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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,073 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $622 in Xianyang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,769 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $972 in Xianyang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,464 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,323 in Xianyang, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 73% more than Xianyang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Xianyang are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 20% lower, Xianyang 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.29 ¥28.98

$2.13 ¥14.41

101.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.28 ¥191

$16.66 ¥113

69.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 ¥35.08

$5.19 ¥35.07

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥20.83

$3.41 ¥23.06

-9.68%

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

$0.42 ¥2.86

$0.34 ¥2.28

23.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.87

$0.26 ¥1.74

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ¥7.31

$0.68 ¥4.59

58.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.85

$1.78 ¥12.05

15.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ¥11.26

$1.43 ¥9.64

16.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ¥10.86

$0.99 ¥6.69

62.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.56

$0.72 ¥4.89

55.56%

Eggs

$1.71 ¥11.55

$1.62 ¥10.93

5.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.76 ¥106

$9.01 ¥60.9

74.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 ¥21.55

$1.70 ¥11.47

87.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.85 ¥66.5

$6.80 ¥45.96

44.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 ¥14.14

$1.08 ¥7.33

93.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.22

$0.93 ¥6.26

78.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.96

$1.34 ¥9.03

32.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.59

$0.54 ¥3.67

135.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.78

$0.43 ¥2.93

97.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.13

$0.57 ¥3.88

59.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.52

$0.55 ¥3.71

21.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ¥3.51

$0.52 ¥3.49

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 ¥23.25

$2.76 ¥18.63

24.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 ¥99.9

$7.25 ¥48.99

104.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.78

$0.40 ¥2.71

115.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥11.77

$1.70 ¥11.48

2.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ¥3.71

$0.27 ¥1.82

103.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.84 ¥215

$16.85 ¥114

88.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ¥12.46

$1.20 ¥8.10

53.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.33 ¥2.22

6.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 ¥69.8

$4.28 ¥28.96

141.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$1.18 ¥7.96

-3.39%

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

$18.9K ¥127.4K

$18.8K ¥127.4K

0.06%

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

$15.9K ¥107.4K

$11.0K ¥74.6K

44.08%

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

$51.5 ¥348

$34.02 ¥230

51.44%

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

$8.84 ¥59.7

$5.90 ¥39.87

49.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.44 ¥84.1

$9.68 ¥65.4

28.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.69 ¥336

$41.64 ¥281

19.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 ¥125

$14.12 ¥95.4

30.95%

Cinema Ticket

$8.29 ¥56.1

$4.92 ¥33.27

68.50%

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

$679 ¥4,588

$316 ¥2,133

115.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ¥158.6K

$14.1K ¥95.1K

66.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 ¥423

$36.88 ¥249

69.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.13 ¥231

$38.01 ¥257

-10.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$68.1 ¥460

13.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 ¥679

$56.1 ¥379

79.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ¥6,044

$276 ¥1,864

224.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 ¥3,133

$187 ¥1,263

147.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,906 ¥12.9K

$603 ¥4,077

215.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 ¥7,277

$367 ¥2,477

193.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.6K ¥85.1K

$1,306 ¥8,825

863.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,257 ¥42.3K

$748 ¥5,052

736.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

$600 ¥4,055

161.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

3.5

4.00%

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

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

Last update for Xianyang: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $894 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $276 in Xianyang. 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 162% 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 $17.00 in Xianyang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $139 – making Xianyang 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 Xianyang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 73%, 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 $1,610 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $932 in Xianyang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Xianyang, 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 $17.00 in Xianyang. 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 $622 in Xianyang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Xianyang, where all-in costs run around $622, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,073. In Xianyang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Xianyang – 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 Xianyang. 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.