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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,059 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $971 in Suzhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,761 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,597 in Suzhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,463 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $2,223 in Suzhou, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 9% more than Suzhou, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Suzhou are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower, Suzhou 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.15 ¥28.07

$4.23 ¥28.62

-1.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.92 ¥189

$41.28 ¥279

-32.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ¥35.92

$5.71 ¥38.65

-7.01%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥20.58

$3.93 ¥26.57

-22.65%

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

$0.46 ¥3.11

$1.66 ¥11.23

-72.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.04

$0.74 ¥4.98

-59.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$4.26 ¥28.85

-73.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.44

$5.70 ¥38.56

-62.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ¥11.67

$2.43 ¥16.46

-29.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥10.75

$2.50 ¥16.95

-36.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.47

$1.15 ¥7.81

-4.35%

Eggs

$1.65 ¥11.16

$1.98 ¥13.38

-16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ¥108

$20.82 ¥141

-23.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ¥21.77

$3.71 ¥25.11

-13.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 ¥67.6

$7.76 ¥52.5

28.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 ¥14.25

$2.14 ¥14.50

-1.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.77

$1.63 ¥11.03

-2.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 ¥11.77

$1.58 ¥10.70

10.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ¥9.12

$1.36 ¥9.23

-0.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.65

$0.69 ¥4.64

20.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.25

$1.18 ¥7.96

-22.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.84

$0.99 ¥6.69

-28.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.80

$0.50 ¥3.39

12.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 ¥23.33

$4.20 ¥28.41

-17.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.96 ¥101

$10.30 ¥69.7

45.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.80

$0.93 ¥6.29

-7.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥12.47

$2.78 ¥18.83

-33.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ¥3.67

$0.29 ¥1.97

86.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.39 ¥212

$41.59 ¥282

-24.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ¥12.50

$1.76 ¥11.92

5.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.41

$0.35 ¥2.37

2.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.52 ¥71.2

$8.46 ¥57.3

24.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$1.18 ¥8.00

-6.78%

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

$18.2K ¥122.9K

$21.2K ¥143.3K

-14.29%

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

$15.4K ¥104.2K

$23.3K ¥157.9K

-34.04%

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

$52.7 ¥357

$117 ¥794

-55.09%

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

$8.97 ¥60.7

$14.88 ¥101

-39.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.62 ¥85.4

$11.54 ¥78.1

9.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.30 ¥327

$63.8 ¥432

-24.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.96 ¥122

$19.08 ¥129

-5.87%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 ¥55.3

$6.88 ¥46.54

18.75%

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

$668 ¥4,521

$787 ¥5,330

-15.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K ¥163.0K

$16.8K ¥113.5K

43.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 ¥413

$54.1 ¥366

12.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.02 ¥230

$35.30 ¥239

-3.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥520

$72.1 ¥488

6.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 ¥671

$93.1 ¥630

6.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 ¥6,199

$408 ¥2,761

124.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 ¥3,083

$204 ¥1,380

123.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,913 ¥12.9K

$971 ¥6,573

96.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 ¥7,336

$528 ¥3,576

105.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥83.8K

$5,287 ¥35.8K

134.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,323 ¥42.8K

$2,783 ¥18.8K

127.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

$1,339 ¥9,064

17.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

3.86

-5.70%

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

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

Last update for Suzhou: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $916 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $408 in Suzhou. 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 17% 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 $41.00 in Suzhou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $245 – making Beijing (Pekin) 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 Suzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $1,456 in Suzhou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Suzhou, 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 $41.00 in Suzhou. 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 $971 in Suzhou. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Suzhou, where all-in costs run around $971, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,059. In Suzhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Suzhou – 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 Suzhou. 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.