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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $783 per month in Tianjin vs $689 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,245 per month in Tianjin vs $1,083 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,707 per month in Tianjin vs $1,477 in Chengdu, rent included.

Tianjin costs about 14% more than Chengdu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tianjin and Chengdu are more affordable than the global median – Tianjin 42% lower, Chengdu 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.23 ¥28.59

$2.85 ¥19.30

48.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.12 ¥190

$24.00 ¥162

17.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ¥38.31

$4.99 ¥33.72

13.63%

Cappuccino

$3.17 ¥21.46

$2.77 ¥18.73

14.44%

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

$0.47 ¥3.19

$0.46 ¥3.14

2.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.82

$0.30 ¥2.06

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.83 ¥5.59

$1.13 ¥7.62

-26.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥12.83

$2.13 ¥14.43

-10.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 ¥12.49

$1.80 ¥12.18

2.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥12.12

$1.39 ¥9.38

28.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ¥7.70

$0.90 ¥6.09

26.67%

Eggs

$1.18 ¥7.96

$1.86 ¥12.59

-36.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.22 ¥103

$13.62 ¥92.1

11.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.87 ¥19.37

$3.56 ¥24.07

-19.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.38 ¥63.4

$11.23 ¥76.0

-16.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.28 ¥8.62

$1.86 ¥12.61

-31.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 ¥8.71

$1.18 ¥7.99

9.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 ¥8.97

$1.50 ¥10.15

-11.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ¥7.73

$1.04 ¥7.01

9.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 ¥5.36

$0.70 ¥4.73

12.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.23

$0.70 ¥4.71

31.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ¥4.93

$0.56 ¥3.81

30.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.43

$0.61 ¥4.12

31.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.92 ¥26.51

$3.24 ¥21.91

20.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.10 ¥88.5

$5.44 ¥36.77

140.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ¥7.86

$1.00 ¥6.78

16.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ¥15.81

$1.87 ¥12.67

25.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.97

$0.41 ¥2.77

-29.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.31 ¥76.5

$27.31 ¥185

-58.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ¥9.59

$1.22 ¥8.28

16.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.38

$0.26 ¥1.75

34.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.34 ¥42.84

$4.09 ¥27.62

55.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.85

$1.14 ¥7.69

1.75%

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

$16.4K ¥110.8K

$18.7K ¥126.6K

-12.45%

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

$19.2K ¥130.1K

$16.0K ¥108.4K

19.95%

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

$84.9 ¥574

$45.05 ¥305

88.41%

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

$10.10 ¥68.3

$11.69 ¥79.1

-13.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.83 ¥46.20

$11.38 ¥77.0

-39.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.80 ¥93.3

$24.49 ¥166

-43.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.60 ¥37.86

$11.16 ¥75.5

-49.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.10 ¥41.26

$5.54 ¥37.45

10.11%

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

$547 ¥3,702

$333 ¥2,249

64.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.6K ¥126.0K

$12.1K ¥82.1K

53.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.78 ¥269

$37.92 ¥256

4.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.79 ¥195

$38.57 ¥261

-25.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.2 ¥508

$67.4 ¥456

11.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.0 ¥467

$50.7 ¥343

36.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$350 ¥2,367

$318 ¥2,149

10.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 ¥1,571

$179 ¥1,213

29.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,042 ¥7,047

$610 ¥4,128

70.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$481 ¥3,255

$335 ¥2,263

43.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,331 ¥36.0K

$3,810 ¥25.8K

39.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,347 ¥15.9K

$1,922 ¥13.0K

22.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,150 ¥7,777

$1,257 ¥8,501

-8.52%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $350 in Tianjin versus $318 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 9% 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: $212 vs $196 – 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: $783 in Tianjin, $689 in Chengdu – roughly 14% apart. Tianjin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,175 per month in Tianjin and $1,033 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 $783 in Tianjin and $689 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 $783 in Tianjin and $689 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.