Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and Changchun Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and Changchun

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $689 in Chengdu versus $721 in Changchun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,083 in Chengdu versus $1,112 in Changchun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,477 in Chengdu versus $1,503 in Changchun.

Living in Chengdu costs roughly 4% less than in Changchun, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chengdu 49% lower, Changchun 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 ¥19.30

$2.72 ¥18.38

4.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.00 ¥162

$20.09 ¥136

19.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 ¥33.72

$4.76 ¥32.21

4.83%

Cappuccino

$2.77 ¥18.73

$2.67 ¥18.04

3.75%

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

$0.46 ¥3.14

$0.46 ¥3.09

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.06

$0.27 ¥1.81

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ¥7.62

$0.86 ¥5.80

31.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.43

$2.04 ¥13.80

4.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ¥12.18

$1.94 ¥13.12

-7.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ¥9.38

$1.23 ¥8.31

13.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.09

$1.21 ¥8.20

-25.62%

Eggs

$1.86 ¥12.59

$1.06 ¥7.20

75.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.62 ¥92.1

$13.07 ¥88.4

4.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 ¥24.07

$3.51 ¥23.70

1.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.23 ¥76.0

$8.61 ¥58.2

30.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ¥12.61

$1.45 ¥9.79

28.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.99

$1.06 ¥7.14

11.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.15

$0.83 ¥5.58

80.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 ¥7.01

$1.35 ¥9.15

-22.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.73

$0.68 ¥4.57

2.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.71

$0.62 ¥4.16

12.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.81

$0.44 ¥2.98

27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.12

$0.51 ¥3.45

19.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 ¥21.91

$3.15 ¥21.31

2.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.44 ¥36.77

$12.02 ¥81.3

-54.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ¥6.78

$0.72 ¥4.89

38.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.67

$0.96 ¥6.49

94.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.77

$0.29 ¥1.99

41.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.31 ¥185

$16.85 ¥114

62.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ¥8.28

$1.09 ¥7.34

11.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ¥1.75

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 ¥27.62

$3.29 ¥22.25

24.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$1.13 ¥7.67

0.88%

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

$18.7K ¥126.6K

$18.3K ¥123.9K

2.16%

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

$16.0K ¥108.4K

$19.2K ¥129.8K

-16.48%

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

$45.05 ¥305

$41.43 ¥280

8.74%

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

$11.69 ¥79.1

$14.73 ¥99.6

-20.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.38 ¥77.0

$14.13 ¥95.6

-19.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.49 ¥166

$42.61 ¥288

-42.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ¥75.5

$3.79 ¥25.60

194.46%

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 ¥37.45

$4.95 ¥33.44

11.92%

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

$333 ¥2,249

$280 ¥1,891

18.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K ¥82.1K

$8,289 ¥56.1K

46.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.92 ¥256

$27.97 ¥189

35.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.57 ¥261

$31.03 ¥210

24.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.4 ¥456

$73.2 ¥495

-7.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.7 ¥343

$79.4 ¥537

-36.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$318 ¥2,149

$275 ¥1,863

15.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ¥1,213

$228 ¥1,539

-21.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$610 ¥4,128

$599 ¥4,048

1.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 ¥2,263

$365 ¥2,466

-8.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,810 ¥25.8K

$1,804 ¥12.2K

111.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,922 ¥13.0K

$1,125 ¥7,607

70.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,257 ¥8,501

$962 ¥6,504

30.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

5.27

-20.11%

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

Last update for Chengdu: June 2, 2026

Last update for Changchun: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $318 in Chengdu and $275 in Changchun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chengdu pays 31% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $24.00 in Chengdu vs $20.00 in Changchun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $188 per month, with Changchun cheaper across the board.

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

Chengdu vs Changchun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chengdu is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Chengdu pays 31% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $318 in Chengdu versus $275 in Changchun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chengdu runs roughly 62% less than in Changchun. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $333 in Chengdu versus $280 in Changchun. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Chengdu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Chengdu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Changchun. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.