Cost of Living Comparison Between Xi'an and Chengdu Cost of Living Comparison Between Xi'an and Chengdu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $691 per month in Xi'an vs $763 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,093 per month in Xi'an vs $1,225 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,494 per month in Xi'an vs $1,688 in Chengdu, rent included.

Xi'an is about 9% cheaper than Chengdu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Xi'an and Chengdu are more affordable than the global median – Xi'an 50% lower, Chengdu 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.62 ¥17.58

$2.90 ¥19.46

-9.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.12 ¥122

$20.18 ¥135

-10.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.44 ¥29.81

$5.18 ¥34.79

-14.29%

Cappuccino

$2.13 ¥14.31

$2.94 ¥19.70

-27.55%

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

$0.41 ¥2.73

$0.48 ¥3.19

-14.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.96

$0.28 ¥1.89

3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 ¥9.88

$1.46 ¥9.78

0.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 ¥9.79

$2.50 ¥16.75

-41.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 ¥9.89

$1.76 ¥11.82

-16.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 ¥11.69

$1.64 ¥11.00

6.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.01

$0.94 ¥6.32

-4.26%

Eggs

$1.48 ¥9.94

$1.54 ¥10.30

-3.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.50 ¥77.1

$14.19 ¥95.2

-18.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 ¥23.89

$3.51 ¥23.54

1.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.45 ¥70.1

$11.04 ¥74.1

-5.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.15

$1.82 ¥12.21

-8.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.51

$1.26 ¥8.47

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 ¥8.30

$1.06 ¥7.11

16.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.73

$1.25 ¥8.39

4.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ¥4.52

$0.69 ¥4.64

-2.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.07

$0.72 ¥4.84

5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 ¥3.57

$0.73 ¥4.91

-27.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ¥3.68

$0.59 ¥3.93

-6.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ¥22.50

$3.63 ¥24.33

-7.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.57 ¥57.5

$5.47 ¥36.67

56.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.22

$0.79 ¥5.29

-1.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.01

$1.53 ¥10.27

7.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ¥2.09

$0.43 ¥2.91

-27.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.93 ¥174

$24.95 ¥167

3.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ¥8.62

$1.32 ¥8.82

-3.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ¥1.92

$0.29 ¥1.94

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 ¥29.39

$4.38 ¥29.37

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ¥8.60

$1.23 ¥8.22

4.07%

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

$19.0K ¥127.2K

$19.4K ¥130.0K

-2.12%

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

$17.8K ¥119.4K

$17.4K ¥116.9K

2.13%

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

$62.2 ¥417

$41.04 ¥275

51.44%

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

$6.28 ¥42.11

$9.46 ¥63.4

-33.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.76 ¥72.2

$12.83 ¥86.1

-16.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.18 ¥203

$27.45 ¥184

9.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.09 ¥142

$11.02 ¥74.0

91.38%

Cinema Ticket

$5.49 ¥36.83

$6.02 ¥40.40

-8.80%

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

$687 ¥4,612

$410 ¥2,751

67.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K ¥117.7K

$14.8K ¥99.1K

18.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.47 ¥258

$28.78 ¥193

33.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.60 ¥252

$29.21 ¥196

28.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 ¥493

$60.8 ¥408

20.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.4 ¥567

$52.7 ¥353

60.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$309 ¥2,072

$486 ¥3,264

-36.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 ¥1,162

$256 ¥1,716

-32.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$871 ¥5,843

$849 ¥5,699

2.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 ¥2,362

$545 ¥3,660

-35.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,425 ¥16.3K

$3,813 ¥25.6K

-36.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,621 ¥10.9K

$1,909 ¥12.8K

-15.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,093 ¥7,331

$1,284 ¥8,613

-14.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

3.38

-0.89%

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

Last update for Xi'an: September 1, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $309 in Xi'an 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 17% 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 $18.00 in Xi'an versus $20.00 in Chengdu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $196 – making Xi'an 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

Xi'an vs Chengdu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $691 in Xi'an, $763 in Chengdu – roughly 10% apart. Chengdu costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,037 per month in Xi'an 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 Xi'an, 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 $18.00 in Xi'an and $20.00 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 $691 in Xi'an and $763 in Chengdu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $691 in Xi'an and $763 in Chengdu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Xi'an – 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 Xi'an. 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.