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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,178 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $623 in Zhoushan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,907 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,018 in Zhoushan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,636 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,413 in Zhoushan, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 89% more than Zhoushan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Zhoushan are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 15% lower, Zhoushan 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ¥29.45

$3.40 ¥22.77

29.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.96 ¥201

$18.47 ¥124

62.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.32 ¥35.60

$4.08 ¥27.32

30.39%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ¥22.87

$2.93 ¥19.65

16.38%

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

$0.57 ¥3.80

$0.47 ¥3.13

21.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.79

$0.27 ¥1.83

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ¥7.85

$0.72 ¥4.82

62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ¥11.31

$1.84 ¥12.34

-8.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ¥12.68

$1.88 ¥12.62

0.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 ¥11.32

$2.17 ¥14.54

-22.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.71

$0.91 ¥6.08

26.37%

Eggs

$2.07 ¥13.85

$1.09 ¥7.31

89.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 ¥98.5

$13.51 ¥90.5

8.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 ¥22.59

$3.34 ¥22.36

0.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.59 ¥70.9

$11.22 ¥75.2

-5.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 ¥13.95

$1.53 ¥10.22

35.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 ¥12.68

$1.16 ¥7.79

62.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 ¥12.79

$1.51 ¥10.10

26.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ¥10.86

$1.17 ¥7.83

38.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.73

$0.62 ¥4.17

14.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 ¥5.84

$0.86 ¥5.76

1.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ¥4.90

$0.62 ¥4.17

17.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$0.56 ¥3.72

5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 ¥27.81

$5.24 ¥35.11

-20.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 ¥99.2

$11.84 ¥79.3

25.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ¥6.83

$0.92 ¥6.14

10.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ¥12.60

$2.22 ¥14.85

-15.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ¥5.13

$0.29 ¥1.92

165.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.99 ¥214

$14.86 ¥99.6

115.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ¥12.71

$1.45 ¥9.73

31.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.38

$0.43 ¥2.88

-16.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.48 ¥50.1

$9.06 ¥60.7

-17.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ¥8.80

$1.22 ¥8.20

7.38%

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

$19.6K ¥131.4K

$19.1K ¥127.6K

2.93%

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

$18.5K ¥124.1K

$15.9K ¥106.3K

16.75%

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

$55.2 ¥370

$36.94 ¥247

49.54%

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

$9.08 ¥60.8

$11.76 ¥78.7

-22.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.38 ¥96.3

$27.73 ¥186

-48.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ¥277

$24.68 ¥165

67.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.36 ¥163

$7.60 ¥50.9

220.53%

Cinema Ticket

$7.28 ¥48.74

$5.92 ¥39.65

22.97%

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

$648 ¥4,337

$442 ¥2,960

46.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.7K ¥171.9K

$16.0K ¥107.1K

60.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.8 ¥434

$35.55 ¥238

82.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.72 ¥246

$21.07 ¥141

74.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 ¥596

$63.7 ¥426

39.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ¥816

$44.92 ¥301

171.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 ¥6,410

$324 ¥2,170

195.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 ¥3,582

$120 ¥803

346.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 ¥15.9K

$749 ¥5,017

216.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 ¥7,550

$264 ¥1,767

327.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥83.3K

$2,996 ¥20.1K

314.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,369 ¥42.7K

$2,016 ¥13.5K

215.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,656 ¥11.1K

$600 ¥4,021

175.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.21

3.13

2.56%

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

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

Last update for Zhoushan: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $957 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $324 in Zhoushan. 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 176% 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 $18.00 in Zhoushan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $211 – making Zhoushan 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 Zhoushan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 89%, 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 $934 in Zhoushan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zhoushan, 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 $18.00 in Zhoushan. 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 $623 in Zhoushan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zhoushan, where all-in costs run around $623, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,178. In Zhoushan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zhoushan – 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 Zhoushan. 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.