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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $648 per month in Nanchong vs $1,067 in Beijing (Pekin), rent included.

A couple spends around $1,027 per month in Nanchong vs $1,797 in Beijing (Pekin), rent included.

A family of three spends $1,407 per month in Nanchong vs $2,526 in Beijing (Pekin), rent included.

Nanchong is about 39% cheaper than Beijing (Pekin), driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Nanchong and Beijing (Pekin) are more affordable than the global median โ€“ Nanchong 52% lower, Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Nanchong
Beijing (Pekin)
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.70 ยฅ11.60
$4.09 ยฅ27.96
-58.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$20.56 ยฅ140
$28.09 ยฅ192
-26.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.43 ยฅ23.43
$5.36 ยฅ36.62
-36.01%
Cappuccino
$2.41 ยฅ16.43
$3.05 ยฅ20.81
-20.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39 ยฅ2.68
$0.46 ยฅ3.14
-15.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29 ยฅ2.00
$0.30 ยฅ2.05
-3.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.00 ยฅ6.86
$1.13 ยฅ7.70
-11.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 ยฅ11.15
$2.12 ยฅ14.46
-23.11%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Nanchong
Beijing (Pekin)
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.75 ยฅ11.95
$1.71 ยฅ11.71
2.34%
White Bread (500g)
$1.25 ยฅ8.55
$1.65 ยฅ11.27
-24.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.73 ยฅ4.99
$1.12 ยฅ7.64
-34.82%
Eggs
$1.36 ยฅ9.32
$1.67 ยฅ11.39
-18.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.52 ยฅ106
$15.67 ยฅ107
-0.96%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.49 ยฅ17.03
$3.22 ยฅ21.99
-22.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.12 ยฅ69.1
$9.64 ยฅ65.9
4.98%
Apples (1kg)
$1.09 ยฅ7.44
$2.10 ยฅ14.35
-48.10%
Banana (1kg)
$1.09 ยฅ7.45
$1.59 ยฅ10.89
-31.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.99 ยฅ6.76
$1.80 ยฅ12.27
-45.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.68 ยฅ4.67
$1.34 ยฅ9.13
-49.25%
Potato (1kg)
$0.58 ยฅ3.94
$0.85 ยฅ5.79
-31.76%
Onion (1kg)
$0.71 ยฅ4.85
$0.90 ยฅ6.17
-21.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.56 ยฅ3.83
$0.72 ยฅ4.90
-22.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.40 ยฅ2.76
$0.57 ยฅ3.87
-29.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.17 ยฅ21.62
$3.58 ยฅ24.42
-11.45%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.66 ยฅ59.2
$10.60 ยฅ72.4
-18.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 ยฅ6.45
$0.85 ยฅ5.82
10.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97 ยฅ13.43
$1.74 ยฅ11.88
13.22%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Nanchong
Beijing (Pekin)
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 ยฅ1.82
$0.59 ยฅ4.01
-54.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$16.57 ยฅ113
$31.30 ยฅ214
-47.06%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.82 ยฅ5.61
$1.80 ยฅ12.26
-54.44%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.32 ยฅ2.21
$0.35 ยฅ2.40
-8.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.75 ยฅ18.81
$10.34 ยฅ70.6
-73.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 ยฅ7.61
$1.14 ยฅ7.78
-2.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.0K ยฅ122.9K
$18.8K ยฅ128.4K
-4.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.5K ยฅ112.8K
$15.8K ยฅ107.9K
4.49%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nanchong
Beijing (Pekin)
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$36.67 ยฅ250
$51.2 ยฅ350
-28.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.12 ยฅ41.80
$9.00 ยฅ61.5
-32.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$6.79 ยฅ46.36
$12.44 ยฅ84.9
-45.42%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Nanchong
Beijing (Pekin)
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.26 ยฅ289
$49.97 ยฅ341
-15.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.10 ยฅ96.3
$18.24 ยฅ125
-22.70%
Cinema Ticket
$5.60 ยฅ38.26
$8.51 ยฅ58.1
-34.20%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Nanchong
Beijing (Pekin)
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$335 ยฅ2,289
$683 ยฅ4,665
-50.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$26.5K ยฅ181.0K
$23.8K ยฅ162.9K
11.16%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Nanchong
Beijing (Pekin)
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$29.16 ยฅ199
$61.5 ยฅ420
-52.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.29 ยฅ193
$34.26 ยฅ234
-17.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$58.6 ยฅ400
$77.7 ยฅ531
-24.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$60.4 ยฅ412
$102 ยฅ695
-40.62%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Nanchong
Beijing (Pekin)
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$283 ยฅ1,931
$914 ยฅ6,242
-69.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$188 ยฅ1,287
$458 ยฅ3,129
-58.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$584 ยฅ3,986
$1,918 ยฅ13.1K
-69.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$359 ยฅ2,455
$1,085 ยฅ7,409
-66.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,159 ยฅ21.6K
$12.1K ยฅ82.7K
-73.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,712 ยฅ11.7K
$6,141 ยฅ41.9K
-72.12%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Nanchong
Beijing (Pekin)
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,581 ยฅ10.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.74
3.64
2.75%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Nanchong: April 13, 2026

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $283 in Nanchong versus $914 in Beijing (Pekin). 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 $21 in Nanchong versus $28 in Beijing (Pekin). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $214 โ€“ making Nanchong 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
Nanchong vs Beijing (Pekin): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Beijing (Pekin) cheaper than Nanchong?
Yes โ€“ Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 65%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $972 per month in Nanchong and $1,601 in Beijing (Pekin). That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ€“ not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Nanchong, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Nanchong or Beijing (Pekin)?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Nanchong and $28.00 in Beijing (Pekin). That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafรฉ pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Nanchong vs Beijing (Pekin)?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $648 in Nanchong and $1,067 in Beijing (Pekin). The difference isn't just one category โ€“ it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Nanchong or Beijing (Pekin)?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nanchong, where all-in costs run around $648, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,067. In Nanchong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Nanchong or Beijing (Pekin) more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Nanchong โ€“ 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 Nanchong. 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.

Nanchong vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities