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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,079 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $800 in Xiamen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,806 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,286 in Xiamen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,532 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,771 in Xiamen, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 35% more than Xiamen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Xiamen are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 19% lower, Xiamen 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.29 ¥28.97

$2.85 ¥19.28

50.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.07 ¥190

$22.56 ¥152

24.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.21 ¥35.21

$5.65 ¥38.19

-7.79%

Cappuccino

$3.20 ¥21.61

$2.80 ¥18.95

14.29%

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

$0.42 ¥2.85

$0.50 ¥3.41

-16.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.03

$0.29 ¥1.95

3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 ¥7.59

$1.37 ¥9.23

-18.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ¥13.81

$3.43 ¥23.14

-40.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ¥11.23

$1.86 ¥12.55

-10.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ¥10.62

$2.16 ¥14.59

-27.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.53

$0.77 ¥5.20

45.45%

Eggs

$1.74 ¥11.76

$1.35 ¥9.11

28.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ¥108

$11.16 ¥75.4

43.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.18 ¥21.48

$2.25 ¥15.22

41.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.78 ¥66.1

$10.99 ¥74.2

-11.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 ¥14.10

$2.45 ¥16.53

-14.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ¥11.18

$1.33 ¥8.96

24.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.17

$1.56 ¥10.56

15.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 ¥9.00

$1.84 ¥12.44

-27.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 ¥5.39

$0.95 ¥6.40

-15.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.16

$1.71 ¥11.53

-46.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.55

$0.82 ¥5.56

-18.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ¥3.52

$0.51 ¥3.41

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.58 ¥24.18

$2.85 ¥19.25

25.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.97 ¥101

$11.15 ¥75.3

34.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥5.60

$0.74 ¥5.01

12.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥11.76

$1.66 ¥11.19

4.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ¥3.70

$0.20 ¥1.35

175.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.19 ¥211

$11.25 ¥76.0

177.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 ¥11.91

$1.41 ¥9.50

24.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ¥2.19

$0.26 ¥1.75

23.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.40 ¥70.2

$6.60 ¥44.62

57.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 ¥7.33

$1.18 ¥8.00

-8.47%

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

$18.3K ¥123.8K

$16.6K ¥112.1K

10.53%

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

$15.7K ¥105.9K

$17.6K ¥118.8K

-10.87%

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

$53.0 ¥358

$39.65 ¥268

33.64%

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

$8.64 ¥58.3

$9.59 ¥64.8

-9.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.80 ¥86.5

$9.76 ¥66.0

31.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.93 ¥337

$44.97 ¥304

11.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.40 ¥124

$9.81 ¥66.3

87.56%

Cinema Ticket

$8.19 ¥55.3

$9.52 ¥64.3

-13.97%

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

$659 ¥4,454

$458 ¥3,095

43.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K ¥160.7K

$22.2K ¥150.3K

6.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 ¥423

$42.72 ¥289

46.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.53 ¥233

$27.24 ¥184

26.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 ¥536

$83.3 ¥562

-4.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 ¥693

$79.4 ¥537

29.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$886 ¥5,985

$328 ¥2,213

170.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$461 ¥3,118

$248 ¥1,678

85.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 ¥13.1K

$874 ¥5,903

121.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,073 ¥7,251

$514 ¥3,475

108.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥84.0K

$8,528 ¥57.6K

45.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,153 ¥41.6K

$4,713 ¥31.8K

30.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,582 ¥10.7K

$1,151 ¥7,778

37.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

3.56

2.25%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): June 14, 2026

Last update for Xiamen: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $886 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $328 in Xiamen. 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 37% 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 $23.00 in Xiamen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $207 – making Xiamen 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 Xiamen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 35%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,619 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,200 in Xiamen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Xiamen, 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 $23.00 in Xiamen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,079 in Beijing (Pekin) and $800 in Xiamen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Xiamen, where all-in costs run around $800, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,079. In Xiamen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Xiamen – 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 Xiamen. 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.