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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,073 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $756 in Zhangjiagang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,769 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,236 in Zhangjiagang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,464 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,716 in Zhangjiagang, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 42% more than Zhangjiagang, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Zhangjiagang are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 20% lower, Zhangjiagang 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.29 ¥28.98

$3.44 ¥23.25

24.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.28 ¥191

$25.97 ¥176

8.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 ¥35.08

$4.72 ¥31.93

9.96%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥20.83

$3.42 ¥23.10

-9.94%

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

$0.42 ¥2.86

$0.48 ¥3.23

-12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.87

$0.27 ¥1.80

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ¥7.31

$1.10 ¥7.43

-1.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.85

$1.63 ¥11.04

25.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ¥11.26

$2.00 ¥13.49

-16.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ¥10.86

$1.89 ¥12.77

-14.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.56

$0.93 ¥6.29

20.43%

Eggs

$1.71 ¥11.55

$1.81 ¥12.25

-5.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.76 ¥106

$17.39 ¥118

-9.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 ¥21.55

$2.64 ¥17.83

20.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.85 ¥66.5

$9.81 ¥66.3

0.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 ¥14.14

$2.02 ¥13.66

3.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.22

$1.80 ¥12.15

-7.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.96

$1.60 ¥10.82

10.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.59

$1.26 ¥8.51

0.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.78

$0.79 ¥5.32

7.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.13

$0.98 ¥6.59

-7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.52

$0.66 ¥4.46

1.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ¥3.51

$0.53 ¥3.56

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 ¥23.25

$4.13 ¥27.89

-16.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 ¥99.9

$13.29 ¥89.8

11.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.78

$0.71 ¥4.79

21.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥11.77

$1.70 ¥11.47

2.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ¥3.71

$0.29 ¥1.99

89.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.84 ¥215

$16.93 ¥114

88.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ¥12.46

$1.79 ¥12.11

2.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.28 ¥1.91

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 ¥69.8

$6.21 ¥41.95

66.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$1.17 ¥7.92

-2.56%

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

$18.9K ¥127.4K

$19.5K ¥131.6K

-3.14%

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

$15.9K ¥107.4K

$16.7K ¥113.0K

-4.93%

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

$51.5 ¥348

$43.95 ¥297

17.22%

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

$8.84 ¥59.7

$11.37 ¥76.8

-22.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.44 ¥84.1

$11.76 ¥79.5

5.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.69 ¥336

$42.03 ¥284

18.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 ¥125

$14.18 ¥95.8

30.39%

Cinema Ticket

$8.29 ¥56.1

$6.21 ¥41.99

33.49%

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

$679 ¥4,588

$446 ¥3,012

52.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ¥158.6K

$16.8K ¥113.5K

39.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 ¥423

$56.6 ¥382

10.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.13 ¥231

$35.28 ¥238

-3.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$72.3 ¥489

6.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 ¥679

$91.2 ¥616

10.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ¥6,044

$282 ¥1,907

216.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 ¥3,133

$187 ¥1,261

148.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,906 ¥12.9K

$589 ¥3,980

223.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 ¥7,277

$361 ¥2,442

198.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.6K ¥85.1K

$3,334 ¥22.5K

277.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,257 ¥42.3K

$1,681 ¥11.4K

272.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

3.83

-4.96%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): July 12, 2026

Last update for Zhangjiagang: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $894 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $282 in Zhangjiagang. 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 $26.00 in Zhangjiagang. Groceries tell a different story – $221 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $225 in Zhangjiagang – so Beijing (Pekin) wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Zhangjiagang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 42%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,610 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,134 in Zhangjiagang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zhangjiagang, 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 $26.00 in Zhangjiagang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,073 in Beijing (Pekin) and $756 in Zhangjiagang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zhangjiagang, where all-in costs run around $756, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,073. In Zhangjiagang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zhangjiagang – 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 Zhangjiagang. 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.