🇨🇳 East & South Asia
Beijing, China
East & South Asia ✓ Live Numbeo data
Cheaper than expected for a megacity; banking, visa and VPN friction for foreigners
Climate
Rainfall, humidity, and the best months to visit: see the full Beijing climate profile →
Internet speeds
Measured medians from 26,986 real speedtests within 10 km of the city center (Q1 2026) — not advertised ISP numbers.
| Download | Upload | Latency | Tests | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed broadband | 310 Mbps | 68.6 Mbps | 27 ms | 23,970 |
| Mobile | 171 Mbps | 38.6 Mbps | 47 ms | 3,016 |
Speedtest® by Ookla Global Fixed and Mobile Network Performance Maps, © Ookla. Accessed 2026-07-18. Your building's wiring and ISP plan matter more than the city median. Compare all cities in the Internet Speed Explorer →
Cost of living breakdown
USD converted from local prices at baseline rates (1 USD = 6.756 CNY, 2026-06-16). Use the Cost of Living Explorer for live exchange rates.
| 💰 Monthly budgets | USD | Local |
|---|---|---|
| Individual (excl. rent) | $583 | CNY 3,936 |
| Individual all-in (excl. rent + 1BR center) | $1,603 | — |
| Family of 4 (excl. rent) | $2,173 | CNY 14,682 |
| Average net salary (after tax) | $1,562 | CNY 10,556 |
| 🏢 Rent & property | USD | Local |
|---|---|---|
| 1BR city center | $1,020 | CNY 6,894 |
| 1BR outside center | $573 | CNY 3,874 |
| 3BR city center | $2,295 | CNY 15,507 |
| 3BR outside center | $1,188 | CNY 8,029 |
| Buy price / sqft — center | $1,169 | CNY 7,895 |
| Buy price / sqft — outside | $576 | CNY 3,894 |
| 🍽️ Food & dining | USD | Local |
|---|---|---|
| Cheap meal (1 person) | $4.44 | CNY 30.00 |
| Mid-range dinner (2 people) | $29.60 | CNY 200 |
| Fast food combo | $5.18 | CNY 35.00 |
| Beef (per lb) | $5.02 | CNY 33.95 |
| Taxi (per mile) | $0.55 | CNY 3.70 |
| ⚡ Utilities & lifestyle | USD | Local |
|---|---|---|
| Basic utilities / mo | $53 | CNY 360 |
| Phone plan / mo | $10 | CNY 66.29 |
| Internet / mo | $15 | CNY 98.33 |
| Gym membership / mo | $46 | CNY 313 |
| Cinema ticket | $7.41 | CNY 50.09 |
| Preschool / mo | $615 | CNY 4,154 |
| International school / yr | $25,767 | CNY 174,090 |
| New car (Corolla equiv.) | $19,226 | CNY 129,900 |
Visa, taxes & legal in China
Country-level research that applies to living in Beijing — each row links to the full comparison dashboard.
| Family-law exposure (payer) | Obligation 5/10 · cross-border collection 3/10 — legal detail → |
Location
Compare with nearby cities
Data last updated · Source: Numbeo