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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $769 in Taizhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,895 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,256 in Taizhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,580 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,743 in Taizhou, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 57% more than Taizhou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Taizhou are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 12% lower, Taizhou 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ¥29.48

$3.80 ¥25.46

15.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.24 ¥203

$25.89 ¥173

16.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 ¥34.08

$5.02 ¥33.64

1.39%

Cappuccino

$3.40 ¥22.76

$3.42 ¥22.91

-0.58%

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

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.53 ¥3.57

7.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.95

$0.29 ¥1.94

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 ¥8.06

$1.22 ¥8.17

-1.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.86

$2.26 ¥15.14

-28.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ¥12.66

$1.95 ¥13.04

-3.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥11.96

$1.63 ¥10.92

9.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.41

$0.58 ¥3.90

91.38%

Eggs

$1.99 ¥13.35

$1.22 ¥8.17

63.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.81 ¥99.2

$19.39 ¥130

-23.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ¥22.38

$3.66 ¥24.50

-8.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ¥72.7

$10.24 ¥68.6

5.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ¥13.21

$1.17 ¥7.87

68.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ¥12.73

$1.30 ¥8.74

46.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.24

$1.45 ¥9.75

36.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ¥10.85

$1.50 ¥10.06

8.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.12

$0.75 ¥5.04

1.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 ¥5.63

$0.93 ¥6.22

-9.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.54

$0.63 ¥4.19

7.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.59 ¥3.93

-1.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 ¥27.09

$4.19 ¥28.09

-3.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.90 ¥99.9

$13.54 ¥90.7

10.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ¥7.21

$0.46 ¥3.11

134.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ¥12.68

$1.64 ¥10.97

15.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ¥5.19

$0.30 ¥1.98

156.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.53 ¥211

$18.89 ¥127

66.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ¥12.73

$1.17 ¥7.85

62.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.35

$0.36 ¥2.38

-2.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 ¥49.40

$6.98 ¥46.75

5.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥8.32

$1.32 ¥8.86

-6.06%

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

$19.0K ¥127.0K

$19.4K ¥129.8K

-2.13%

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

$18.0K ¥120.6K

$15.8K ¥106.0K

13.76%

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

$54.3 ¥364

$49.25 ¥330

10.17%

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

$8.91 ¥59.7

$8.53 ¥57.1

4.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.43 ¥96.7

$10.91 ¥73.1

32.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.40 ¥271

$41.62 ¥279

-2.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.73 ¥159

$14.45 ¥96.8

64.22%

Cinema Ticket

$7.23 ¥48.45

$7.61 ¥51.0

-4.99%

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

$661 ¥4,432

$560 ¥3,750

18.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K ¥169.6K

$36.0K ¥241.1K

-29.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ¥422

$31.92 ¥214

97.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.30 ¥250

$41.94 ¥281

-11.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 ¥590

$82.8 ¥555

6.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ¥821

$109 ¥730

12.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$959 ¥6,429

$292 ¥1,957

228.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$536 ¥3,592

$185 ¥1,238

190.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,364 ¥15.8K

$652 ¥4,369

262.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 ¥7,416

$353 ¥2,369

213.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K ¥82.7K

$3,241 ¥21.7K

280.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,466 ¥43.3K

$1,954 ¥13.1K

230.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,662 ¥11.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.21

3.5

-8.29%

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

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

Last update for Taizhou: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $959 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $292 in Taizhou. 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 $30.00 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $26.00 in Taizhou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $233 vs $223 – making Taizhou 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 Taizhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 57%, 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 $1,813 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,153 in Taizhou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Taizhou, 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 $30.00 in Beijing (Pekin) and $26.00 in Taizhou. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,209 in Beijing (Pekin) and $769 in Taizhou. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Taizhou, where all-in costs run around $769, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,209. In Taizhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taizhou – 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 Taizhou. 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.