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 $1,209 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $727 in Zhangjiagang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,895 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,165 in Zhangjiagang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,580 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,603 in Zhangjiagang, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 66% more than Zhangjiagang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Zhangjiagang are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 12% lower, Zhangjiagang 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ¥29.52

$3.81 ¥25.53

15.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.24 ¥203

$22.08 ¥148

36.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 ¥34.13

$4.94 ¥33.11

3.04%

Cappuccino

$3.40 ¥22.79

$3.15 ¥21.11

7.94%

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

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.52 ¥3.50

9.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.95

$0.27 ¥1.81

7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 ¥8.07

$1.53 ¥10.28

-21.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.87

$2.29 ¥15.34

-29.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ¥12.67

$2.18 ¥14.64

-13.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥11.98

$2.08 ¥13.97

-13.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.42

$0.85 ¥5.69

30.59%

Eggs

$1.99 ¥13.36

$1.29 ¥8.66

54.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.81 ¥99.4

$10.64 ¥71.4

39.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ¥22.41

$3.01 ¥20.19

10.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ¥72.8

$8.85 ¥59.4

22.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ¥13.23

$2.11 ¥14.16

-6.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ¥12.75

$1.28 ¥8.56

48.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.26

$1.74 ¥11.67

13.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ¥10.86

$1.11 ¥7.45

45.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.12

$0.84 ¥5.66

-9.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 ¥5.63

$0.96 ¥6.41

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.55

$0.94 ¥6.33

-27.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.90

$0.51 ¥3.44

13.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 ¥27.13

$3.71 ¥24.88

8.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.90 ¥100

$13.22 ¥88.7

12.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ¥7.22

$0.98 ¥6.56

10.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ¥12.70

$1.56 ¥10.47

21.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ¥5.20

$0.29 ¥1.93

165.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.53 ¥212

$19.28 ¥129

63.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ¥12.75

$1.75 ¥11.75

8.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.35

$0.42 ¥2.81

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 ¥49.46

$8.71 ¥58.4

-15.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥8.33

$1.33 ¥8.91

-6.77%

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

$19.0K ¥127.2K

$19.5K ¥130.7K

-2.69%

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

$18.0K ¥120.7K

$16.7K ¥112.3K

7.52%

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

$54.3 ¥364

$55.4 ¥372

-2.06%

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

$8.91 ¥59.8

$7.44 ¥49.93

19.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.43 ¥96.9

$7.20 ¥48.32

100.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.40 ¥271

$39.27 ¥264

2.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.73 ¥159

$14.86 ¥99.7

59.69%

Cinema Ticket

$7.23 ¥48.52

$6.07 ¥40.74

19.11%

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

$661 ¥4,438

$412 ¥2,765

60.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K ¥169.8K

$22.6K ¥151.9K

11.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ¥422

$42.87 ¥288

46.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.30 ¥250

$34.26 ¥230

8.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 ¥591

$64.7 ¥434

36.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ¥822

$87.4 ¥586

40.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$959 ¥6,438

$280 ¥1,882

242.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$536 ¥3,596

$208 ¥1,393

158.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,364 ¥15.9K

$574 ¥3,851

311.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 ¥7,426

$364 ¥2,440

204.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K ¥82.8K

$3,172 ¥21.3K

289.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,466 ¥43.4K

$2,154 ¥14.5K

200.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,662 ¥11.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.21

3.42

-6.14%

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

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

Last update for Zhangjiagang: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $959 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $280 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 $30.00 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $22.00 in Zhangjiagang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $233 vs $204 – making Zhangjiagang 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 Zhangjiagang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 66%, 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 $1,091 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 $30.00 in Beijing (Pekin) and $22.00 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 $1,209 in Beijing (Pekin) and $727 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 $727, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,209. 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.