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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,059 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $708 in Changzhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,761 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,160 in Changzhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,463 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,612 in Changzhou, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 50% more than Changzhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Changzhou are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower, Changzhou 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.15 ¥28.09

$2.84 ¥19.24

46.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.92 ¥189

$26.70 ¥181

4.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ¥35.94

$4.24 ¥28.74

25.24%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥20.59

$2.95 ¥20.00

3.05%

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

$0.46 ¥3.12

$0.48 ¥3.22

-4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.04

$0.25 ¥1.68

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.72

$0.69 ¥4.66

65.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.45

$1.42 ¥9.64

50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ¥11.68

$1.99 ¥13.49

-13.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥10.76

$1.27 ¥8.61

25.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.47

$0.93 ¥6.30

18.28%

Eggs

$1.65 ¥11.17

$1.80 ¥12.18

-8.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ¥108

$6.80 ¥46.08

133.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ¥21.79

$2.41 ¥16.33

33.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 ¥67.6

$9.43 ¥63.9

5.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 ¥14.26

$1.77 ¥12.00

19.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.77

$1.79 ¥12.11

-11.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 ¥11.78

$1.65 ¥11.16

5.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ¥9.12

$0.96 ¥6.51

40.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.65

$0.73 ¥4.96

13.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.26

$0.92 ¥6.22

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.84

$0.39 ¥2.65

82.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.80

$0.49 ¥3.30

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 ¥23.35

$3.01 ¥20.42

14.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.96 ¥101

$10.32 ¥69.9

44.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.81

$0.69 ¥4.65

24.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥12.48

$1.62 ¥11.00

13.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ¥3.67

$0.30 ¥2.01

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.39 ¥213

$13.20 ¥89.4

137.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ¥12.51

$1.35 ¥9.14

37.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.41

$0.28 ¥1.91

28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.52 ¥71.2

$2.71 ¥18.34

288.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$1.16 ¥7.85

-5.17%

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

$18.2K ¥122.9K

$15.4K ¥104.2K

18.03%

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

$15.4K ¥104.2K

$17.4K ¥117.7K

-11.43%

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

$52.7 ¥357

$44.68 ¥303

17.95%

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

$8.97 ¥60.8

$11.47 ¥77.7

-21.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.62 ¥85.5

$18.22 ¥123

-30.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.30 ¥327

$38.78 ¥263

24.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.96 ¥122

$14.10 ¥95.5

27.38%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 ¥55.4

$6.43 ¥43.53

27.06%

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

$668 ¥4,524

$230 ¥1,560

189.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K ¥163.1K

$13.9K ¥94.0K

73.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 ¥413

$46.28 ¥313

31.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.02 ¥230

$26.00 ¥176

30.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥520

$70.6 ¥478

8.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 ¥671

$69.0 ¥467

43.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 ¥6,202

$285 ¥1,931

221.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 ¥3,084

$204 ¥1,384

122.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,913 ¥13.0K

$844 ¥5,715

126.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 ¥7,340

$472 ¥3,196

129.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥83.8K

$2,967 ¥20.1K

317.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,323 ¥42.8K

$1,597 ¥10.8K

295.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

$1,140 ¥7,722

37.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

3.35

8.66%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): May 30, 2026

Last update for Changzhou: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $916 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $285 in Changzhou. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 38% higher in Beijing (Pekin), which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $27.00 in Changzhou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $174 – making Changzhou 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 Changzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,589 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,063 in Changzhou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Changzhou, 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 $27.00 in Changzhou. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,059 in Beijing (Pekin) and $708 in Changzhou. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Changzhou, where all-in costs run around $708, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,059. In Changzhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Changzhou. 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.