Climate
Beijing logs 117 frost days a year to Xi’an's 59 — Xi’an wins by 58. Beijing also leads on sunny days by 57.
Beijing
Feels-like °C
Dinner outside
Xi’an
Feels-like °C
Dinner outside
Cost of Living
Beijing averages $1,263/mo for balanced living; Xi’an has no cost baseline yet.
Beijing
$1,263monthly · balanced
Mobility
Beijing scores 2.8 on mobility (0–5 scale); Xi’an has no mobility baseline.
Culture
Beijing's culture score of 2.8 sits well above Xi’an's 0.0.
Nature & Outdoors
Beijing scores 3.5 on nature & outdoors (0–5 scale); Xi’an has no nature & outdoors baseline.
Safety
Beijing scores 3.4 on safety (0–5 scale); Xi’an has no safety baseline.
Career
Beijing scores 4.0 on career (0–5 scale); Xi’an has no career baseline.
Social & Community
Beijing scores 2.2 on social & community (0–5 scale); Xi’an has no social & community baseline.
Food & Dining
Beijing scores 3.4 on food & dining (0–5 scale); Xi’an has no food & dining baseline.
Family
Beijing scores 3.3 on family (0–5 scale); Xi’an has no family baseline.
Healthcare
Beijing scores 1.7 on healthcare (0–5 scale); Xi’an has no healthcare baseline.
Air Quality
Beijing averages 38.8 µg/m³ (very unhealthy) PM2.5 annually versus Xi’an's 51.6 µg/m³ (very unhealthy) — Beijing breathes ~25% cleaner air (12.8 µg/m³ lower).
Beijing
Xi’an
PM2.5 annual average
WHO classification
City Scale
Both maps at the same real-world scale — 1 cm on either map is the same distance.
Beijing (18.2M) and Xi’an (5.3M) are 3.4x in population — Beijing is the larger metro, Xi’an the smaller; on land area Beijing spans roughly 3.2x more ground.
Beijing is roughly 3.3x the scale of Xi’an
Combined population & area comparison
City Scale Rankings
Beijing
Xi’an
Who Thrives Here
Beijing is the stronger fit for the big city energy. Both cities work well for the winter escapist.
Frequently asked about Beijing vs Xi’an
▶Which is cheaper, Beijing or Xi’an?
▶How does the climate compare between Beijing and Xi’an?
▶Is Beijing or Xi’an safer?
▶Should I move to Beijing or Xi’an?
The best city depends on what matters to you
This comparison shows how Beijing and Xi’an stack up on the data. But your climate preferences, budget, career needs, and lifestyle priorities can shift the picture entirely. A personalized diagnostic finds what fits your life.
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