Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and Changchun

For one person, living is cheaper in Chengdu: $749 a month against $904 in Changchun, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

36

Cost of Living Index in Chengdu
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Chengdu Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Changchun
Learn more

Changchun Living Index

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Chengdu

🇨🇳 China

$749

/mo nomad

Changchun

🇨🇳 China

$904

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chengdu and in Changchun

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $749 in Chengdu versus $904 in Changchun.

Chengdu $749
Changchun $904

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,210 in Chengdu versus $1,324 in Changchun.

Chengdu $1,210
Changchun $1,324

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,672 in Chengdu versus $1,743 in Changchun.

Chengdu $1,672
Changchun $1,743

Living in Chengdu costs roughly 17% less than in Changchun, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chengdu 45% lower, Changchun 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 ¥19.11

$3.02 ¥20.22

-5.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.74 ¥152

$22.15 ¥148

2.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 ¥32.28

$5.19 ¥34.68

-6.94%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ¥19.99

$2.40 ¥16.02

24.58%

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

$0.48 ¥3.19

$0.47 ¥3.14

2.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.88

$0.31 ¥2.10

-9.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ¥10.21

$1.21 ¥8.12

26.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 ¥14.88

$1.91 ¥12.74

16.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 ¥12.10

$1.90 ¥12.70

-4.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 ¥10.28

$1.22 ¥8.16

26.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.21

$1.44 ¥9.65

-35.42%

Eggs

$1.55 ¥10.37

$1.81 ¥12.12

-14.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.37 ¥96.1

$34.55 ¥231

-58.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 ¥24.05

$5.71 ¥38.15

-36.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ¥74.5

$10.36 ¥69.3

7.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.19

$1.72 ¥11.51

5.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 ¥8.94

$1.45 ¥9.71

-7.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.30

$1.80 ¥12.05

-39.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 ¥7.98

$1.89 ¥12.66

-37.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ¥4.99

$0.89 ¥5.95

-15.73%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ¥4.52

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.22

$0.58 ¥3.89

8.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.58

$1.47 ¥9.80

-63.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.77 ¥25.22

$3.78 ¥25.28

-0.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.40 ¥29.41

$21.06 ¥141

-79.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥5.52

$0.92 ¥6.13

-9.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ¥10.08

$1.10 ¥7.37

37.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.44 ¥2.92

-13.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.58 ¥164

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ¥9.18

$1.24 ¥8.26

10.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 ¥2.08

$0.31 ¥2.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.59 ¥30.71

$3.02 ¥20.18

51.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ¥8.78

$1.28 ¥8.58

2.34%

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

$19.7K ¥131.5K

$19.3K ¥129.3K

1.68%

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

$17.9K ¥119.3K

$17.8K ¥118.9K

0.38%

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

$48.01 ¥321

$76.7 ¥513

-37.38%

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

$9.42 ¥63.0

$4.43 ¥29.63

112.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.75 ¥85.2

$14.76 ¥98.7

-13.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.36 ¥183

$37.44 ¥250

-26.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.25 ¥75.2

$4.13 ¥27.59

172.40%

Cinema Ticket

$5.87 ¥39.26

$6.64 ¥44.42

-11.60%

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

$373 ¥2,494

$553 ¥3,701

-32.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ¥98.3K

$21.9K ¥146.1K

-32.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.03 ¥167

$73.7 ¥493

-66.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.15 ¥188

$44.44 ¥297

-36.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.0 ¥374

$60.2 ¥402

-7.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.3 ¥343

$69.7 ¥466

-26.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$465 ¥3,109

$216 ¥1,446

114.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 ¥1,712

$246 ¥1,648

3.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$833 ¥5,570

$576 ¥3,848

44.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$539 ¥3,606

$308 ¥2,057

75.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,747 ¥25.1K

$1,668 ¥11.2K

124.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ¥12.8K

$1,006 ¥6,728

90.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,254 ¥8,382

$961 ¥6,423

30.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

4.37

-22.65%

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

Last update for Chengdu: October 17, 2026

Last update for Changchun: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chengdu

$256 34.2%

Changchun

$246 27.3% 3.7% $9.6

Groceries & Markets

Chengdu

$194 25.9%

Changchun

$313 * 34.6% 61.4% $119

Eating Out

Chengdu

$88 11.8%

Changchun

$82 9% 7.7% $6.8

Clothing & Footwear

Chengdu

$72 9.6%

Changchun

$112 12.4% 54.6% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chengdu

$70 9.4%

Changchun

$96 10.6% 36.6% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Chengdu

$39 5.2%

Changchun

$51 5.6% 29.7% $12

Getting Around

Chengdu

$29 3.9%

Changchun

$4.5 * 0.5% 84.4% $25

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $465 in Chengdu and $216 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: $23.00 in Chengdu vs $22.00 in Changchun. Groceries flip the comparison at $194 vs $313, with Chengdu cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Chengdu

🇨🇳 Changchun

🕒 Local time

16:13 4:13 PM

Same time as Chengdu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

20,937,757

9,066,906

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chengdu Changchun 2,380 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chengdu
Changchun

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

Chengdu vs Changchun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chengdu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and leisure. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 31% higher in Chengdu, 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: $465 in Chengdu versus $216 in Changchun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $373 in Chengdu versus $553 in Changchun. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chengdu – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $22.00 in Changchun. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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 21% less than in Changchun. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.