Beijing or Chengdu: which is better?
World city: head-to-head comparison
Beijing wins on more indicators: 2 of 2 against 0.
- Climate and risks: Beijing 2:0
All indicators weigh the same. This is a score based on data, not advice on where to live: different people have different circumstances.
Beijing
Indicator
Chengdu
Population
no winnerCity population
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
11,716,620 people
GeoNames snapshot (all-the-cities 3.1.0 package, 2022), exact date not stated
7,415,590 people
GeoNames snapshot (all-the-cities 3.1.0 package, 2022), exact date not stated
Urban centre population
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
18,150,576 people
2025
5,609,627 people
2025
Urban centre area
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
2,179 km²
2025
867 km²
2025
Urban centre density
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
8,330 people per km²
2025
6,470 people per km²
2025
Urban centre population growth, 2015–2025
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
10.7 %
2015–2025
-16.3 %
2015–2025
Climate and risks
Better: Beijing (2 : 0)Hot days (max ≥ +30 °C)
no data for one of the places
100 days per year
2016-2025
no data
Frost days (min ≤ −10 °C)
no data for one of the places
26 days per year
2016-2025
no data
Severe frost (min ≤ −20 °C)
no data for one of the places
0.3 days per year
2016-2025
no data
Ice days (max ≤ 0 °C)
no data for one of the places
12 days per year
2016-2025
no data
Heating degree days
no data for one of the places
2,610 °C·days per year
2016-2025
no data
Cooling degree days
no data for one of the places
1,108 °C·days per year
2016-2025
no data
Daylight on December 21
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
9.3 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
10.2 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
Daylight on June 21
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
15.0 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
14.1 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
Air humidity
no data for one of the places
56 %
2021-2025
no data
Muggy days (dew point ≥ +20 °C)
no data for one of the places
57 days per year
2021-2025
no data
Distance to the sea
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
146 km
2006-2025
1,057 km
2006-2025
Earthquakes M4.5+ within 100 km
lower is better
✓0.10 per year
2006-202599% lower
✗9.30 per year
2006-20259200% higher
Strongest earthquake in the period
lower is better
✓4.9 magnitude
2006-202538% lower
✗7.9 magnitude
2006-202561% higher
A winner is named only for indicators with a known “better / worse” direction. Population and other neutral indicators are shown without a winner. Outdated and missing values are not counted. Details for each place: Beijing, Chengdu.