Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zhangjiakou and Beijing (Pekin)

For one person, living is cheaper in Zhangjiakou: $776 a month against $1,185 in Beijing (Pekin), rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Zhangjiakou, China
Beijing (Pekin), China
Zhangjiakou
🇨🇳 China
$776
/mo nomad
Beijing (Pekin)
🇨🇳 China
$1,185
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Zhangjiakou and in Beijing (Pekin)

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Zhangjiakou and in Beijing (Pekin) actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $776 per month in Zhangjiakou vs $1,185 in Beijing (Pekin), rent included.

  • Zhangjiakou $776
  • Beijing (Pekin) $1,185

A couple spends around $1,223 per month in Zhangjiakou vs $1,917 in Beijing (Pekin), rent included.

  • Zhangjiakou $1,223
  • Beijing (Pekin) $1,917

A family of three spends $1,670 per month in Zhangjiakou vs $2,648 in Beijing (Pekin), rent included.

  • Zhangjiakou $1,670
  • Beijing (Pekin) $2,648

Zhangjiakou is about 35% cheaper than Beijing (Pekin), and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Zhangjiakou and Beijing (Pekin) are more affordable than the global median – Zhangjiakou 43% lower, Beijing (Pekin) 13% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Zhangjiakou
Beijing (Pekin)
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.21 ¥14.72
$4.53 ¥30.18
-51.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.26 ¥161
$30.16 ¥201
-19.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.91 ¥39.37
$5.36 ¥35.67
10.26%
Cappuccino
$3.50 ¥23.30
$3.57 ¥23.73
-1.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ¥3.35
$0.51 ¥3.37
-1.96%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.26 ¥1.72
$0.28 ¥1.88
-7.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.92 ¥6.14
$1.19 ¥7.90
-22.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69 ¥11.27
$1.71 ¥11.38
-1.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zhangjiakou
Beijing (Pekin)
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.48 ¥9.86
$1.74 ¥11.61
-14.94%
White Bread (500g)
$2.21 ¥14.73
$1.77 ¥11.77
24.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.06 ¥7.07
$1.29 ¥8.57
-17.83%
Eggs
$1.06 ¥7.03
$1.95 ¥12.95
-45.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.23 ¥101
$14.29 ¥95.1
6.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.98 ¥19.80
$3.31 ¥22.03
-9.97%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.59 ¥63.8
$11.11 ¥73.9
-13.68%
Apples (1kg)
$1.66 ¥11.02
$2.12 ¥14.12
-21.70%
Banana (1kg)
$0.93 ¥6.16
$1.73 ¥11.51
-46.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.76 ¥11.70
$2.09 ¥13.91
-15.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.22 ¥8.10
$1.54 ¥10.25
-20.78%
Potato (1kg)
$0.81 ¥5.37
$0.69 ¥4.62
17.39%
Onion (1kg)
$0.57 ¥3.80
$0.91 ¥6.06
-37.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.62 ¥4.13
$0.75 ¥5.02
-17.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.74 ¥4.93
$0.61 ¥4.04
21.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.63 ¥24.17
$4.27 ¥28.40
-14.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.60 ¥90.5
$13.90 ¥92.6
-2.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 ¥7.10
$1.02 ¥6.77
4.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43 ¥16.16
$1.81 ¥12.04
34.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Zhangjiakou
Beijing (Pekin)
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 ¥1.90
$0.69 ¥4.63
-57.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$17.61 ¥117
$34.82 ¥232
-49.43%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.08 ¥7.19
$1.90 ¥12.68
-43.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.33 ¥2.17
$0.35 ¥2.35
-5.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.21 ¥41.37
$7.28 ¥48.46
-14.70%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.18 ¥7.83
$1.33 ¥8.83
-11.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.6K ¥130.6K
$19.6K ¥130.7K
-0.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.0K ¥113.3K
$18.0K ¥120.1K
-5.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zhangjiakou
Beijing (Pekin)
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$95.7 ¥637
$59.1 ¥393
62.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.22 ¥41.40
$8.77 ¥58.4
-29.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.68 ¥51.1
$14.22 ¥94.6
-45.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zhangjiakou
Beijing (Pekin)
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.01 ¥280
$41.06 ¥273
2.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.20 ¥101
$24.89 ¥166
-38.93%
Cinema Ticket
$7.30 ¥48.57
$7.44 ¥49.52
-1.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zhangjiakou
Beijing (Pekin)
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$342 ¥2,275
$654 ¥4,356
-47.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,321 ¥35.4K
$24.0K ¥159.8K
-77.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zhangjiakou
Beijing (Pekin)
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.73 ¥298
$71.2 ¥474
-37.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.35 ¥189
$40.02 ¥266
-29.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.5 ¥643
$88.2 ¥587
9.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$60.0 ¥399
$127 ¥842
-52.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zhangjiakou
Beijing (Pekin)
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$294 ¥1,954
$945 ¥6,289
-68.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$182 ¥1,214
$523 ¥3,484
-65.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$622 ¥4,142
$2,362 ¥15.7K
-73.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$379 ¥2,523
$1,122 ¥7,467
-66.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,446 ¥22.9K
$12.3K ¥81.6K
-71.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,966 ¥13.1K
$6,446 ¥42.9K
-69.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zhangjiakou
Beijing (Pekin)
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$382 ¥2,544
$1,715 ¥11.4K
-77.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.54
3.12
13.46%

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

Last update for Zhangjiakou: October 18, 2026

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Zhangjiakou
$214
Beijing (Pekin)
$229 6.8% $15
Accommodation & Living
Zhangjiakou
$182
Beijing (Pekin)
$523 187% $341
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zhangjiakou
$110
Beijing (Pekin)
$82 25.1% $28
Clothing & Footwear
Zhangjiakou
$103
Beijing (Pekin)
$147 42% $43
Eating Out
Zhangjiakou
$88
Beijing (Pekin)
$108 21.6% $19
Sport & Entertainment
Zhangjiakou
$57
Beijing (Pekin)
$56 1.2% $0.7
Getting Around
Zhangjiakou
$21
Beijing (Pekin)
$41 92.3% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $294 in Zhangjiakou versus $945 in Beijing (Pekin). Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Beijing (Pekin) are about 4.5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24 in Zhangjiakou versus $30 in Beijing (Pekin). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $214 vs $229 – making Zhangjiakou the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇳 Zhangjiakou
🇨🇳 Beijing (Pekin)
🕒 Local time
03:29 3:29 AM
03:29 3:29 AM
Same time as Zhangjiakou
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,345,491
21,893,095 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 26, 2026: 1 USD = 6.66 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.45 CNY (1 CNY = 0.134 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Zhangjiakou Beijing (Pekin) 160 km
From you
  • Zhangjiakou
  • Beijing (Pekin)

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Zhangjiakou vs Beijing (Pekin): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Zhangjiakou cheaper than Beijing (Pekin)?
Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 53%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,164 per month in Zhangjiakou and $1,778 in Beijing (Pekin). That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Zhangjiakou, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $294 there versus $945 in Beijing (Pekin).
Is eating out cheaper in Zhangjiakou or in Beijing (Pekin)?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $24 in Zhangjiakou and $30 in Beijing (Pekin). That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Zhangjiakou and in Beijing (Pekin)?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $776 in Zhangjiakou and $1,185 in Beijing (Pekin). That’s a gap of about 53%.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Zhangjiakou or in Beijing (Pekin)?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zhangjiakou, where all-in costs run around $776, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,185. In Zhangjiakou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Zhangjiakou or Beijing (Pekin) more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

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