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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,177 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $680 in Yangzhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,908 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,087 in Yangzhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,639 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,495 in Yangzhou, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 73% more than Yangzhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Yangzhou are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 14% lower, Yangzhou 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.44 ¥29.77

$2.26 ¥15.13

96.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.71 ¥199

$11.00 ¥73.7

170.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.36 ¥35.91

$2.97 ¥19.88

80.47%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥23.76

$2.52 ¥16.88

40.87%

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

$0.55 ¥3.68

$0.47 ¥3.14

17.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.79

$0.21 ¥1.41

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.20

$1.03 ¥6.87

18.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.17

$1.99 ¥13.33

-16.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 ¥11.89

$1.16 ¥7.74

52.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ¥11.21

$1.95 ¥13.09

-14.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.55

$0.75 ¥5.01

50.67%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥13.47

$1.03 ¥6.89

95.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 ¥96.5

$13.99 ¥93.7

2.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ¥22.39

$2.66 ¥17.83

25.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.83 ¥72.6

$7.01 ¥46.94

54.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 ¥14.51

$0.73 ¥4.91

197.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.10

$1.75 ¥11.74

3.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ¥13.00

$0.46 ¥3.08

321.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 ¥10.50

$1.04 ¥6.97

50.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.82

$0.74 ¥4.99

-2.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.17

$0.66 ¥4.44

39.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ¥4.68

$0.78 ¥5.23

-10.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ¥4.12

$0.71 ¥4.78

-12.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 ¥27.86

$3.05 ¥20.42

36.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.66 ¥98.2

$12.14 ¥81.3

20.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ¥7.00

$0.93 ¥6.23

12.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 ¥11.87

$1.92 ¥12.83

-7.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ¥5.13

$0.33 ¥2.20

133.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.73 ¥233

$16.53 ¥111

110.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 ¥12.90

$1.16 ¥7.79

66.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.38

$0.28 ¥1.90

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.33 ¥49.10

$3.64 ¥24.37

101.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ¥8.81

$1.16 ¥7.78

13.79%

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

$19.7K ¥131.8K

$19.0K ¥127.2K

3.61%

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

$17.8K ¥119.4K

$16.3K ¥109.2K

9.31%

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

$56.4 ¥377

$48.67 ¥326

15.78%

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

$8.95 ¥60.0

$8.02 ¥53.7

11.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.53 ¥97.3

$11.64 ¥78.0

24.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.46 ¥264

$40.48 ¥271

-2.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.00 ¥161

$16.45 ¥110

45.90%

Cinema Ticket

$7.64 ¥51.2

$6.18 ¥41.39

23.62%

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

$658 ¥4,408

$242 ¥1,623

171.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K ¥162.5K

$7,585 ¥50.8K

219.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 ¥441

$89.8 ¥602

-26.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.10 ¥255

$32.72 ¥219

16.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 ¥574

$64.5 ¥432

32.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 ¥831

$88.5 ¥593

40.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ¥6,598

$248 ¥1,663

296.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 ¥3,582

$164 ¥1,099

226.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,338 ¥15.7K

$594 ¥3,977

293.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 ¥7,424

$388 ¥2,596

185.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.5K ¥83.8K

$2,539 ¥17.0K

392.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,363 ¥42.6K

$1,792 ¥12.0K

255.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,663 ¥11.1K

$1,287 ¥8,618

29.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.21

3.1

3.55%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): September 14, 2026

Last update for Yangzhou: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $248 in Yangzhou. 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 29% 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 $30.00 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $11.00 in Yangzhou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $229 vs $184 – making Yangzhou 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 Yangzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 73%, 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 $1,765 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,020 in Yangzhou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yangzhou, 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 $11.00 in Yangzhou. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,177 in Beijing (Pekin) and $680 in Yangzhou. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Yangzhou, where all-in costs run around $680, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,177. In Yangzhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yangzhou – 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 Yangzhou. 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.