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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Tianjin costs about 19% more than Chengdu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.20 ¥28.43

$2.82 ¥19.09

48.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.32 ¥192

$24.08 ¥163

17.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 ¥37.38

$4.97 ¥33.66

11.07%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ¥21.74

$2.76 ¥18.71

16.30%

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

$0.43 ¥2.90

$0.43 ¥2.92

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$0.28 ¥1.88

3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.85 ¥5.78

$1.14 ¥7.70

-25.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 ¥13.54

$2.06 ¥13.97

-2.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥12.65

$1.81 ¥12.28

3.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ¥12.31

$1.39 ¥9.39

30.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.62

$0.93 ¥6.31

21.51%

Eggs

$1.17 ¥7.92

$1.94 ¥13.10

-39.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.18 ¥103

$13.76 ¥93.2

10.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.86 ¥19.37

$3.61 ¥24.41

-20.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.38 ¥63.5

$11.32 ¥76.6

-17.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.15

$1.91 ¥12.94

-37.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.80

$1.22 ¥8.28

6.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 ¥9.27

$1.50 ¥10.18

-8.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.41

$1.02 ¥6.90

7.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ¥5.71

$0.71 ¥4.81

18.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 ¥5.89

$0.70 ¥4.76

24.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.83

$0.60 ¥4.09

18.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.44

$0.61 ¥4.16

31.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.88 ¥26.26

$3.40 ¥23.02

14.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.53 ¥91.6

$5.50 ¥37.19

146.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ¥7.90

$0.95 ¥6.42

23.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 ¥16.03

$1.85 ¥12.53

28.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.83

$0.43 ¥2.94

-37.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.32 ¥76.6

$27.94 ¥189

-59.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 ¥9.73

$1.24 ¥8.38

16.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ¥2.19

$0.28 ¥1.91

14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.31 ¥42.72

$4.16 ¥28.15

51.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.59

$1.17 ¥7.95

-4.27%

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

$17.0K ¥115.1K

$18.5K ¥125.0K

-7.89%

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

$19.4K ¥131.5K

$16.7K ¥112.7K

16.67%

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

$87.1 ¥589

$44.66 ¥302

95.03%

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

$9.96 ¥67.4

$11.53 ¥78.1

-13.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.11 ¥48.11

$11.33 ¥76.7

-37.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.79 ¥93.3

$24.18 ¥164

-42.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.48 ¥37.09

$11.55 ¥78.2

-52.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 ¥41.21

$5.69 ¥38.53

7.03%

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

$561 ¥3,794

$330 ¥2,232

69.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K ¥127.9K

$12.3K ¥83.5K

53.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.16 ¥272

$37.54 ¥254

6.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.39 ¥199

$38.48 ¥260

-23.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.7 ¥512

$66.8 ¥452

13.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.8 ¥473

$50.0 ¥339

39.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$350 ¥2,368

$320 ¥2,165

9.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ¥1,625

$183 ¥1,237

31.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 ¥7,193

$611 ¥4,138

73.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$493 ¥3,335

$329 ¥2,224

49.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,328 ¥36.1K

$3,785 ¥25.6K

40.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,370 ¥16.0K

$1,925 ¥13.0K

23.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,159 ¥7,843

$1,278 ¥8,647

-9.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.62

4.21

9.74%

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

Last update for Tianjin: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $350 in Tianjin versus $320 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 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 $28.00 in Tianjin versus $24.00 in Chengdu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 vs $198 – 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

Tianjin vs Chengdu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,212 per month in Tianjin and $1,015 in Chengdu. 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 $28.00 in Tianjin and $24.00 in Chengdu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $808 in Tianjin and $677 in Chengdu. 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 $808 in Tianjin and $677 in Chengdu, 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.