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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,059 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $726 in Xining, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,761 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,144 in Xining, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,463 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,562 in Xining, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 46% more than Xining, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Xining are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower, Xining 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.15 ¥28.13

$2.83 ¥19.23

46.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.92 ¥189

$21.29 ¥144

31.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ¥35.99

$4.95 ¥33.59

7.27%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥20.62

$2.93 ¥19.88

3.75%

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

$0.46 ¥3.12

$0.46 ¥3.13

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.04

$0.29 ¥1.99

3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.73

$0.88 ¥5.94

29.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.47

$2.05 ¥13.91

3.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ¥11.69

$1.78 ¥12.08

-3.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥10.78

$1.57 ¥10.64

1.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.48

$0.96 ¥6.49

14.58%

Eggs

$1.65 ¥11.19

$1.61 ¥10.91

2.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ¥108

$12.75 ¥86.5

24.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ¥21.82

$3.25 ¥22.07

-0.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 ¥67.7

$10.40 ¥70.5

-4.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 ¥14.28

$1.82 ¥12.36

15.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.79

$1.21 ¥8.21

31.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 ¥11.79

$1.47 ¥9.96

18.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ¥9.14

$1.15 ¥7.82

17.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.66

$0.74 ¥5.03

12.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.27

$0.92 ¥6.24

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.85

$0.56 ¥3.78

26.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.80

$0.54 ¥3.68

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 ¥23.38

$3.22 ¥21.84

7.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.96 ¥101

$10.74 ¥72.9

39.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.81

$0.74 ¥5.01

16.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥12.50

$1.59 ¥10.79

15.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ¥3.67

$0.29 ¥1.98

86.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.39 ¥213

$16.94 ¥115

85.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ¥12.53

$1.41 ¥9.59

31.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.42

$0.32 ¥2.19

12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.52 ¥71.3

$6.56 ¥44.47

60.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.43

$1.13 ¥7.68

-2.65%

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

$18.2K ¥123.1K

$19.4K ¥131.5K

-6.38%

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

$15.4K ¥104.4K

$17.3K ¥117.4K

-11.13%

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

$52.7 ¥357

$44.95 ¥305

17.24%

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

$8.97 ¥60.9

$10.05 ¥68.2

-10.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.62 ¥85.6

$11.92 ¥80.9

5.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.30 ¥328

$42.09 ¥286

14.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.96 ¥122

$14.16 ¥96.0

26.84%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 ¥55.4

$6.02 ¥40.84

35.71%

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

$668 ¥4,530

$335 ¥2,271

99.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K ¥163.3K

$17.1K ¥116.3K

40.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 ¥414

$44.56 ¥302

37.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.02 ¥231

$30.87 ¥209

10.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥521

$70.6 ¥479

8.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 ¥672

$72.1 ¥489

37.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 ¥6,211

$277 ¥1,879

230.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 ¥3,089

$195 ¥1,322

133.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,913 ¥13.0K

$592 ¥4,018

222.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 ¥7,351

$353 ¥2,397

206.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥83.9K

$3,038 ¥20.6K

307.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,323 ¥42.9K

$2,030 ¥13.8K

211.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

3.89

-6.43%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): May 30, 2026

Last update for Xining: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $916 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $277 in Xining. 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 $28.00 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $21.00 in Xining. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $199 – making Xining 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 Xining: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 46%, 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 $1,589 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,089 in Xining. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,059 in Beijing (Pekin) and $726 in Xining. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Xining, where all-in costs run around $726, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,059. In Xining it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Xining – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Xining. 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.