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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,073 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $579 in Zhenjiang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,769 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,007 in Zhenjiang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,464 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,436 in Zhenjiang, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 85% more than Zhenjiang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Zhenjiang are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 20% lower, Zhenjiang 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.29 ¥29.02

$2.82 ¥19.07

52.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.28 ¥191

$26.53 ¥180

6.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 ¥35.13

$5.00 ¥33.83

3.80%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥20.87

$2.05 ¥13.85

50.24%

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

$0.42 ¥2.87

$0.29 ¥1.98

44.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.88

$0.20 ¥1.35

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ¥7.33

$1.02 ¥6.88

5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.88

$1.69 ¥11.41

21.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ¥11.28

$1.70 ¥11.53

-1.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ¥10.88

$1.37 ¥9.26

17.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.57

$0.80 ¥5.44

40.00%

Eggs

$1.71 ¥11.57

$1.80 ¥12.16

-5.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.76 ¥107

$5.54 ¥37.46

184.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 ¥21.59

$2.67 ¥18.04

19.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.85 ¥66.6

$9.44 ¥63.9

4.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 ¥14.16

$1.62 ¥10.99

29.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.24

$1.70 ¥11.52

-2.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.98

$1.63 ¥11.06

8.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.61

$1.25 ¥8.45

1.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.79

$0.73 ¥4.91

16.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.14

$1.00 ¥6.77

-9.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.52

$0.44 ¥2.98

52.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ¥3.51

$0.29 ¥1.97

79.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 ¥23.29

$4.26 ¥28.80

-19.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 ¥100

$11.59 ¥78.5

27.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.79

$0.69 ¥4.67

24.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥11.79

$1.40 ¥9.50

24.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ¥3.72

$0.29 ¥1.97

89.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.84 ¥215

$7.13 ¥48.28

346.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ¥12.48

$1.22 ¥8.25

50.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.40 ¥2.70

-12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 ¥69.9

$4.19 ¥28.38

146.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.70

$1.14 ¥7.69

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

$18.9K ¥127.6K

$16.7K ¥113.0K

12.97%

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

$15.9K ¥107.6K

$16.9K ¥114.0K

-5.64%

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

$51.5 ¥349

$45.19 ¥306

14.01%

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

$8.84 ¥59.8

$11.52 ¥78.0

-23.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.44 ¥84.2

$11.81 ¥79.9

5.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.69 ¥336

$42.16 ¥285

17.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 ¥125

$27.86 ¥189

-33.63%

Cinema Ticket

$8.29 ¥56.1

$6.41 ¥43.40

29.33%

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

$679 ¥4,595

$423 ¥2,864

60.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ¥158.9K

$17.0K ¥115.1K

38.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 ¥424

$42.40 ¥287

47.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.13 ¥231

$27.45 ¥186

24.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥521

$42.58 ¥288

80.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 ¥680

$42.42 ¥287

136.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ¥6,053

$212 ¥1,438

321.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 ¥3,138

$141 ¥954

229.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,906 ¥12.9K

$485 ¥3,285

292.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 ¥7,288

$345 ¥2,337

211.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.6K ¥85.2K

$2,001 ¥13.5K

528.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,257 ¥42.3K

$897 ¥6,073

597.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

$962 ¥6,513

63.09%

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 Zhenjiang: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $894 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $212 in Zhenjiang. 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 63% 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 $28.00 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $27.00 in Zhenjiang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $169 – making Zhenjiang 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 Zhenjiang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 85%, 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 $1,610 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $868 in Zhenjiang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zhenjiang, 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 $27.00 in Zhenjiang. 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 $579 in Zhenjiang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zhenjiang, where all-in costs run around $579, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,073. In Zhenjiang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zhenjiang – 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 Zhenjiang. 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.