Cost of Living Comparison Between Beijing (Pekin) and Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu Cost of Living Comparison Between Beijing (Pekin) and Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,089 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $652 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,789 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,051 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,489 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,450 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 67% more than Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 19% lower, Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.30 ¥29.44

$2.84 ¥19.48

51.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.98 ¥192

$22.70 ¥155

23.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.29 ¥36.24

$4.81 ¥32.98

9.98%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ¥21.98

$2.89 ¥19.81

11.07%

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

$0.42 ¥2.86

$0.42 ¥2.87

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.08

$0.24 ¥1.63

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 ¥7.68

$0.80 ¥5.49

40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ¥14.54

$1.41 ¥9.67

50.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ¥11.72

$2.30 ¥15.72

-25.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥10.90

$1.14 ¥7.78

39.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.66

$0.83 ¥5.66

34.94%

Eggs

$1.73 ¥11.83

$1.47 ¥10.09

17.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.79 ¥108

$9.06 ¥62.1

74.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 ¥22.81

$2.72 ¥18.66

22.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.66 ¥66.2

$5.54 ¥37.92

74.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 ¥14.13

$2.15 ¥14.75

-4.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ¥10.98

$1.43 ¥9.82

11.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.20

$1.64 ¥11.26

8.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.88

$1.16 ¥7.96

12.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 ¥5.44

$0.92 ¥6.32

-14.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.29

$0.87 ¥5.99

5.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ¥4.99

$0.82 ¥5.61

-10.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.84

$0.61 ¥4.16

-8.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.58 ¥24.55

$3.27 ¥22.41

9.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 ¥71.7

$7.90 ¥54.1

32.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥5.55

$0.88 ¥6.01

-7.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ¥12.36

$1.40 ¥9.60

28.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ¥3.72

$0.29 ¥2.01

86.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.11 ¥213

$16.46 ¥113

89.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 ¥12.47

$1.56 ¥10.70

16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.26

$0.38 ¥2.64

-13.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.31 ¥70.6

$8.49 ¥58.2

21.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.79

$1.14 ¥7.80

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

$18.2K ¥124.6K

$16.7K ¥114.7K

8.65%

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

$15.6K ¥107.0K

$14.3K ¥98.1K

9.02%

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

$53.0 ¥363

$17.64 ¥121

200.57%

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

$8.75 ¥59.9

$11.08 ¥75.9

-21.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.49 ¥85.5

$10.94 ¥74.9

14.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.95 ¥342

$56.1 ¥385

-11.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.40 ¥126

$14.05 ¥96.2

30.96%

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 ¥57.1

$5.41 ¥37.06

54.16%

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

$674 ¥4,619

$275 ¥1,881

145.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K ¥166.2K

$16.5K ¥113.1K

46.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 ¥425

$41.05 ¥281

51.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.39 ¥236

$33.43 ¥229

2.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 ¥540

$56.8 ¥389

39.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 ¥678

$56.7 ¥388

74.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$886 ¥6,067

$281 ¥1,923

215.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ¥3,137

$191 ¥1,309

139.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,924 ¥13.2K

$592 ¥4,058

224.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,066 ¥7,299

$356 ¥2,439

199.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥85.1K

$2,884 ¥19.8K

330.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,333 ¥43.4K

$1,980 ¥13.6K

219.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,618 ¥11.1K

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): April 27, 2026

Last update for Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $886 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $281 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $23.00 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 vs $171 – making Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu 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 Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 67%, 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 $1,633 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $978 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 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 $23.00 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,089 in Beijing (Pekin) and $652 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu, where all-in costs run around $652, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,089. In Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu – 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 Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu. 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.