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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $805 in Dongguan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,895 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,260 in Dongguan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,580 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,716 in Dongguan, rent included.

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

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Dongguan are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 12% lower, Dongguan 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ¥29.48

$2.17 ¥14.53

102.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.24 ¥203

$22.45 ¥150

34.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 ¥34.08

$5.17 ¥34.62

-1.55%

Cappuccino

$3.40 ¥22.76

$2.52 ¥16.87

34.92%

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

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.51 ¥3.43

11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.95

$0.29 ¥1.93

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 ¥8.06

$0.89 ¥5.94

34.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.86

$2.19 ¥14.70

-26.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ¥12.66

$1.55 ¥10.36

21.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥11.96

$1.68 ¥11.28

6.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.41

$0.95 ¥6.40

16.84%

Eggs

$1.99 ¥13.35

$1.67 ¥11.18

19.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.81 ¥99.2

$20.69 ¥139

-28.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ¥22.38

$3.59 ¥24.04

-6.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ¥72.7

$14.66 ¥98.2

-25.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ¥13.21

$2.21 ¥14.78

-10.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ¥12.73

$1.59 ¥10.68

19.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.24

$1.86 ¥12.44

6.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ¥10.85

$1.42 ¥9.53

14.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.12

$1.21 ¥8.12

-37.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 ¥5.63

$1.47 ¥9.84

-42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.54

$0.55 ¥3.68

23.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.54 ¥3.59

7.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 ¥27.09

$4.50 ¥30.14

-10.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.90 ¥99.9

$12.28 ¥82.3

21.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ¥7.21

$0.91 ¥6.07

18.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ¥12.68

$1.83 ¥12.23

3.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ¥5.19

$0.38 ¥2.57

102.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.53 ¥211

$22.70 ¥152

38.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ¥12.73

$1.21 ¥8.10

57.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.35

$0.40 ¥2.69

-12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 ¥49.40

$4.59 ¥30.77

60.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥8.32

$1.22 ¥8.19

1.64%

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

$19.0K ¥127.0K

$19.5K ¥130.4K

-2.61%

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

$18.0K ¥120.6K

$18.2K ¥122.0K

-1.18%

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

$54.3 ¥364

$63.1 ¥423

-14.06%

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

$8.91 ¥59.7

$9.28 ¥62.2

-3.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.43 ¥96.7

$12.74 ¥85.4

13.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.40 ¥271

$51.7 ¥347

-21.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.73 ¥159

$16.26 ¥109

45.94%

Cinema Ticket

$7.23 ¥48.45

$7.59 ¥50.9

-4.74%

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

$661 ¥4,432

$529 ¥3,542

25.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K ¥169.6K

$23.6K ¥157.9K

7.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ¥422

$31.53 ¥211

99.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.30 ¥250

$39.51 ¥265

-5.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 ¥590

$69.1 ¥463

27.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ¥821

$40.86 ¥274

199.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$959 ¥6,429

$374 ¥2,508

156.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$536 ¥3,592

$221 ¥1,479

142.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,364 ¥15.8K

$656 ¥4,396

260.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 ¥7,416

$419 ¥2,809

164.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K ¥82.7K

$5,558 ¥37.2K

122.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,466 ¥43.3K

$3,047 ¥20.4K

112.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,662 ¥11.1K

$844 ¥5,656

96.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.21

3.4

-5.59%

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

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

Last update for Dongguan: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $959 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $374 in Dongguan. 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 97% 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 $30.00 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $22.00 in Dongguan. Groceries tell a different story – $233 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $250 in Dongguan – so Beijing (Pekin) wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Dongguan: 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 $1,813 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,208 in Dongguan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dongguan, 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 $30.00 in Beijing (Pekin) and $22.00 in Dongguan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,209 in Beijing (Pekin) and $805 in Dongguan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dongguan, where all-in costs run around $805, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,209. In Dongguan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dongguan – 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 Dongguan. 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.