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 $698 per month in Xi'an vs $689 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,110 per month in Xi'an vs $1,083 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,523 per month in Xi'an vs $1,477 in Chengdu, rent included.

Xi'an costs about 1% more than Chengdu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Xi'an and Chengdu are more affordable than the global median – Xi'an 48% lower, Chengdu 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.72 ¥18.41

$2.85 ¥19.32

-4.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.18 ¥123

$24.00 ¥162

-24.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ¥37.94

$4.99 ¥33.75

12.22%

Cappuccino

$3.50 ¥23.67

$2.77 ¥18.75

26.35%

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

$0.43 ¥2.90

$0.46 ¥3.14

-6.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 ¥1.74

$0.30 ¥2.06

-13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ¥7.36

$1.13 ¥7.63

-3.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥11.52

$2.13 ¥14.44

-20.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ¥10.66

$1.80 ¥12.19

-12.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ¥10.62

$1.39 ¥9.39

12.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.51

$0.90 ¥6.10

-10.00%

Eggs

$1.62 ¥10.95

$1.86 ¥12.61

-12.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.07 ¥47.83

$13.62 ¥92.2

-48.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.42

$3.56 ¥24.09

-44.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.01 ¥61.0

$11.23 ¥76.0

-19.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ¥11.10

$1.86 ¥12.62

-11.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.67

$1.18 ¥8.00

-4.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ¥8.76

$1.50 ¥10.16

-14.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.51

$1.04 ¥7.02

-22.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.78

$0.70 ¥4.74

1.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ¥4.06

$0.70 ¥4.71

-14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 ¥3.46

$0.56 ¥3.81

-8.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.82

$0.61 ¥4.13

-8.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.73 ¥18.49

$3.24 ¥21.93

-15.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.58 ¥51.3

$5.44 ¥36.81

39.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ¥4.96

$1.00 ¥6.79

-27.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ¥11.47

$1.87 ¥12.69

-9.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ¥3.19

$0.41 ¥2.77

14.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.76 ¥228

$27.31 ¥185

23.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.40 ¥9.47

$1.22 ¥8.29

14.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ¥2.17

$0.26 ¥1.75

23.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.15 ¥28.08

$4.09 ¥27.65

1.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.77

$1.14 ¥7.70

0.88%

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

$20.8K ¥140.8K

$18.7K ¥126.7K

11.11%

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

$16.3K ¥110.4K

$16.0K ¥108.6K

1.68%

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

$45.08 ¥305

$45.05 ¥305

0.07%

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

$6.07 ¥41.06

$11.69 ¥79.1

-48.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.80 ¥79.9

$11.38 ¥77.0

3.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.67 ¥289

$24.49 ¥166

74.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.77 ¥114

$11.16 ¥75.6

50.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 ¥32.44

$5.54 ¥37.48

-13.54%

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

$339 ¥2,294

$333 ¥2,251

1.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K ¥122.1K

$12.1K ¥82.1K

48.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 ¥372

$37.92 ¥257

44.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.75 ¥256

$38.57 ¥261

-2.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 ¥465

$67.4 ¥456

2.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.3 ¥476

$50.7 ¥343

38.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$251 ¥1,699

$318 ¥2,151

-21.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 ¥1,316

$179 ¥1,214

8.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 ¥3,359

$610 ¥4,132

-18.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 ¥2,522

$335 ¥2,265

11.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,392 ¥16.2K

$3,810 ¥25.8K

-37.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,620 ¥11.0K

$1,922 ¥13.0K

-15.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,058 ¥7,160

$1,257 ¥8,510

-15.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.32

4.21

2.61%

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

Last update for Xi'an: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $251 in Xi'an 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 19% 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 $18.00 in Xi'an versus $24.00 in Chengdu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $158 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: $698 in Xi'an, $689 in Chengdu – roughly 1% apart. Xi'an costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,047 per month in Xi'an 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 $18.00 in Xi'an 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 $698 in Xi'an 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 $698 in Xi'an 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, Xi'an makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.