.01%

Cinema Ticket

$8.15 ¥55.1

$4.83 ¥32.63

68.74%

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

$661 ¥4,471

$331 ¥2,241

99.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ¥158.6K

$18.1K ¥122.7K

29.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 ¥421

$54.1 ¥366

14.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ¥236

$37.75 ¥255

-7.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 ¥525

$70.0 ¥473

10.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ¥687

$71.3 ¥482

42.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$913 ¥6,171

$256 ¥1,732

256.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$453 ¥3,066

$192 ¥1,299

135.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 ¥13.3K

$500 ¥3,384

294.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 ¥7,325

$374 ¥2,529

189.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K ¥85.8K

$2,369 ¥16.0K

435.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,152 ¥41.6K

$1,580 ¥10.7K

289.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,556 ¥10.5K

$1,077 ¥7,283

44.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

4.32

-15.74%

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

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

Last update for Xi'an: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $913 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $256 in Xi'an. 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 44% 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 $18.00 in Xi'an. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $220 vs $156 – making Xi'an 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 Xi'an: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 54%, 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 $1,587 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,030 in Xi'an. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Xi'an, 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 $18.00 in Xi'an. 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 $687 in Xi'an. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Xi'an, where all-in costs run around $687, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,058. In Xi'an it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Xi'an – 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 Xi'an. 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.