Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and Shymkent Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and Shymkent

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $677 per month in Chengdu vs $678 in Shymkent, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,074 per month in Chengdu vs $1,076 in Shymkent, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,472 per month in Chengdu vs $1,473 in Shymkent, rent included.

Chengdu and Shymkent have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.82 ¥19.09

$9.93 ₸4,676

-71.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.08 ¥163

$19.90 ₸9,368

21.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 ¥33.66

$6.99 ₸3,292

-28.90%

Cappuccino

$2.76 ¥18.71

$1.85 ₸869

49.19%

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

$0.43 ¥2.92

$0.99 ₸467

-56.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.88

$0.41 ₸192

-31.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.70

$1.15 ₸543

-0.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥13.97

$1.91 ₸900

7.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 ¥12.28

$1.15 ₸542

57.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ¥9.39

$0.30 ₸142

363.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.31

$1.63 ₸768

-42.94%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.10

$1.44 ₸677

34.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.76 ¥93.2

$7.92 ₸3,730

73.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 ¥24.41

$4.18 ₸1,970

-13.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.32 ¥76.6

$6.47 ₸3,047

74.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 ¥12.94

$0.96 ₸451

98.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ¥8.28

$1.78 ₸838

-31.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.18

$1.91 ₸898

-21.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ¥6.90

$1.02 ₸481

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.81

$0.48 ₸224

47.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.76

$0.38 ₸178

84.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ¥4.09

$0.79 ₸373

-24.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.16

$0.69 ₸323

-11.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ¥23.02

$1.99 ₸939

70.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.50 ¥37.19

$4.33 ₸2,037

27.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ¥6.42

$0.94 ₸444

1.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥12.53

$1.33 ₸628

39.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.14 ₸64.1

207.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.94 ¥189

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 ¥8.38

$0.89 ₸419

39.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ¥1.91

$0.62 ₸294

-54.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.16 ¥28.15

$5.80 ₸2,729

-28.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.95

$0.50 ₸234

134.00%

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

$18.5K ¥125.0K

$19.3K ₸9.1M

-4.41%

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

$16.7K ¥112.7K

$23.9K ₸11.2M

-30.28%

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

$44.66 ¥302

$50.4 ₸23.7K

-11.46%

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

$11.53 ¥78.1

$8.64 ₸4,066

33.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.33 ¥76.7

$12.73 ₸5,991

-11.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.18 ¥164

$33.03 ₸15.6K

-26.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.55 ¥78.2

$7.81 ₸3,676

47.89%

Cinema Ticket

$5.69 ¥38.53

$5.04 ₸2,371

12.90%

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

$330 ¥2,232

$48.24 ₸22.7K

583.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K ¥83.5K

$4,849 ₸2.3M

154.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.54 ¥254

$33.02 ₸15.5K

13.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.48 ¥260

$29.87 ₸14.1K

28.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.8 ¥452

$120 ₸56.5K

-44.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.0 ¥339

$46.86 ₸22.1K

6.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$320 ¥2,165

$297 ₸139.9K

7.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 ¥1,237

$174 ₸81.8K

5.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 ¥4,138

$475 ₸223.6K

28.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 ¥2,224

$365 ₸171.8K

-9.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,785 ¥25.6K

$1,039 ₸489.3K

264.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,925 ¥13.0K

$935 ₸440.4K

105.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,278 ¥8,647

$415 ₸195.5K

207.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

19.5

-78.41%

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

Last update for Chengdu: July 14, 2026

Last update for Shymkent: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $320 in Chengdu versus $297 in Shymkent. 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 208% higher in Chengdu. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Chengdu versus $20.00 in Shymkent. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $149 – making Shymkent 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 Shymkent: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,015 per month in Chengdu and $1,018 in Shymkent. 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.

Kindergarten costs $330 per month in Chengdu and $48.24 in Shymkent. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 33% cheaper in Shymkent – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $677 in Chengdu and $678 in Shymkent, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chengdu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shymkent makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.