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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,059 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $685 in Shaoxing, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,761 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,098 in Shaoxing, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,463 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,512 in Shaoxing, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 55% more than Shaoxing, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Shaoxing are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower, Shaoxing 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.15 ¥28.09

$2.77 ¥18.76

49.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.92 ¥189

$20.61 ¥140

35.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ¥35.94

$4.14 ¥28.01

28.26%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥20.59

$2.74 ¥18.54

10.95%

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

$0.46 ¥3.12

$0.45 ¥3.06

2.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.04

$0.26 ¥1.78

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.72

$0.67 ¥4.53

70.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.45

$1.71 ¥11.55

24.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ¥11.68

$2.22 ¥15.05

-22.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥10.76

$2.05 ¥13.91

-22.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.47

$0.77 ¥5.24

42.86%

Eggs

$1.65 ¥11.17

$1.54 ¥10.41

7.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ¥108

$7.72 ¥52.3

105.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ¥21.79

$2.83 ¥19.14

13.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 ¥67.6

$9.13 ¥61.9

9.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 ¥14.26

$1.92 ¥13.04

9.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.77

$1.42 ¥9.59

11.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 ¥11.78

$1.65 ¥11.14

5.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ¥9.12

$1.21 ¥8.17

11.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.65

$0.87 ¥5.89

-4.60%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.26

$0.95 ¥6.45

-3.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.84

$0.81 ¥5.50

-12.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.80

$0.61 ¥4.10

-8.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 ¥23.35

$3.44 ¥23.32

0.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.96 ¥101

$10.19 ¥69.0

46.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.81

$0.79 ¥5.37

8.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥12.48

$1.55 ¥10.53

18.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ¥3.67

$0.29 ¥1.97

86.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.39 ¥213

$16.85 ¥114

86.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ¥12.51

$1.56 ¥10.58

18.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.41

$0.39 ¥2.62

-7.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.52 ¥71.2

$8.50 ¥57.6

23.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$1.14 ¥7.70

-3.51%

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

$18.2K ¥122.9K

$17.3K ¥117.5K

4.64%

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

$15.4K ¥104.2K

$14.7K ¥99.3K

5.00%

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

$52.7 ¥357

$42.83 ¥290

23.04%

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

$8.97 ¥60.8

$11.08 ¥75.1

-19.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.62 ¥85.5

$10.99 ¥74.4

14.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.30 ¥327

$41.87 ¥284

15.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.96 ¥122

$13.96 ¥94.6

28.65%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 ¥55.4

$5.46 ¥36.98

49.63%

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

$668 ¥4,524

$408 ¥2,765

63.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K ¥163.1K

$18.4K ¥124.7K

30.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 ¥413

$42.01 ¥285

45.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.02 ¥230

$31.12 ¥211

9.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥520

$67.7 ¥458

13.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 ¥671

$66.7 ¥452

48.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 ¥6,202

$280 ¥1,897

226.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 ¥3,084

$189 ¥1,280

140.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,913 ¥13.0K

$597 ¥4,045

220.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 ¥7,340

$355 ¥2,404

205.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥83.8K

$3,194 ¥21.6K

287.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,323 ¥42.8K

$1,804 ¥12.2K

250.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

$891 ¥6,034

76.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

3.87

-5.94%

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

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

Last update for Shaoxing: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $916 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $280 in Shaoxing. 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 76% 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 Shaoxing. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $190 – making Shaoxing 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 Shaoxing: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 55%, 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 $1,027 in Shaoxing. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shaoxing, 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 Shaoxing. 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 $685 in Shaoxing. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shaoxing, where all-in costs run around $685, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,059. In Shaoxing it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shaoxing – 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 Shaoxing. 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.