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 $1,178 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $759 in Zhangjiakou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,907 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,210 in Zhangjiakou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,636 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,661 in Zhangjiakou, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 55% more than Zhangjiakou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Zhangjiakou are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 15% lower, Zhangjiakou 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ¥29.47

$2.29 ¥15.32

92.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.96 ¥201

$23.56 ¥158

27.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.32 ¥35.63

$6.04 ¥40.50

-11.92%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ¥22.88

$3.55 ¥23.78

-3.94%

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

$0.57 ¥3.80

$0.49 ¥3.31

16.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.79

$0.26 ¥1.74

3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ¥7.85

$0.87 ¥5.81

34.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ¥11.32

$1.70 ¥11.39

-0.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ¥12.69

$1.44 ¥9.62

31.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 ¥11.33

$2.31 ¥15.49

-26.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.71

$1.07 ¥7.18

7.48%

Eggs

$2.07 ¥13.86

$1.06 ¥7.07

95.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 ¥98.6

$14.81 ¥99.3

-0.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 ¥22.60

$3.01 ¥20.16

11.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.59 ¥71.0

$9.76 ¥65.4

8.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 ¥13.96

$1.68 ¥11.25

23.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 ¥12.69

$0.91 ¥6.10

107.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 ¥12.80

$1.69 ¥11.36

13.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ¥10.87

$1.21 ¥8.09

33.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.74

$0.84 ¥5.63

-15.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 ¥5.84

$0.60 ¥4.04

45.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ¥4.90

$0.61 ¥4.10

19.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$0.69 ¥4.62

-14.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 ¥27.83

$3.67 ¥24.60

13.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 ¥99.3

$13.43 ¥90.0

10.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ¥6.83

$1.01 ¥6.79

0.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ¥12.61

$2.46 ¥16.47

-23.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ¥5.13

$0.31 ¥2.08

148.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.99 ¥214

$18.09 ¥121

76.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ¥12.72

$1.06 ¥7.13

79.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.38

$0.33 ¥2.20

9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.48 ¥50.2

$6.11 ¥40.95

22.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ¥8.81

$1.23 ¥8.21

6.50%

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

$19.6K ¥131.4K

$19.7K ¥132.0K

-0.38%

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

$18.5K ¥124.2K

$17.5K ¥117.0K

6.12%

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

$55.2 ¥370

$93.2 ¥624

-40.71%

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

$9.08 ¥60.9

$6.20 ¥41.57

46.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.38 ¥96.4

$7.49 ¥50.2

91.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ¥278

$41.07 ¥275

0.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.36 ¥163

$14.92 ¥100.0

63.27%

Cinema Ticket

$7.28 ¥48.78

$7.27 ¥48.71

0.14%

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

$648 ¥4,340

$333 ¥2,232

94.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.7K ¥172.0K

$5,453 ¥36.5K

370.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.8 ¥434

$43.95 ¥295

47.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.72 ¥246

$34.98 ¥234

4.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 ¥597

$95.1 ¥637

-6.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ¥817

$60.4 ¥405

101.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 ¥6,414

$293 ¥1,963

226.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 ¥3,585

$180 ¥1,207

197.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 ¥15.9K

$611 ¥4,098

287.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 ¥7,555

$369 ¥2,476

205.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥83.3K

$3,228 ¥21.6K

285.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,369 ¥42.7K

$1,949 ¥13.1K

226.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,656 ¥11.1K

$389 ¥2,610

325.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.21

3.54

-9.32%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): September 7, 2026

Last update for Zhangjiakou: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $957 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $293 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 325% 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 $24.00 in Zhangjiakou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $213 – making Zhangjiakou 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 Zhangjiakou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 55%, 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 $1,767 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,138 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 $30.00 in Beijing (Pekin) and $24.00 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 $1,178 in Beijing (Pekin) and $759 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 $759, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,178. 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.