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 $1,059 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $671 in Zhoushan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,761 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,061 in Zhoushan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,463 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,451 in Zhoushan, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 58% more than Zhoushan, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Zhoushan are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower, Zhoushan 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.15 ¥28.04

$3.10 ¥20.96

33.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.92 ¥189

$17.11 ¥116

63.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ¥35.88

$4.80 ¥32.47

10.62%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥20.56

$2.83 ¥19.15

7.42%

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

$0.46 ¥3.11

$0.43 ¥2.94

6.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.04

$0.29 ¥1.97

3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$0.88 ¥5.98

29.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.42

$1.42 ¥9.63

50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ¥11.66

$2.15 ¥14.53

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥10.74

$2.38 ¥16.07

-33.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.46

$0.86 ¥5.83

27.91%

Eggs

$1.65 ¥11.15

$0.99 ¥6.68

66.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ¥107

$20.97 ¥142

-24.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ¥21.75

$3.74 ¥25.29

-13.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 ¥67.5

$7.96 ¥53.8

25.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 ¥14.24

$1.41 ¥9.55

49.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.76

$1.12 ¥7.61

41.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 ¥11.76

$1.41 ¥9.54

23.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ¥9.11

$1.08 ¥7.32

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.64

$0.54 ¥3.65

53.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.25

$0.81 ¥5.49

13.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.83

$0.61 ¥4.10

16.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.79

$0.48 ¥3.22

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 ¥23.31

$4.27 ¥28.86

-19.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.96 ¥101

$11.16 ¥75.4

34.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.80

$0.94 ¥6.37

-8.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥12.46

$2.70 ¥18.23

-31.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ¥3.66

$0.27 ¥1.82

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.39 ¥212

$16.65 ¥113

88.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ¥12.49

$1.58 ¥10.65

17.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.41

$0.35 ¥2.37

2.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.52 ¥71.1

$8.34 ¥56.4

26.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.41

$1.09 ¥7.39

0.92%

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

$18.2K ¥122.7K

$21.1K ¥142.9K

-14.12%

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

$15.4K ¥104.0K

$15.2K ¥102.6K

1.40%

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

$52.7 ¥356

$45.78 ¥310

15.12%

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

$8.97 ¥60.7

$14.90 ¥101

-39.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.62 ¥85.4

$11.26 ¥76.2

12.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.30 ¥327

$22.83 ¥154

111.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.96 ¥121

$6.79 ¥45.93

164.51%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 ¥55.3

$6.42 ¥43.38

27.26%

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

$668 ¥4,516

$744 ¥5,029

-10.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K ¥162.8K

$16.7K ¥113.2K

43.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 ¥413

$53.7 ¥363

13.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.02 ¥230

$35.42 ¥240

-3.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥519

$70.2 ¥475

9.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 ¥670

$91.4 ¥618

8.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 ¥6,192

$308 ¥2,084

197.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 ¥3,079

$112 ¥760

305.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,913 ¥12.9K

$700 ¥4,731

173.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 ¥7,328

$254 ¥1,716

326.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥83.7K

$2,961 ¥20.0K

317.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,323 ¥42.8K

$1,990 ¥13.5K

217.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

$602 ¥4,068

160.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

3.86

-5.70%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): May 30, 2026

Last update for Zhoushan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $916 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $308 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 161% 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 $17.00 in Zhoushan. Groceries tell a different story – $223 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $227 in Zhoushan – so Beijing (Pekin) 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 Zhoushan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 58%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,589 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,006 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 $28.00 in Beijing (Pekin) and $17.00 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 $1,059 in Beijing (Pekin) and $671 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 $671, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,059. 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.