Monthly Apartments in Beijing: Serviced Residences & Costs

A week in a hotel is easy. A month is different — you'll want space to cook, a washing machine, and a price that doesn't shred your budget. Beijing has a deep market for monthly stays, from internationally branded serviced residences to ordinary one-bedroom apartments leased directly from landlords. This guide explains how each option works, what things realistically cost, and the paperwork you'll face as a foreigner. Prices shift with season and location, so treat every figure here as a starting point and [verify before travel].

Your Three Main Options

For stays of one to six months, most foreigners in Beijing choose one of three routes. Each has trade-offs in price, flexibility, and hassle.

Serviced apartments — Hotel-style buildings with weekly housekeeping, front desk, and often a gym and pool. Studio or one-bedroom units typically run roughly CNY 12,000–25,000+ per month (about USD 1,700–3,500+), depending on brand and district. Most flexible for foreigners — short leases, English-speaking staff, and no landlord negotiation. [verify before travel]
Ordinary monthly rentals — A one-bedroom apartment in a residential compound in Chaoyang or Haidian often costs CNY 5,000–10,000 per month (about USD 700–1,400). Cheaper, but leases are usually one year; month-to-month terms exist mainly through agents or sublets and can be informal. [verify before travel]
Co-living / branded shared housing — Companies operate furnished rooms with shared kitchens and cleaning, often on flexible one- to three-month terms around CNY 4,000–8,000 (about USD 550–1,100). Good for meeting people; less privacy. [verify before travel]

Paperwork: What Foreigners Need

China's rental process involves more registration than most Westerners expect. None of it is difficult, but you should know the steps before you sign.

Passport and visa — Landlords and agents will want your passport; long-stay residents typically hold a work or study residence permit rather than a short tourist visa. Confirm your visa type permits a long stay before signing anything. [verify before travel]
Police registration — Every foreigner staying in a private rental must register their address at the local police station, usually within 24 hours of moving in. Hotels do this automatically; apartments do not. Your landlord or agent typically accompanies you. [verify before travel]
Deposit and payment habits — Standard terms are 'deposit one, pay three' — one month's rent as deposit plus three months' rent upfront. Negotiating monthly payment is possible but less common. Get an official receipt (fapiao) if your employer reimburses housing. [verify before travel]
Agency fees — Using an agent usually costs roughly half to one month's rent as a fee. Some serviced residences waive agency fees entirely — one reason they're popular for stays under three months. [verify before travel]

Where Long-Stay Foreigners Live

Choosing a district matters more than choosing a building. Base yourself near your workplace or school — Beijing commutes can easily exceed an hour each way.

Chaoyang (Sanlitun / CBD area) — The expat heartland: international restaurants, Western supermarkets, and most serviced residences. Convenient but the priciest area — expect a premium of 20–40% over comparable units elsewhere. [verify before travel]
Haidian (Wudaokou / Zhongguancun) — University district, popular with students and academics. Cheaper, youthful, and packed with cheap food — but quieter nightlife and older housing stock. [verify before travel]
Dongcheng and Xicheng — Central hutong neighborhoods close to the Forbidden City. Atmospheric and central, though apartments here are often small, renovated courtyard units rather than modern towers. [verify before travel]

Sanlitun Village Area, Chaoyang

The classic choice for first-time long-stay visitors. You'll walk to coffee shops, international dining, and two metro lines, and serviced residences here routinely offer monthly rates with utilities and housekeeping bundled in. The trade-off is noise on weekends and the highest rents in the city.

Metro: Served by Lines 10 and 17 in the area — confirm the closest station and exit to your specific building [verify before travel]
Opening hours: N/A for rentals; leasing offices typically open around 9:00–18:00 daily [verify before travel]
Tickets: Monthly rents commonly CNY 12,000–25,000 (USD 1,700–3,500) for serviced studios [verify before travel]
How long: Best for stays of 1–6 months

Wudaokou, Haidian

Ringed by Tsinghua and Peking University, Wudaokou is where students and young professionals land. Expect simpler buildings, lower rents, excellent cheap food, and a big international student community. Agents here are used to shorter-term foreign tenants.

Metro: Line 13, Wudaokou station — confirm transfer options on current maps [verify before travel]
Opening hours: N/A for rentals; agent offices generally operate daytime hours [verify before travel]
Tickets: One-bedroom rentals often CNY 5,000–9,000/month (USD 700–1,250) [verify before travel]
How long: Best for stays of 3–12 months

Guomao / CBD, Chaoyang

Beijing's financial district, where corporate-serviced residences cluster. If your employer is placing you here, buildings offer one-stop leasing with English contracts, gyms, and shuttle awareness of business hours. Rents run high, but everything works and move-in is painless.

Metro: Lines 1 and 10 intersect at Guomao station [verify before travel]
Opening hours: N/A for rentals; serviced residence front desks operate 24 hours [verify before travel]
Tickets: Serviced one-bedrooms commonly CNY 15,000–30,000/month (USD 2,100–4,200) [verify before travel]
How long: Best for corporate stays of 1–12 months

Related Beijing guides

If you found this useful, these cover the next question most visitors ask:

Long Stays & Business — Where to Verify Official Information Before and During Your Long Stay in Beijing
Where to Stay — Long-Stay Monthly Hotel Rates in Beijing's 'Beverly Hills' Area — and How to Negotiate Them
Payments — Long-Term Stay in Beijing: SIM Card, Bank Card, and Setting Up WeChat Pay & Alipay

Practical Tips for Booking and Living

Book the first week, then shop in person — Photos mislead. Many long-stayers book one to two weeks in a serviced residence, then view apartments in person before committing to a longer lease. [verify before travel]
Check heating and winter air — Beijing winters are cold (often well below freezing) and heating seasons and systems vary by building. Ask whether heating is central, included in rent, and when it turns on — usually around November 15. [verify before travel]
Set up payments early — Most landlords and utilities run on Alipay or WeChat Pay. Set up a linked international card before arrival; cash is rarely accepted for rent. [verify before travel]
Read the contract in both languages — Ask for a bilingual contract and get any promises (repairs, furniture, early-exit terms) written in, not just spoken. [verify before travel]
Mind the leasing calendar — Summer (June–August) is peak season due to students; prices rise and good units go fast. Winter and after Chinese New Year are quieter. [verify before travel]