Cost of Living in Beijing: Real Prices From 23 Videos

Beijing costs for residents and visitors, taken from the videos people filmed there. It draws on 13 videos and 56 individual figures, covering Beijing, Hohhot to Beijing.

At a glance

hotel stay	$70 USD	Beijing
dorm bed	70 rmb	Beijing
private room in budget hotel	200 rmb	Beijing
monthly rent for three-bedroom apartment	600 a month	Beijing

Food & drink

Item	Amount	Place	Source video
cornbread	2 RMB	Beijing	Beijing Street Food Tour: 125 Authentic Flavors From Brea…
steamed bun	2.5 RMB	Beijing	Beijing Street Food Tour: 125 Authentic Flavors From Brea…
multigrain pancake	4 RMB	Beijing	Beijing Street Food Tour: 125 Authentic Flavors From Brea…
candied fruit skewers per 500g	5 yuan/500g	Beijing	Beijing's Shahe Market: Traditional Northern Chinese Stre…
naan bread	5 RMB	Beijing	Beijing Street Food Tour: 125 Authentic Flavors From Brea…
meat and egg burger	6, 7, 9, and 10 yuan each	Beijing	Beijing's Shahe Market: Traditional Northern Chinese Stre…
serving of steamed buns	9 RMB	Beijing	Beijing Street Food Tour: 125 Authentic Flavors From Brea…
cotton candy	10 yuan, 15 yuan, 20 yuan	Beijing	Beijing's Shahe Market: Traditional Northern Chinese Stre…
braised meat	10 RMB	Beijing	Beijing Street Food Tour: 125 Authentic Flavors From Brea…
street food	10 rmb	Beijing	Beijing Travel Guide: Costs, Best Times, and Things to Do
roasted lamb leg skewer	10 RMB	Beijing	Beijing Street Food Tour: 125 Authentic Flavors From Brea…
Liangpi (cold skin noodles)	10 RMB	Beijing	Beijing Street Food Tour: 125 Authentic Flavors From Brea…
pan-fried buns	10 RMB	Beijing	Beijing Street Food Tour: 125 Authentic Flavors From Brea…
goat meat and offal soup	13 yuan a bowl	Beijing	Beijing's Shahe Market: Traditional Northern Chinese Stre…
candied fruit skewers total	15 yuan	Beijing	Beijing's Shahe Market: Traditional Northern Chinese Stre…
sweet potato strips per 500g	15 yuan/500g	Beijing	Beijing's Shahe Market: Traditional Northern Chinese Stre…
sticky rice roll per 500g	15 yuan/500g	Beijing	Beijing's Shahe Market: Traditional Northern Chinese Stre…
knife-cut noodles	15 RMB	Beijing	Beijing Street Food Tour: 125 Authentic Flavors From Brea…
pumpkin cake	18.8 yuan/500g	Beijing	Beijing Street Food Tour: 125 Authentic Flavors From Brea…
pure goat meat soup	25 yuan a bowl	Beijing	Beijing's Shahe Market: Traditional Northern Chinese Stre…
leek and egg dumplings portion	28 yuan	Beijing	30 Days in China: Beijing Streets and Local Food
beef pie	¥30	Beijing	Riding China's Fuxing Bullet Train Business Class Shangha…
box of food with pork	30	Beijing	Two Beijing Temple Fairs for Lunar New Year
sausages per 500g	35 yuan/500g	Beijing	Beijing's Shahe Market: Traditional Northern Chinese Stre…
fresh meat patties	35 yuan	Beijing	Beijing Street Food Tour: 125 Authentic Flavors From Brea…
zhajiangmian	38 CNY	Beijing	Riding China's Fuxing Bullet Train Business Class Shangha…
meal in a restaurant	under 40 rmb	Beijing	Beijing Travel Guide: Costs, Best Times, and Things to Do
roasted goat meat leg skewer	90 yuan	Beijing	Beijing's Shahe Market: Traditional Northern Chinese Stre…
meal at local restaurant	100 rmb	Beijing	Beijing Travel Guide: Costs, Best Times, and Things to Do
sticky rice roll	105 yuan	Beijing	Beijing's Shahe Market: Traditional Northern Chinese Stre…
peking duck meal	174 RMB	Beijing	Riding China's Fuxing Bullet Train Business Class Shangha…
meal at western restaurant	200 and up	Beijing	Beijing Travel Guide: Costs, Best Times, and Things to Do
breakfast buffet	ends at 9:30	Beijing	Learn Chinese: Asking for Breakfast and Directions in Bei…

