Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and Tianjin Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and Tianjin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $677 per month in Chengdu vs $808 in Tianjin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,074 per month in Chengdu vs $1,270 in Tianjin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,472 per month in Chengdu vs $1,732 in Tianjin, rent included.

Chengdu is about 16% cheaper than Tianjin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chengdu and Tianjin are more affordable than the global median – Chengdu 49% lower, Tianjin 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.82 ¥19.09

$4.20 ¥28.43

-32.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.08 ¥163

$28.32 ¥192

-14.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 ¥33.66

$5.52 ¥37.38

-9.96%

Cappuccino

$2.76 ¥18.71

$3.21 ¥21.74

-14.02%

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

$0.43 ¥2.92

$0.43 ¥2.90

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.88

$0.29 ¥1.98

-3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.70

$0.85 ¥5.78

34.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥13.97

$2.00 ¥13.54

3.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 ¥12.28

$1.87 ¥12.65

-3.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ¥9.39

$1.82 ¥12.31

-23.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.31

$1.13 ¥7.62

-17.70%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.10

$1.17 ¥7.92

65.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.76 ¥93.2

$15.18 ¥103

-9.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 ¥24.41

$2.86 ¥19.37

26.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.32 ¥76.6

$9.38 ¥63.5

20.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 ¥12.94

$1.20 ¥8.15

59.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ¥8.28

$1.30 ¥8.80

-6.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.18

$1.37 ¥9.27

9.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ¥6.90

$1.10 ¥7.41

-7.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.81

$0.84 ¥5.71

-15.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.76

$0.87 ¥5.89

-19.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ¥4.09

$0.71 ¥4.83

-15.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.16

$0.80 ¥5.44

-23.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ¥23.02

$3.88 ¥26.26

-12.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.50 ¥37.19

$13.53 ¥91.6

-59.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ¥6.42

$1.17 ¥7.90

-18.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥12.53

$2.37 ¥16.03

-21.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.27 ¥1.83

59.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.94 ¥189

$11.32 ¥76.6

146.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 ¥8.38

$1.44 ¥9.73

-13.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ¥1.91

$0.32 ¥2.19

-12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.16 ¥28.15

$6.31 ¥42.72

-34.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.95

$1.12 ¥7.59

4.46%

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

$18.5K ¥125.0K

$17.0K ¥115.1K

8.57%

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

$16.7K ¥112.7K

$19.4K ¥131.5K

-14.29%

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

$44.66 ¥302

$87.1 ¥589

-48.73%

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

$11.53 ¥78.1

$9.96 ¥67.4

15.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.33 ¥76.7

$7.11 ¥48.11

59.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.18 ¥164

$13.79 ¥93.3

75.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.55 ¥78.2

$5.48 ¥37.09

110.77%

Cinema Ticket

$5.69 ¥38.53

$6.09 ¥41.21

-6.57%

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

$330 ¥2,232

$561 ¥3,794

-41.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K ¥83.5K

$18.9K ¥127.9K

-34.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.54 ¥254

$40.16 ¥272

-6.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.48 ¥260

$29.39 ¥199

30.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.8 ¥452

$75.7 ¥512

-11.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.0 ¥339

$69.8 ¥473

-28.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$320 ¥2,165

$350 ¥2,368

-8.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 ¥1,237

$240 ¥1,625

-23.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 ¥4,138

$1,063 ¥7,193

-42.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 ¥2,224

$493 ¥3,335

-33.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,785 ¥25.6K

$5,328 ¥36.1K

-28.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,925 ¥13.0K

$2,370 ¥16.0K

-18.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,278 ¥8,647

$1,159 ¥7,843

10.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

4.62

-8.87%

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

Last update for Chengdu: July 14, 2026

Last update for Tianjin: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $320 in Chengdu versus $350 in Tianjin. 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 10% higher in Chengdu, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Chengdu versus $28.00 in Tianjin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $213 – making Chengdu 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

Chengdu vs Tianjin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $677 in Chengdu, $808 in Tianjin – roughly 19% apart. Tianjin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,015 per month in Chengdu and $1,212 in Tianjin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chengdu, 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 $24.00 in Chengdu and $28.00 in Tianjin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $677 in Chengdu and $808 in Tianjin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $677 in Chengdu and $808 in Tianjin, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Chengdu – 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 Chengdu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tianjin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.