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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,073 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,032 in Shenzhen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,769 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,649 in Shenzhen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,464 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $2,266 in Shenzhen, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 4% more than Shenzhen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Shenzhen are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 20% lower, Shenzhen 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.29 ¥28.98

$3.13 ¥21.13

37.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.28 ¥191

$27.60 ¥187

2.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 ¥35.08

$4.87 ¥32.92

6.57%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥20.83

$3.32 ¥22.43

-7.23%

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

$0.42 ¥2.86

$0.48 ¥3.27

-12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.87

$0.28 ¥1.89

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ¥7.31

$1.21 ¥8.21

-10.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.85

$2.77 ¥18.73

-25.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ¥11.26

$1.75 ¥11.81

-4.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ¥10.86

$1.97 ¥13.31

-18.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.56

$1.18 ¥7.96

-5.08%

Eggs

$1.71 ¥11.55

$1.92 ¥12.94

-10.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.76 ¥106

$12.69 ¥85.8

24.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 ¥21.55

$3.93 ¥26.56

-18.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.85 ¥66.5

$13.38 ¥90.4

-26.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 ¥14.14

$1.87 ¥12.61

11.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.22

$1.46 ¥9.89

13.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.96

$1.82 ¥12.27

-2.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.59

$1.39 ¥9.42

-8.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.78

$1.09 ¥7.39

-22.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.13

$1.42 ¥9.59

-35.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.52

$0.75 ¥5.04

-10.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ¥3.51

$0.57 ¥3.84

-8.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 ¥23.25

$3.39 ¥22.91

1.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 ¥99.9

$12.61 ¥85.2

17.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.78

$0.93 ¥6.26

-7.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥11.77

$1.90 ¥12.86

-8.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ¥3.71

$0.44 ¥2.97

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.84 ¥215

$22.23 ¥150

43.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ¥12.46

$1.69 ¥11.39

8.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.37 ¥2.53

-5.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 ¥69.8

$6.75 ¥45.58

53.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$1.14 ¥7.70

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

$18.9K ¥127.4K

$22.7K ¥153.4K

-16.94%

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

$15.9K ¥107.4K

$20.7K ¥139.7K

-23.11%

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

$51.5 ¥348

$65.3 ¥442

-21.15%

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

$8.84 ¥59.7

$8.39 ¥56.7

5.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.44 ¥84.1

$13.08 ¥88.4

-4.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.69 ¥336

$50.9 ¥344

-2.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 ¥125

$17.60 ¥119

5.06%

Cinema Ticket

$8.29 ¥56.1

$7.08 ¥47.82

17.09%

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

$679 ¥4,588

$467 ¥3,154

45.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ¥158.6K

$20.7K ¥139.8K

13.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 ¥423

$48.53 ¥328

29.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.13 ¥231

$30.27 ¥205

12.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$74.7 ¥505

3.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 ¥679

$79.3 ¥536

26.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ¥6,044

$732 ¥4,945

22.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 ¥3,133

$410 ¥2,773

12.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,906 ¥12.9K

$1,699 ¥11.5K

12.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 ¥7,277

$910 ¥6,148

18.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.6K ¥85.1K

$12.9K ¥87.3K

-2.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,257 ¥42.3K

$6,000 ¥40.5K

4.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

$1,720 ¥11.6K

-8.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

4.04

-9.90%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): July 12, 2026

Last update for Shenzhen: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $894 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $732 in Shenzhen. 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 10% higher in Shenzhen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $28.00 in Shenzhen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $229 – making Beijing (Pekin) 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 Shenzhen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 4%, 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 $1,549 in Shenzhen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shenzhen, 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 $28.00 in Shenzhen. 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 $1,032 in Shenzhen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Shenzhen, where all-in costs run around $1,032, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,073. In Shenzhen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shenzhen – 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 Shenzhen. 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.