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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,058 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $720 in Zaozhuang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,769 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,145 in Zaozhuang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,481 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,569 in Zaozhuang, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 47% more than Zaozhuang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Zaozhuang are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower, Zaozhuang 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.21 ¥28.47

$2.84 ¥19.18

48.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.89 ¥189

$21.08 ¥143

32.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.41 ¥36.61

$4.76 ¥32.20

13.66%

Cappuccino

$3.10 ¥20.99

$3.09 ¥20.90

0.32%

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

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.43 ¥2.90

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.29 ¥1.98

-3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 ¥7.41

$0.93 ¥6.32

18.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ¥14.32

$2.07 ¥14.02

2.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ¥11.18

$1.78 ¥12.01

-7.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 ¥10.65

$1.53 ¥10.34

3.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ¥7.25

$0.96 ¥6.49

11.46%

Eggs

$1.72 ¥11.61

$1.63 ¥11.03

5.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.52 ¥105

$12.94 ¥87.5

19.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ¥21.43

$3.12 ¥21.11

1.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 ¥66.5

$10.24 ¥69.3

-4.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 ¥14.57

$1.80 ¥12.18

19.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ¥10.81

$1.21 ¥8.21

32.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.68

$1.41 ¥9.56

22.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 ¥8.96

$1.09 ¥7.38

22.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$0.67 ¥4.56

17.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 ¥6.66

$0.92 ¥6.19

6.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.58

$0.60 ¥4.05

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ¥3.54

$0.55 ¥3.71

-5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 ¥24.04

$3.22 ¥21.75

10.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.73 ¥99.6

$9.94 ¥67.2

48.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.78

$0.79 ¥5.37

8.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 ¥12.25

$1.65 ¥11.18

9.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ¥3.67

$0.29 ¥1.99

86.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.60 ¥214

$16.78 ¥113

88.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ¥12.55

$1.35 ¥9.12

37.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.35 ¥2.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.64 ¥71.9

$6.77 ¥45.81

57.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥7.38

$1.13 ¥7.64

-3.54%

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

$18.5K ¥124.9K

$19.5K ¥131.7K

-5.16%

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

$15.7K ¥106.3K

$16.7K ¥113.2K

-6.11%

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

$51.2 ¥347

$45.40 ¥307

12.86%

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

$8.60 ¥58.2

$10.01 ¥67.7

-14.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.76 ¥86.3

$11.59 ¥78.3

10.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.99 ¥338

$41.71 ¥282

19.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.99 ¥122

$13.82 ¥93.4

30.17%

Cinema Ticket

$8.15 ¥55.1

$6.24 ¥42.17

30.61%

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

$661 ¥4,471

$342 ¥2,310

93.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ¥158.6K

$17.2K ¥116.1K

36.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 ¥421

$43.41 ¥294

43.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ¥236

$29.92 ¥202

16.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 ¥525

$70.9 ¥480

9.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ¥687

$74.6 ¥504

36.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$913 ¥6,171

$282 ¥1,909

223.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$453 ¥3,066

$184 ¥1,246

146.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 ¥13.3K

$603 ¥4,075

227.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 ¥7,325

$362 ¥2,449

199.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K ¥85.8K

$3,633 ¥24.6K

249.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,152 ¥41.6K

$1,799 ¥12.2K

241.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,556 ¥10.5K

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): June 7, 2026

Last update for Zaozhuang: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $913 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $282 in Zaozhuang. 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 $21.00 in Zaozhuang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $220 vs $196 – making Zaozhuang 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 Zaozhuang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 47%, 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 $1,587 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,080 in Zaozhuang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,058 in Beijing (Pekin) and $720 in Zaozhuang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zaozhuang, where all-in costs run around $720, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,058. In Zaozhuang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zaozhuang – 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 Zaozhuang. 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.