Rent & housing

Item	Amount	Place	Source video
hotel stay	$70 USD	Beijing	Riding China's Fuxing Bullet Train Business Class Shangha…
dorm bed	70 rmb	Beijing	Beijing Travel Guide: Costs, Best Times, and Things to Do
private room in budget hotel	200 rmb	Beijing	Beijing Travel Guide: Costs, Best Times, and Things to Do
monthly rent for three-bedroom apartment	600 a month	Beijing	Inside a Beijing Apartment: Wangjing Home Tour and Costs
private room in mid-range hotel	600	Beijing	Beijing Travel Guide: Costs, Best Times, and Things to Do
luxurious hotel room	750 rmb	Beijing	Beijing Travel Guide: Costs, Best Times, and Things to Do
monthly mortgage payment	16,000 Qui	Beijing	Inside a Beijing Apartment: Wangjing Home Tour and Costs
purchase price of apartment	£650,000	Beijing	Inside a Beijing Apartment: Wangjing Home Tour and Costs

Transport

Item	Amount	Place	Source video
subway ride	2 stops	Beijing	Learn Chinese: Asking for Breakfast and Directions in Bei…
walk to mcdonald's	less than a ten minute walk	Beijing	Learn Chinese: Asking for Breakfast and Directions in Bei…
high-speed train ticket	about every 30 minutes	Beijing	American Returns to China: Beijing to Shijiazhuang by Hig…
taxi ride	45-minute	Beijing	Riding China's Fuxing Bullet Train Business Class Shangha…
bullet train to great wall	200 JPY extra	Beijing	Riding China's Fuxing Bullet Train Business Class Shangha…
taxi ride	300 M	Beijing	First Week Studying Chinese in Beijing as a Foreigner
high-speed rail ticket from beijing to shanghai	$327	Beijing	Beijing to Shanghai by High-Speed Rail: Full Trip on Chin…
one-way refundable business class ticket	646 Chinese yuan	Hohhot to Beijing	Riding China's Driverless High-Speed Train from Hohhot to…

Everyday goods

Item	Amount	Place	Source video
clothing	20 yuan each	Beijing	Beijing's Shahe Market: Traditional Northern Chinese Stre…

Working hours

Item	Amount	Place	Source video
days off for lunar new year holiday	9 days off	Beijing	Lunar New Year in Beijing: Temple Fairs and Family Tradit…
school hours	8 till 12	Beijing	First Week Studying Chinese in Beijing as a Foreigner

Other costs

Item	Amount	Place	Source video
free flexi classes	10 free flexi classes	Beijing	First Week Studying Chinese in Beijing as a Foreigner
walking distance to snack shop	about another 20 meters	Beijing	Learn Chinese: Asking for Breakfast and Directions in Bei…
walking distance to metro station	50 meters	Beijing	Learn Chinese: Asking for Breakfast and Directions in Bei…
flexi online classes discount	50% off	Beijing	First Week Studying Chinese in Beijing as a Foreigner
mcdonald's meal	RMB56	Beijing	Riding China's Fuxing Bullet Train Business Class Shangha…
gym membership per person	100 per person	Beijing	First Week Studying Chinese in Beijing as a Foreigner
red cap luggage service	120 yen	Beijing	Beijing to Shanghai by High-Speed Rail: Full Trip on Chin…

What stands out

The cheapest food recorded is cornbread (2 RMB), and the most expensive is meal at western restaurant at 200 and up.

Data sources

Every figure on this page was stated in one of the following videos. Follow a link to hear it in context.

• Beijing Street Food Tour: 125 Authentic Flavors From Breakfast to Snacks
• 30 Days in China: Beijing Streets and Local Food
• Riding China's Fuxing Bullet Train Business Class Shanghai to Beijing
• Beijing Travel Guide: Costs, Best Times, and Things to Do
• American Returns to China: Beijing to Shijiazhuang by High-Speed Train
• Inside a Beijing Apartment: Wangjing Home Tour and Costs
• Beijing's Shahe Market: Traditional Northern Chinese Street Food
• Beijing to Shanghai by High-Speed Rail: Full Trip on China's 350 km/h Train
• Learn Chinese: Asking for Breakfast and Directions in Beijing
• First Week Studying Chinese in Beijing as a Foreigner
• Lunar New Year in Beijing: Temple Fairs and Family Traditions
• Riding China's Driverless High-Speed Train from Hohhot to Beijing
• Two Beijing Temple Fairs for Lunar New Year