Head to head · 2025
Kunming vs Guiyang
Southwest tier-2 pair, often compared for regional distribution.
Kunming leads by 12.9 points. The gap comes mostly from policy access (30.0 points).
| Metric | Kunming | Guiyang |
|---|---|---|
| Entry index0–100, relative to the scored set | 40.2 | 27.3 |
| Rankof 51 scored cities | #30 | #40 |
| Digital reach | 47.5 | 38.8 |
| Consumer depth | 32.5 | 28.6 |
| Market scale | 46.8 | 28.4 |
| Policy access | 30.0 | 0.0 |
| Population | 8.7M | 6.2M |
| GDP | $122B | $85B |
| GDP per resident | ¥99.5k | ¥97.1k |
| Disposable incomeurban residents, per year | ¥49.0k | ¥43.0k |
| Real GDP growth | 4% | 6% |
| WeChat penetration% of internet users | 92% | 92% |
| Douyin penetration% of internet users | 80% | 82% |
| Xiaohongshu penetration% of internet users | 42% | 36% |
Where the scores separate
- Policy access: Kunming leads Guiyang by 30.0 points (30.0 against 0.0).
- Market scale: Kunming leads Guiyang by 18.4 points (46.8 against 28.4).
- Digital reach: Kunming leads Guiyang by 8.7 points (47.5 against 38.8).
- Consumer depth: Kunming leads Guiyang by 3.9 points (32.5 against 28.6).
Pillar scores are percentile ranks inside the published set; policy is scored on an absolute 0–100 scale. A gap under three points should not drive a decision. How the index is built.
Kunming 昆明
Yunnan · T1_5 · southwest
Key industries
Tourism · Flower industry · Tea & coffee · Pharmaceuticals (Yunn…
Commercial districts
Nanping Street, Kunming CBD (Dongfeng Square), Dianchi Lake area.
Consumption profile
'Spring City' lifestyle appeal — wellness, outdoor and slow-living trends. Growing Xiaohongshu interest in Kunming as a lifestyle destination.
Full Kunming profile →Guiyang 贵阳
Guizhou · T2 · southwest
Key industries
Big data & data cente… · Liquor distribution · Tourism · New energy materials
Commercial districts
Zhonghua North Road, Guiyang CBD (Jinyang), Huaxi district.
Consumption profile
Cool-climate 'summer capital' with big-data industry wealth. Rising Douyin usage and value-driven consumption.
Full Guiyang profile →Questions people ask
- Is Kunming or Guiyang the better first city for a brand?
- Kunming scores 40.2 and Guiyang scores 27.3 on the YIVA China City Entry Index, out of a 51-city set. Kunming leads overall. The score compares reach, spending power, size and policy access only — it cannot see competition, media cost or whether your category has demand in either city, so treat it as a shortlist filter rather than a verdict.
- Which is bigger, Kunming or Guiyang?
- By gross regional product, Kunming is larger ($122B against $85B) and has a population of 8.7M versus 6.2M for Guiyang. Market size is only 25% of the entry index.
- Are these scores comparable with last year's?
- No. Digital reach, consumer depth and market scale are percentile ranks within the published city set, so adding or removing a city moves every score. Compare two cities inside the same release, never across releases.
Other comparisons
Cite this page
YIVA Digital. “Kunming vs Guiyang: China City Entry Index comparison.” YIVA Digital, 2025. https://yivadigital.com/tool/china-market-guide/compare/kunming-vs-guiyang
Scores are relative to the published city set in this release and are not comparable across releases.