Cost of Living Comparison Between Taiyuan and Chengdu Cost of Living Comparison Between Taiyuan and Chengdu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $590 per month in Taiyuan vs $763 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $901 per month in Taiyuan vs $1,225 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,213 per month in Taiyuan vs $1,688 in Chengdu, rent included.

Taiyuan is about 23% cheaper than Chengdu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Taiyuan and Chengdu are more affordable than the global median – Taiyuan 57% lower, Chengdu 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ¥15.36

$2.90 ¥19.46

-21.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.09 ¥101

$20.18 ¥135

-25.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.41 ¥29.62

$5.18 ¥34.79

-14.86%

Cappuccino

$2.53 ¥16.96

$2.94 ¥19.70

-13.95%

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

$0.47 ¥3.12

$0.48 ¥3.19

-2.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.92

$0.28 ¥1.89

3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.19

$1.46 ¥9.78

-16.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ¥14.06

$2.50 ¥16.75

-16.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ¥11.82

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 ¥11.00

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.49

$0.94 ¥6.32

-12.77%

Eggs

$0.93 ¥6.22

$1.54 ¥10.30

-39.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.19 ¥95.2

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.51 ¥23.54

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.84 ¥86.2

$11.04 ¥74.1

16.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ¥12.51

$1.82 ¥12.21

2.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 ¥9.14

$1.26 ¥8.47

7.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$1.06 ¥7.11

-25.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ¥7.84

$1.25 ¥8.39

-6.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 ¥3.27

$0.69 ¥4.64

-28.99%

Onion (1kg)

$0.31 ¥2.09

$0.72 ¥4.84

-56.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ¥4.91

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ¥3.15

$0.59 ¥3.93

-20.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 ¥20.36

$3.63 ¥24.33

-16.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.59 ¥50.9

$5.47 ¥36.68

38.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.79

$0.79 ¥5.29

8.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ¥10.18

$1.53 ¥10.27

-0.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ¥2.11

$0.43 ¥2.91

-27.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.63 ¥91.5

$24.95 ¥167

-45.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ¥8.14

$1.32 ¥8.82

-8.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ¥1.54

$0.29 ¥1.94

-20.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ¥24.73

$4.38 ¥29.37

-15.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.93

$1.23 ¥8.22

-4.07%

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

$19.4K ¥130.4K

$19.4K ¥130.0K

0.36%

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

$17.4K ¥116.7K

$17.4K ¥116.9K

-0.19%

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

$92.4 ¥620

$41.04 ¥275

125.15%

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

$10.51 ¥70.5

$9.46 ¥63.5

11.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.87 ¥86.3

$12.83 ¥86.1

0.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.23 ¥297

$27.45 ¥184

61.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.74 ¥58.6

$11.02 ¥74.0

-20.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.77 ¥45.40

$6.02 ¥40.41

12.46%

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

$410 ¥2,751

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ¥99.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.66 ¥186

$28.78 ¥193

-3.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.7 ¥447

$29.21 ¥196

128.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.6 ¥501

$60.8 ¥408

22.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.4 ¥405

$52.7 ¥353

14.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$225 ¥1,507

$486 ¥3,265

-53.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$111 ¥746

$256 ¥1,716

-56.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$540 ¥3,624

$849 ¥5,700

-36.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 ¥1,716

$545 ¥3,660

-53.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,606 ¥17.5K

$3,813 ¥25.6K

-31.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,246 ¥8,358

$1,909 ¥12.8K

-34.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$940 ¥6,307

$1,284 ¥8,614

-26.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

3.38

13.31%

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

Last update for Taiyuan: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $225 in Taiyuan versus $486 in Chengdu. 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 37% higher in Chengdu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Taiyuan versus $20.00 in Chengdu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $102 vs $196 – making Taiyuan 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

Taiyuan vs Chengdu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $590 in Taiyuan, $763 in Chengdu – roughly 29% apart. Chengdu costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $885 per month in Taiyuan and $1,145 in Chengdu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Taiyuan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 83% less in Taiyuan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 91% more in Chengdu, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $590 in Taiyuan and $763 in Chengdu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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