Essentials
- City
- Beijing, Hebei Province, China
- Population
- Approximately 21,890,000
- Internet Speed
- Average 150 Mbps (Fiber); VPN required for international sites (ExpressVPN/Astrill)
- Currency & Banking
- 1 USD ≈ 7.23 CNY, 1 EUR ≈ 7.82 CNY; Mobile payments dominate via Alipay and WeChat Pay
- Tap Water
- Not drinkable; use bottled water (Nongfu Spring, 2-3 CNY) or filtered water
- Power
- 220V, 50Hz, 🔌 Type A, C, and I (standard three-prong) sockets
- SIM Card
- China Unicom or China Mobile; approx. 100 CNY for 20GB/month (Passport required for registration)
- Banking for Expats
- Bank of China, ICBC, or digital wallets (Alipay/WeChat) linked to international cards
- Accommodation
- Ziroom (long term), Agoda, or Well-known Hotels (Rosewood, JEN)
- Cashless Friendly
- Extremely high; QR code payments used for everything from street food to luxury malls
- Short Term Rentals
- Trip.com (Ctrip), Tujia, or JEN Beijing by Shangri-La (Nomad friendly)
- Budget Accommodation
- Peking Youth Hostel (approx. 150 CNY/night), Leo Hostel (Qianmen area)
- Best Area to Stay for Tourists
- Dongcheng (near Forbidden City) or Houhai (Hutong areas)
- Best Area to Stay for Digital Nomads
- Sanlitun or CBD (Guomao) for international amenities and networking
Working and Networking
- Best Coworking Space
- WeWork (Taikoo Li Sanlitun) - approx. 2,200 CNY/month; naked Hub (various locations)
- Best Cafe for Work
- Soloist Coffee Co (Dashilar) or Metal Hands (Wudaoying Hutong)
- Networking Events
- Startup Grind Beijing sessions; JingJobs networking mixers
- Social Events for Expats
- InterNations Beijing events and 'The Beijinger' community meetups
Transportation
- Best Taxi/Ride App
- Didi Chuxing (English version available in-app)
- Bike/Scooter Rental
- Meituan Bikes or HelloBike (integrated into Alipay/WeChat) - ~1.5 CNY per 15 min
- Best Beach Nearby
- Aranya (Beidaihe), approx. 2 hours via High-Speed Rail
- Top Regional Airline
- Hainan Airlines
- Top International Airline
- Air China (Hub at PEK and PKX)
- Highway Access
- G1 (Jingha), G4 (Jinggang'ao), and 6 Ring Road systems
- Main Train/Transit Hub
- Beijing South Railway Station (High-speed rail to Shanghai in 4.5 hours)
- Public Transport Passes
- Beijing Yikatong card (available on iPhone Wallet) for Subway and Bus
- Regional Travel
- High-Speed Rail (CRH) to Tianjin (30 mins, 54 CNY) or Great Wall at Badaling
Health and Wellness
- Best Hospital
- United Family Hospital (UFH) - High-end international standard, 24/7 ER
- Yoga & Wellness Centers
- Yoga Yard (Sanlitun) or SpaceCycle (Taikoo Li)
- Gyms & Fitness Centers
- Trainyard (Hotel JEN) or Tera Wellness (multiple locations)
- Laundry Services
- Fornet (major chain found in most shopping malls)
Food and Drink
- Best Food Delivery App
- Meituan Waimai or Ele.me
- Best Local Dish to Try
- Peking Duck at Dadong or Suyu (approx. 200-400 CNY per duck)
- Vegan/Vegetarian Options
- King's Joy (High-end Buddhist cuisine) or Vege Tiger
- Best Dessert Spots
- Fu Rong (Hutong bakeries) or Berry Beans
- Affordable Shopping Spots
- Sanyuanli Market (Fresh produce) or Jingkelong Supermarkets
- E-commerce/Online Store
- JD.com (fastest delivery), Taobao, Pinduoduo
- Grocery Delivery
- Hema (Freshippo) - 30-minute delivery from app
- Bar/Nightlife Area
- Sanlitun (Dirty Bar Street alternatives) and Gongti (Stadium) clubs
- Local Brewery
- Great Leap Brewing or Jing-A Brewing Co. (Xingfucun)
- Wine Bars
- The Merchant Beijing or Buona Bocca (Sanlitun)
- Street Food Stalls
- Ghost Street (Guijie) - famous for spicy crayfish and late-night snacks
