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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $725 in Xiangyang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,895 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,154 in Xiangyang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,580 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,582 in Xiangyang, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 67% more than Xiangyang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Xiangyang are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 12% lower, Xiangyang 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ¥29.48

$2.73 ¥18.33

61.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.24 ¥203

$21.50 ¥144

40.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 ¥34.08

$4.98 ¥33.38

2.21%

Cappuccino

$3.40 ¥22.76

$3.07 ¥20.55

10.75%

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

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.44 ¥2.92

29.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.95

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 ¥8.06

$0.87 ¥5.80

37.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.86

$2.06 ¥13.83

-21.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ¥12.66

$1.84 ¥12.36

2.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥11.96

$1.62 ¥10.83

10.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.41

$0.90 ¥6.00

23.33%

Eggs

$1.99 ¥13.35

$1.61 ¥10.79

23.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.81 ¥99.2

$13.00 ¥87.1

13.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ¥22.38

$3.15 ¥21.13

6.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ¥72.7

$10.36 ¥69.4

4.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ¥13.21

$1.87 ¥12.53

5.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ¥12.73

$1.26 ¥8.43

50.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.24

$1.49 ¥10.01

32.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ¥10.85

$1.14 ¥7.63

42.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.12

$0.74 ¥4.97

2.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 ¥5.63

$0.90 ¥6.02

-6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.54

$0.56 ¥3.77

21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.52 ¥3.45

11.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 ¥27.09

$3.07 ¥20.57

31.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.90 ¥99.9

$10.55 ¥70.7

41.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ¥7.21

$0.75 ¥5.02

44.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ¥12.68

$1.60 ¥10.73

18.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ¥5.19

$0.27 ¥1.80

185.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.53 ¥211

$16.62 ¥111

89.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ¥12.73

$1.43 ¥9.58

32.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.35

$0.35 ¥2.38

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 ¥49.40

$6.50 ¥43.56

13.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥8.32

$1.12 ¥7.52

10.71%

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

$19.0K ¥127.0K

$19.5K ¥130.5K

-2.63%

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

$18.0K ¥120.6K

$17.1K ¥114.8K

5.05%

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

$54.3 ¥364

$45.22 ¥303

19.99%

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

$8.91 ¥59.7

$10.09 ¥67.6

-11.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.43 ¥96.7

$11.74 ¥78.7

22.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.40 ¥271

$41.21 ¥276

-1.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.73 ¥159

$14.00 ¥93.8

69.50%

Cinema Ticket

$7.23 ¥48.45

$5.98 ¥40.05

20.90%

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

$661 ¥4,432

$334 ¥2,241

97.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K ¥169.6K

$16.7K ¥112.1K

51.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ¥422

$43.89 ¥294

43.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.30 ¥250

$30.30 ¥203

23.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 ¥590

$70.7 ¥474

24.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ¥821

$73.1 ¥490

67.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$959 ¥6,429

$273 ¥1,829

251.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$536 ¥3,592

$190 ¥1,270

182.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,364 ¥15.8K

$593 ¥3,977

298.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 ¥7,416

$358 ¥2,398

209.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K ¥82.7K

$2,973 ¥19.9K

315.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,466 ¥43.3K

$2,008 ¥13.5K

221.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,662 ¥11.1K

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 Xiangyang: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $959 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $273 in Xiangyang. 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 $21.00 in Xiangyang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $233 vs $200 – making Xiangyang 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 Xiangyang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 67%, 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 $1,088 in Xiangyang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Xiangyang, 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 $21.00 in Xiangyang. 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 $725 in Xiangyang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Xiangyang, where all-in costs run around $725, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,209. In Xiangyang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Xiangyang – 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 Xiangyang. 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.