Cost of Living Comparison Between Beijing (Pekin) and Changshu Cost of Living Comparison Between Beijing (Pekin) and Changshu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,073 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $717 in Changshu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,769 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,146 in Changshu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,464 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,575 in Changshu, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 50% more than Changshu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Changshu are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 20% lower, Changshu 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.29 ¥28.98

$2.87 ¥19.39

49.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.28 ¥191

$21.81 ¥147

29.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 ¥35.08

$4.99 ¥33.75

4.01%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥20.83

$3.04 ¥20.56

1.32%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ¥2.86

$0.46 ¥3.13

-8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.87

$0.27 ¥1.82

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ¥7.31

$0.92 ¥6.25

17.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.85

$2.04 ¥13.79

0.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ¥11.26

$1.84 ¥12.45

-9.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ¥10.86

$1.54 ¥10.43

4.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.56

$0.98 ¥6.59

14.29%

Eggs

$1.71 ¥11.55

$1.56 ¥10.52

9.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.76 ¥106

$12.69 ¥85.7

24.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 ¥21.55

$3.28 ¥22.15

-2.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.85 ¥66.5

$10.36 ¥70.0

-4.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 ¥14.14

$1.86 ¥12.57

12.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.22

$1.20 ¥8.10

38.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.96

$1.48 ¥9.99

19.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.59

$1.10 ¥7.43

15.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.78

$0.73 ¥4.94

16.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.13

$0.89 ¥6.01

2.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.52

$0.56 ¥3.81

19.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ¥3.51

$0.51 ¥3.42

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 ¥23.25

$3.19 ¥21.53

7.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 ¥99.9

$10.61 ¥71.7

39.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.78

$0.75 ¥5.04

14.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥11.77

$1.63 ¥11.03

6.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ¥3.71

$0.29 ¥1.96

89.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.84 ¥215

$16.93 ¥114

88.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ¥12.46

$1.42 ¥9.56

29.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.35 ¥2.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 ¥69.8

$6.79 ¥45.86

52.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$1.12 ¥7.55

1.79%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$18.9K ¥127.4K

$19.1K ¥129.1K

-1.32%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$15.9K ¥107.4K

$16.9K ¥114.4K

-6.09%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$51.5 ¥348

$45.66 ¥309

12.83%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$8.84 ¥59.7

$9.59 ¥64.8

-7.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.44 ¥84.1

$11.54 ¥78.0

7.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.69 ¥336

$42.29 ¥286

17.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 ¥125

$14.13 ¥95.5

30.86%

Cinema Ticket

$8.29 ¥56.1

$6.02 ¥40.65

37.71%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$679 ¥4,588

$328 ¥2,217

106.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ¥158.6K

$16.8K ¥113.7K

39.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 ¥423

$44.49 ¥301

40.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.13 ¥231

$29.91 ¥202

14.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$71.9 ¥486

7.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 ¥679

$72.2 ¥488

39.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ¥6,044

$282 ¥1,902

217.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 ¥3,133

$194 ¥1,312

138.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,906 ¥12.9K

$592 ¥4,003

221.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 ¥7,277

$359 ¥2,427

199.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.6K ¥85.1K

$2,972 ¥20.1K

323.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,257 ¥42.3K

$2,059 ¥13.9K

203.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

3.89

-6.43%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): July 12, 2026

Last update for Changshu: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $894 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $282 in Changshu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $22.00 in Changshu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $198 – making Changshu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Beijing (Pekin) vs Changshu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 50%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,610 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,076 in Changshu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Changshu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Beijing (Pekin) and $22.00 in Changshu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,073 in Beijing (Pekin) and $717 in Changshu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Changshu, where all-in costs run around $717, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,073. In Changshu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Changshu – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Changshu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Beijing (Pekin) makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.