Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and Shenzhen Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and Shenzhen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $678 per month in Chengdu vs $1,036 in Shenzhen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,080 per month in Chengdu vs $1,669 in Shenzhen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,481 per month in Chengdu vs $2,301 in Shenzhen, rent included.

Chengdu is about 35% cheaper than Shenzhen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chengdu and Shenzhen are more affordable than the global median – Chengdu 49% lower, Shenzhen 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 ¥18.55

$3.27 ¥22.10

-15.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.57 ¥159

$28.02 ¥189

-15.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 ¥33.44

$4.93 ¥33.31

0.41%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ¥19.13

$3.20 ¥21.59

-11.56%

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

$0.43 ¥2.93

$0.52 ¥3.54

-17.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.04

$0.30 ¥2.05

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ¥7.64

$1.22 ¥8.26

-7.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ¥13.76

$2.82 ¥19.02

-27.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ¥11.67

$1.76 ¥11.91

-1.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ¥9.85

$1.97 ¥13.32

-25.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 ¥5.92

$1.19 ¥8.05

-26.05%

Eggs

$1.92 ¥12.99

$1.90 ¥12.83

1.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.60 ¥91.9

$12.82 ¥86.6

6.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 ¥23.61

$3.92 ¥26.45

-10.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.13 ¥75.2

$13.41 ¥90.6

-17.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 ¥12.43

$1.81 ¥12.19

1.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.97

$1.48 ¥10.01

-20.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.79

$1.82 ¥12.28

-20.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 ¥6.93

$1.36 ¥9.17

-24.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ¥4.41

$1.09 ¥7.37

-40.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.71

$1.47 ¥9.91

-52.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ¥3.85

$0.69 ¥4.69

-17.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.82

$0.57 ¥3.84

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 ¥22.41

$3.50 ¥23.65

-5.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.42 ¥36.60

$13.26 ¥89.6

-59.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ¥6.78

$0.90 ¥6.07

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 ¥12.22

$1.92 ¥12.98

-5.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.97

$0.43 ¥2.91

2.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.20 ¥191

$21.77 ¥147

29.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 ¥8.38

$1.68 ¥11.37

-26.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.34 ¥2.32

-17.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 ¥29.01

$6.63 ¥44.82

-35.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.64

$1.17 ¥7.92

-3.42%

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

$19.1K ¥129.0K

$23.0K ¥155.3K

-16.93%

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

$16.4K ¥110.5K

$20.5K ¥138.6K

-20.27%

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

$44.00 ¥297

$67.2 ¥454

-34.55%

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

$11.53 ¥77.9

$8.47 ¥57.2

36.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.65 ¥78.7

$12.80 ¥86.5

-8.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.99 ¥162

$49.50 ¥334

-51.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.57 ¥78.1

$17.44 ¥118

-33.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ¥38.14

$6.77 ¥45.75

-16.54%

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

$342 ¥2,312

$454 ¥3,065

-24.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K ¥82.5K

$20.5K ¥138.5K

-40.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.58 ¥254

$49.82 ¥337

-24.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.35 ¥266

$30.68 ¥207

28.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.0 ¥446

$76.0 ¥514

-13.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.6 ¥342

$79.1 ¥534

-35.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$312 ¥2,105

$746 ¥5,041

-58.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ¥1,218

$409 ¥2,762

-55.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$624 ¥4,212

$1,704 ¥11.5K

-63.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$327 ¥2,208

$907 ¥6,126

-63.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,850 ¥26.0K

$13.0K ¥87.8K

-70.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,945 ¥13.1K

$6,233 ¥42.1K

-68.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,264 ¥8,541

$1,644 ¥11.1K

-23.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

4.04

4.21%

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

Last update for Chengdu: June 14, 2026

Last update for Shenzhen: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $312 in Chengdu versus $746 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 30% higher in Shenzhen, 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 $24.00 in Chengdu versus $28.00 in Shenzhen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $194 vs $231 – making Chengdu 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

Chengdu vs Shenzhen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $678 in Chengdu, $1,036 in Shenzhen – roughly 53% apart. Shenzhen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,017 per month in Chengdu and $1,554 in Shenzhen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chengdu, 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 $24.00 in Chengdu 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 $678 in Chengdu and $1,036 in Shenzhen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chengdu, where all-in costs run around $678, than in Shenzhen at $1,036. In Chengdu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chengdu – 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 Chengdu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shenzhen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.