🇨🇳Cost of Living in Beijing

China · Population: 21,540,000 · Cost Index: 52/100

Cost of Living in Beijing

China · Asia

Beijing is China's political and cultural capital, home to the Forbidden City and the Great Wall. It combines imperial grandeur with rapid modernization.

21,540,000

Population

Cost Index

Safety Index

Quality of Life

Average Monthly Cost: $2,150 (single person, excluding rent)

Estimated monthly budget in Beijing

Typical total monthly cost by household type.

Single person

$2,150

per month

Couple

$3,230

per month

Family of 4

$4,520

per month

Student

$1,610

per month

Estimates based on the average cost of living in Beijing, scaled by household size. Actual costs vary with lifestyle, neighbourhood and housing.

Cost Breakdown

Housing

Avg: $1,082.50

1-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$900.00

1-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$480.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$2,000.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$950.00

Food & Groceries

Avg: $5.15

Meal at Inexpensive Restaurant(per meal)

$4.00

Meal for 2 at Mid-Range Restaurant(per meal)

$28.00

McMeal at McDonald's(per meal)

$4.80

Milk (1 liter)(per liter)

$1.90

Bread (500g loaf)(per loaf)

$1.70

Rice (1 kg)(per kg)

$1.00

Eggs (12)(per dozen)

$2.00

Chicken Breast (1 kg)(per kg)

$4.20

Apples (1 kg)(per kg)

$2.50

Banana (1 kg)(per kg)

$1.40

Transportation

Avg: $6.79

Monthly Public Transit Pass(per month)

$30.00

One-Way Ticket (Local Transport)(per trip)

$0.45

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)(base fare)

$1.90

Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff)(per km)

$0.30

Gasoline (1 liter)(per liter)

$1.30

Utilities

Avg: $29.67

Basic Utilities (85m² Apt)(per month)

$65.00

Mobile Phone Plan(per month)

$11.00

Internet (60 Mbps+)(per month)

$13.00

Healthcare

Avg: $20.33

Doctor Visit(per visit)

$22.00

Dentist Visit(per visit)

$30.00

Prescription Medicine (avg)(per prescription)

$9.00

Entertainment

Avg: $13.70

Fitness Club Monthly(per month)

$40.00

Cinema Ticket(per ticket)

$7.50

Cappuccino(per cup)

$4.30

Beer (0.5l) at Restaurant(per glass)

$3.00

Clothing

Avg: $52.00

Pair of Jeans (Levi's)(per pair)

$52.00

Summer Dress (Chain Store)(per item)

$26.00

Running Shoes (Nike, Adidas)(per pair)

$78.00

Popular Beijing comparisons

Beijing vs Shanghai Beijing vs Guangzhou Beijing vs Shenzhen Beijing vs Chengdu Beijing vs New York Beijing vs London Beijing vs Tokyo Beijing vs Singapore

Frequently asked questions about Beijing

Is Beijing expensive to live in?

Beijing has a cost of living index of 52 out of 100, where New York City scores 100. This puts it in the mid-range among the cities we track.

How much money do you need to live in Beijing?

A single person needs an estimated $2,150 per month to live in Beijing, covering rent, food, transport and other essentials. A family or a more comfortable lifestyle will cost more.

What is the cost of living index in Beijing?

Beijing's cost of living index is 52 out of 100. The index is relative to New York City (100), so a score of 50 means overall costs are roughly half those of New York.

What is quality of life like in Beijing?

Beijing scores 65 out of 100 for quality of life and 80 out of 100 for safety in our index.