Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Beijing (Pekin) and Yulin

For one person, living is cheaper in Yulin: $699 a month against $1,197 in Beijing (Pekin), rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Beijing (Pekin), China
Yulin, China
Beijing (Pekin)
🇨🇳 China
$1,197
/mo nomad
Yulin
🇨🇳 China
$699
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Beijing (Pekin) and in Yulin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Beijing (Pekin) and in Yulin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,197 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $699 in Yulin, rent included.

  • Beijing (Pekin) $1,197
  • Yulin $699

A couple spends around $1,913 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,123 in Yulin, rent included.

  • Beijing (Pekin) $1,913
  • Yulin $1,123

A family of three spends $2,630 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,548 in Yulin, rent included.

  • Beijing (Pekin) $2,630
  • Yulin $1,548

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 71% more than Yulin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Yulin are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 12% lower, Yulin 49% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Beijing (Pekin)
Yulin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.42 ¥29.39
$2.27 ¥15.10
94.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.66 ¥197
$16.19 ¥108
83.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.37 ¥35.76
$4.90 ¥32.60
9.59%
Cappuccino
$3.73 ¥24.81
$2.14 ¥14.27
74.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ¥3.71
$0.40 ¥2.67
40.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29 ¥1.94
$0.24 ¥1.58
20.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.19 ¥7.91
$1.70 ¥11.30
-30.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 ¥11.55
$2.23 ¥14.81
-22.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Beijing (Pekin)
Yulin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 ¥11.43
$1.84 ¥12.24
-6.52%
White Bread (500g)
$1.77 ¥11.80
$1.64 ¥10.95
7.93%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.29 ¥8.62
$0.98 ¥6.55
31.63%
Eggs
$1.91 ¥12.74
$1.69 ¥11.22
13.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.70 ¥97.8
$12.16 ¥80.9
20.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.22 ¥21.46
$3.60 ¥23.94
-10.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.23 ¥74.7
$11.61 ¥77.3
-3.27%
Apples (1kg)
$2.13 ¥14.15
$1.73 ¥11.49
23.12%
Banana (1kg)
$1.79 ¥11.89
$1.33 ¥8.82
34.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.05 ¥13.62
$1.49 ¥9.91
37.58%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.53 ¥10.19
$1.23 ¥8.20
24.39%
Potato (1kg)
$0.74 ¥4.89
$0.76 ¥5.07
-2.63%
Onion (1kg)
$0.92 ¥6.15
$0.99 ¥6.61
-7.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.69 ¥4.60
$0.68 ¥4.53
1.47%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.61 ¥4.04
$0.56 ¥3.72
8.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44 ¥29.57
$3.46 ¥23.03
28.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.00 ¥93.2
$10.34 ¥68.8
35.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.03 ¥6.84
$0.81 ¥5.37
27.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 ¥12.01
$1.42 ¥9.44
26.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Beijing (Pekin)
Yulin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.59 ¥3.89
$0.31 ¥2.05
90.32%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$32.53 ¥216
$19.78 ¥132
64.46%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.00 ¥13.33
$1.44 ¥9.57
38.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.33 ¥2.19
$0.37 ¥2.48
-10.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.68 ¥51.1
$7.94 ¥52.9
-3.27%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 ¥8.64
$1.41 ¥9.35
-7.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.7K ¥131.4K
$17.2K ¥114.4K
14.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.0K ¥119.8K
$17.8K ¥118.8K
0.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Beijing (Pekin)
Yulin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$58.8 ¥392
$57.2 ¥380
2.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.71 ¥58.0
$8.96 ¥59.6
-2.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.51 ¥96.6
$11.40 ¥75.9
27.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Beijing (Pekin)
Yulin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.71 ¥311
$41.11 ¥274
13.62%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.48 ¥163
$16.85 ¥112
45.28%
Cinema Ticket
$7.60 ¥50.6
$6.49 ¥43.21
17.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Beijing (Pekin)
Yulin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$985 ¥6,556
$421 ¥2,803
133.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$24.5K ¥163.2K
$16.2K ¥107.6K
51.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Beijing (Pekin)
Yulin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.1 ¥480
$43.04 ¥286
67.43%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.22 ¥268
$32.41 ¥216
24.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.8 ¥577
$74.7 ¥497
16.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$126 ¥839
$75.1 ¥500
67.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Beijing (Pekin)
Yulin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$933 ¥6,209
$329 ¥2,186
183.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$530 ¥3,524
$162 ¥1,081
226.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,279 ¥15.2K
$613 ¥4,079
271.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,096 ¥7,293
$363 ¥2,415
202.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$11.8K ¥78.6K
$3,146 ¥20.9K
275.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,566 ¥43.7K
$1,915 ¥12.7K
242.96%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Beijing (Pekin)
Yulin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,707 ¥11.4K
$592 ¥3,939
188.43%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.12
3.36
-7.14%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): October 26, 2026

Last update for Yulin: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Beijing (Pekin)
$530
Yulin
$162 69.3% $367
Groceries & Markets
Beijing (Pekin)
$230
Yulin
$205 10.8% $25
Clothing & Footwear
Beijing (Pekin)
$146
Yulin
$101 30.7% $45
Eating Out
Beijing (Pekin)
$109
Yulin
$74 32% $35
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Beijing (Pekin)
$82
Yulin
$78 5.6% $4.6
Sport & Entertainment
Beijing (Pekin)
$62
Yulin
$54 12.6% $7.8
Getting Around
Beijing (Pekin)
$39
Yulin
$24 36.9% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $933 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $329 in Yulin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Beijing (Pekin) are about 2.9 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $16 in Yulin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $205 – making Yulin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇳 Beijing (Pekin)
🇨🇳 Yulin
🕒 Local time
07:24 7:24 AM
07:24 7:24 AM
Same time as Beijing (Pekin)
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
21,893,095 Capital
3,700,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 6.65 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.41 CNY (1 CNY = 0.135 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Beijing (Pekin) Yulin 600 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Beijing (Pekin)
  • Yulin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Yulin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Yulin cheaper than Beijing (Pekin)?
Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 71%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,796 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,048 in Yulin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Yulin, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $329 there versus $933 in Beijing (Pekin).
Is eating out cheaper in Beijing (Pekin) or in Yulin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $30 in Beijing (Pekin) and $16 in Yulin. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Beijing (Pekin) and in Yulin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,197 in Beijing (Pekin) and $699 in Yulin. That makes Yulin about 42% cheaper.
Is $800 a realistic budget for living in Beijing (Pekin) or in Yulin?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Yulin, where all-in costs run around $699, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,197. In Yulin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Beijing (Pekin) or Yulin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Yulin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Yulin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Beijing (Pekin) makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Beijing (Pekin) vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?