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 $1,073 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $752 in Dongguan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,769 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,177 in Dongguan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,464 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,602 in Dongguan, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 43% more than Dongguan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Dongguan are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 20% lower, Dongguan 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.29 ¥28.98

$2.47 ¥16.70

73.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.28 ¥191

$20.71 ¥140

36.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 ¥35.08

$4.37 ¥29.54

18.76%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥20.83

$2.61 ¥17.65

18.01%

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

$0.42 ¥2.86

$0.42 ¥2.83

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.87

$0.27 ¥1.80

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ¥7.31

$1.12 ¥7.56

-3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.85

$2.18 ¥14.74

-5.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ¥11.26

$1.68 ¥11.37

-0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ¥10.86

$1.47 ¥9.95

9.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.56

$0.97 ¥6.55

15.46%

Eggs

$1.71 ¥11.55

$1.79 ¥12.13

-4.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.76 ¥106

$12.82 ¥86.6

22.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 ¥21.55

$4.01 ¥27.08

-20.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.85 ¥66.5

$11.29 ¥76.3

-12.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 ¥14.14

$1.88 ¥12.72

11.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.22

$1.42 ¥9.57

16.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.96

$1.82 ¥12.30

-2.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.59

$1.35 ¥9.09

-5.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.78

$0.96 ¥6.46

-11.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.13

$1.45 ¥9.77

-37.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.52

$0.62 ¥4.20

8.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ¥3.51

$0.60 ¥4.02

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 ¥23.25

$2.85 ¥19.27

20.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 ¥99.9

$14.93 ¥101

-0.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.78

$0.95 ¥6.40

-9.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥11.77

$1.90 ¥12.86

-8.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ¥3.71

$0.27 ¥1.80

103.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.84 ¥215

$21.26 ¥144

49.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ¥12.46

$1.22 ¥8.27

50.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.34 ¥2.31

2.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 ¥69.8

$5.43 ¥36.70

90.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$1.18 ¥7.98

-3.39%

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

$18.9K ¥127.4K

$21.2K ¥143.2K

-11.01%

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

$15.9K ¥107.4K

$20.7K ¥139.9K

-23.21%

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

$51.5 ¥348

$62.5 ¥422

-17.53%

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

$8.84 ¥59.7

$8.57 ¥57.9

3.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.44 ¥84.1

$12.21 ¥82.5

1.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.69 ¥336

$59.8 ¥404

-16.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 ¥125

$13.34 ¥90.2

38.61%

Cinema Ticket

$8.29 ¥56.1

$7.11 ¥48.02

16.60%

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

$679 ¥4,588

$451 ¥3,046

50.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ¥158.6K

$20.5K ¥138.6K

14.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 ¥423

$29.95 ¥202

109.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.13 ¥231

$24.56 ¥166

38.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$61.6 ¥416

24.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 ¥679

$37.54 ¥254

167.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ¥6,044

$355 ¥2,399

151.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 ¥3,133

$214 ¥1,447

116.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,906 ¥12.9K

$679 ¥4,585

180.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 ¥7,277

$412 ¥2,787

161.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.6K ¥85.1K

$5,717 ¥38.6K

120.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,257 ¥42.3K

$3,004 ¥20.3K

108.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

$846 ¥5,716

85.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

4.04

-9.90%

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

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

Last update for Dongguan: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $894 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $355 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 86% 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 $21.00 in Dongguan. Groceries tell a different story – $221 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $221 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 43%, 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 $1,128 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 $28.00 in Beijing (Pekin) and $21.00 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 $1,073 in Beijing (Pekin) and $752 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 $752, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,073. 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.