- Popular International Cuisine
- TRB Hutong (French) or Bottega (Award-winning Neapolitan Pizza)
Culture and Attractions
- Must-See Landmarks
- The Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven
- Museums & Art Venues
- National Museum of China or 798 Art District
- Historical Sites
- The Summer Palace (Yiheyuan) and Ming Tombs
- Religious Sites
- Yonghe Lama Temple (Tibetan Buddhism)
- Annual Events
- Chinese New Year Temple Fairs (Ditan Park)
- Cultural Districts
- Nanluoguxiang and the Shichahai Hutongs
- Theater Venues
- National Centre for the Performing Arts (The Giant Egg)
- Local Markets
- Panjiayuan Antique Market (Weekends)
- Music Scene
- Blue Note Beijing or School Bar (Punk/Indie scene)
- Street Art
- Graffiti walls in 798 Art District
- Cooking Classes
- The Hutong (Cultural center offering dumpling and wok classes)
- Art Galleries
- UCCA Center for Contemporary Art
- Historic Buildings
- Drum and Bell Towers (Gulou)
- Local Heritage
- Old Beijing 'Chengyu' culture and Peking Opera
Nature and Outdoor Activities
- Nearby Nature Escapes
- Fragrant Hills (Xiangshan Park) for hiking
- National Parks Nearby
- Mutianyu Great Wall Area (National Forest Park status)
- Cycling/Walking Paths
- The Liangma River walkway (The 'Seines' of Beijing)
- Scenic Viewpoints
- Jingshan Park (View over the entire Forbidden City)
- Birdwatching Locations
- Wild Duck Lake (Yeyahu) National Wetland Park
- Bonfire-Friendly Spots
- Strictly regulated; only permitted in designated suburban campsites near Miyun Reservoir
Other Services and Amenities
- Parcel Delivery Service
- SF Express (fastest/most reliable) or ZTO
- Tech Repair Services
- Zhongguancun (China's Silicon Valley) tech markets
- Table Tennis Spots
- Public tables in Ritan Park or local community centers
- Language Classes
- That's Mandarin or Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU)
- Libraries & Study Spots
- National Library of China or The Bookworm (closed/reopening status varies)
- Community Centers
- The Beijing Center for Chinese Studies
- Gaming Lounges
- Wangyu Internet Cafe (High-end chains found in malls)
- Casino & Gaming Halls
- Illegal in mainland China; requires travel to Macau
Business
- Studio Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. 120,000 CNY per m² (e.g., 40 m² = 4,800,000 CNY)
- Studio Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. 60,000 CNY per m² (e.g., 40 m² = 2,400,000 CNY)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. 110,000 CNY per m² (e.g., 60 m² = 6,600,000 CNY)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. 55,000 CNY per m² (e.g., 60 m² = 3,300,000 CNY)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. 105,000 CNY per m² (e.g., 80 m² = 8,400,000 CNY)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. 50,000 CNY per m² (e.g., 80 m² = 4,000,000 CNY)
- Corporate Tax
- 25% (Standard rate; 15% for High-Tech Enterprises)
- Dividend Withholding Tax
- 10% (can be reduced by tax treaties)
- Tax System
- Resident based; worldwide income for those staying over 183 days
- Highest Income Tax Bracket
- 45%
- VAT
- 13% (Standard), 9% or 6% (Services)
- Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) Rules
- Yes, China has comprehensive CFC regulations
- Property Tax
- Experimental in some cities; currently minimal for residential in Beijing
- Property Transaction Tax
- Includes Deed Tax (1-3%) and Value Added Tax (if held <2 years)
- Attractive Tax System for Digital Nomads
- None; rigorous tax enforcement for stays exceeding 183 days