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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,067 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $737 in Zhangjiakou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,797 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,167 in Zhangjiakou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,526 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,596 in Zhangjiakou, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 45% more than Zhangjiakou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Zhangjiakou are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower, Zhangjiakou 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.09 ¥27.96

$2.08 ¥14.19

96.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.09 ¥192

$27.53 ¥188

2.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.36 ¥36.62

$5.58 ¥38.12

-3.94%

Cappuccino

$3.05 ¥20.81

$3.23 ¥22.06

-5.57%

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

$0.46 ¥3.14

$0.44 ¥2.99

4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.05

$0.29 ¥2.01

3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ¥7.70

$0.86 ¥5.85

31.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ¥14.46

$2.00 ¥13.64

6.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ¥11.71

$1.68 ¥11.50

1.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 ¥11.27

$1.87 ¥12.77

-11.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.64

$1.00 ¥6.82

12.00%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.39

$0.91 ¥6.24

83.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.67 ¥107

$13.86 ¥94.6

13.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ¥21.99

$2.86 ¥19.53

12.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.64 ¥65.9

$9.22 ¥63.0

4.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 ¥14.35

$1.27 ¥8.67

65.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.89

$0.85 ¥5.82

87.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.27

$1.37 ¥9.38

31.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.13

$1.10 ¥7.50

21.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.79

$0.79 ¥5.37

7.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.17

$0.59 ¥4.00

52.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ¥4.90

$0.58 ¥3.98

24.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.87

$0.80 ¥5.48

-28.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.58 ¥24.42

$3.57 ¥24.36

0.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.60 ¥72.4

$13.34 ¥91.1

-20.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥5.82

$1.15 ¥7.88

-26.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥11.88

$2.37 ¥16.18

-26.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ¥4.01

$0.27 ¥1.84

118.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.30 ¥214

$16.62 ¥114

88.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 ¥12.26

$0.93 ¥6.33

93.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.40

$0.31 ¥2.08

12.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.34 ¥70.6

$6.11 ¥41.75

69.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.78

$1.09 ¥7.47

4.59%

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

$18.8K ¥128.4K

$16.5K ¥112.4K

14.20%

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

$15.8K ¥107.9K

$19.2K ¥131.4K

-17.87%

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

$51.2 ¥350

$86.2 ¥589

-40.58%

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

$9.00 ¥61.5

$6.77 ¥46.27

32.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.44 ¥84.9

$7.12 ¥48.63

74.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.97 ¥341

$41.62 ¥284

20.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.24 ¥125

$13.66 ¥93.3

33.53%

Cinema Ticket

$8.51 ¥58.1

$6.36 ¥43.46

33.81%

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

$683 ¥4,665

$313 ¥2,140

118.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K ¥162.9K

$4,938 ¥33.7K

382.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥420

$39.58 ¥270

55.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.26 ¥234

$29.43 ¥201

16.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 ¥531

$77.3 ¥528

0.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ¥695

$55.2 ¥377

84.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$914 ¥6,242

$276 ¥1,882

231.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ¥3,129

$190 ¥1,300

140.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,918 ¥13.1K

$601 ¥4,103

219.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,085 ¥7,409

$357 ¥2,439

203.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.1K ¥82.7K

$2,997 ¥20.5K

304.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,141 ¥41.9K

$1,996 ¥13.6K

207.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,581 ¥10.8K

$375 ¥2,564

321.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

4.35

-16.32%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): April 13, 2026

Last update for Zhangjiakou: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $914 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $276 in Zhangjiakou. 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 321% 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 $28 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $28 in Zhangjiakou. Groceries tell a different story – $214 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $202 in Zhangjiakou – so Zhangjiakou 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 Zhangjiakou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 45%, 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 $1,601 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,106 in Zhangjiakou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zhangjiakou, 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 $28.00 in Zhangjiakou. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,067 in Beijing (Pekin) and $737 in Zhangjiakou. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zhangjiakou, where all-in costs run around $737, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,067. In Zhangjiakou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zhangjiakou – 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 Zhangjiakou. 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.