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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,067 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $647 in Zhongshan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,797 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,008 in Zhongshan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,526 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,368 in Zhongshan, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 65% more than Zhongshan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Zhongshan are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower, Zhongshan 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.09 ¥27.96

$2.71 ¥18.49

50.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.09 ¥192

$16.90 ¥115

66.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.36 ¥36.62

$4.26 ¥29.10

25.82%

Cappuccino

$3.05 ¥20.81

$2.83 ¥19.31

7.77%

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

$0.46 ¥3.14

$0.41 ¥2.77

12.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.05

$0.29 ¥1.99

3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ¥7.70

$0.73 ¥4.96

54.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ¥14.46

$1.66 ¥11.33

27.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ¥11.71

$1.73 ¥11.83

-1.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 ¥11.27

$1.80 ¥12.27

-8.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.64

$0.96 ¥6.58

16.67%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.39

$1.64 ¥11.20

1.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.67 ¥107

$12.73 ¥87.0

23.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ¥21.99

$2.62 ¥17.92

22.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.64 ¥65.9

$12.46 ¥85.1

-22.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 ¥14.35

$1.88 ¥12.87

11.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.89

$0.94 ¥6.42

69.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.27

$0.65 ¥4.42

176.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.13

$1.32 ¥9.04

1.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.79

$0.50 ¥3.42

70.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.17

$0.71 ¥4.87

26.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ¥4.90

$0.37 ¥2.50

94.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.87

$0.51 ¥3.48

11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.58 ¥24.42

$2.83 ¥19.30

26.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.60 ¥72.4

$14.39 ¥98.3

-26.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥5.82

$0.61 ¥4.15

39.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥11.88

$1.84 ¥12.58

-5.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ¥4.01

$0.27 ¥1.84

118.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.30 ¥214

$13.73 ¥93.8

127.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 ¥12.26

$1.27 ¥8.67

41.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.40

$0.34 ¥2.35

2.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.34 ¥70.6

$6.88 ¥46.98

50.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.78

$1.18 ¥8.05

-3.39%

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

$18.8K ¥128.4K

$22.6K ¥154.7K

-17.02%

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

$15.8K ¥107.9K

$20.0K ¥136.9K

-21.16%

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

$51.2 ¥350

$38.37 ¥262

33.54%

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

$9.00 ¥61.5

$8.22 ¥56.1

9.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.44 ¥84.9

$12.01 ¥82.1

3.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.97 ¥341

$62.8 ¥429

-20.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.24 ¥125

$6.92 ¥47.24

163.58%

Cinema Ticket

$8.51 ¥58.1

$5.54 ¥37.83

53.61%

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

$683 ¥4,665

$294 ¥2,008

132.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K ¥162.9K

$12.8K ¥87.3K

86.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥420

$43.57 ¥298

41.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.26 ¥234

$30.32 ¥207

12.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 ¥531

$56.5 ¥386

37.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ¥695

$70.9 ¥484

43.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$914 ¥6,242

$194 ¥1,326

370.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ¥3,129

$118 ¥807

287.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,918 ¥13.1K

$346 ¥2,360

454.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,085 ¥7,409

$198 ¥1,352

447.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.1K ¥82.7K

$2,432 ¥16.6K

398.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,141 ¥41.9K

$1,450 ¥9,906

323.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,581 ¥10.8K

$843 ¥5,760

87.50%

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): April 13, 2026

Last update for Zhongshan: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $914 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $194 in Zhongshan. 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 88% 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 $17 in Zhongshan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $214 vs $205 – making Zhongshan 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 Zhongshan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 65%, 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 $971 in Zhongshan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zhongshan, 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 $17.00 in Zhongshan. 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 $647 in Zhongshan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zhongshan, where all-in costs run around $647, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,067. In Zhongshan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zhongshan – 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 Zhongshan. 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.