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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,059 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $908 in Hangzhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,761 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,462 in Hangzhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,463 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $2,017 in Hangzhou, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 17% more than Hangzhou, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Hangzhou are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower, Hangzhou 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.15 ¥28.07

$3.50 ¥23.68

18.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.92 ¥189

$26.22 ¥178

6.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ¥35.92

$4.91 ¥33.24

8.15%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥20.58

$3.39 ¥22.97

-10.32%

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

$0.46 ¥3.11

$0.48 ¥3.26

-4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.04

$0.29 ¥1.98

3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.10 ¥7.44

3.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.44

$1.63 ¥11.02

30.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ¥11.67

$1.98 ¥13.42

-13.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥10.75

$1.97 ¥13.32

-19.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.47

$0.99 ¥6.72

11.11%

Eggs

$1.65 ¥11.16

$1.81 ¥12.27

-8.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ¥108

$16.80 ¥114

-5.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ¥21.77

$2.58 ¥17.48

24.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 ¥67.6

$9.63 ¥65.2

3.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 ¥14.25

$2.04 ¥13.83

3.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.77

$1.79 ¥12.12

-11.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 ¥11.77

$1.60 ¥10.80

8.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ¥9.12

$1.20 ¥8.12

12.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.65

$0.72 ¥4.85

15.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.25

$1.00 ¥6.77

-8.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.84

$0.63 ¥4.26

12.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.80

$0.53 ¥3.62

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 ¥23.33

$4.27 ¥28.90

-19.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.96 ¥101

$13.56 ¥91.8

10.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.80

$0.69 ¥4.67

24.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥12.47

$1.70 ¥11.48

8.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ¥3.67

$0.51 ¥3.43

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.39 ¥212

$15.03 ¥102

108.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ¥12.50

$1.77 ¥11.97

4.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.41

$0.42 ¥2.86

-14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.52 ¥71.2

$6.45 ¥43.65

63.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$1.14 ¥7.71

-3.51%

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

$18.2K ¥122.9K

$19.5K ¥131.7K

-6.73%

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

$15.4K ¥104.2K

$16.7K ¥113.4K

-8.13%

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

$52.7 ¥357

$45.27 ¥306

16.41%

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

$8.97 ¥60.7

$11.28 ¥76.3

-20.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.62 ¥85.4

$18.42 ¥125

-31.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.30 ¥327

$60.0 ¥406

-19.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.96 ¥122

$15.86 ¥107

13.24%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 ¥55.3

$6.42 ¥43.48

27.26%

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

$668 ¥4,521

$456 ¥3,086

46.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K ¥163.0K

$28.5K ¥193.1K

-15.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 ¥413

$56.2 ¥380

8.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.02 ¥230

$34.96 ¥237

-2.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥520

$72.1 ¥488

6.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 ¥671

$93.3 ¥632

6.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 ¥6,199

$523 ¥3,543

74.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 ¥3,083

$301 ¥2,037

51.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,913 ¥12.9K

$1,118 ¥7,565

71.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 ¥7,336

$685 ¥4,636

58.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥83.8K

$7,767 ¥52.6K

59.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,323 ¥42.8K

$3,765 ¥25.5K

67.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

$1,470 ¥9,952

6.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

3.83

-4.96%

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

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

Last update for Hangzhou: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $916 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $523 in Hangzhou. 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 7% 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 $26.00 in Hangzhou. Groceries tell a different story – $223 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $223 in Hangzhou – 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 Hangzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. 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 $1,362 in Hangzhou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hangzhou, 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 $26.00 in Hangzhou. 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 $908 in Hangzhou. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Hangzhou, where all-in costs run around $908, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,059. In Hangzhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hangzhou – 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 Hangzhou. 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.