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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $763 per month in Chengdu vs $776 in Shymkent, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,225 per month in Chengdu vs $1,352 in Shymkent, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,688 per month in Chengdu vs $1,928 in Shymkent, rent included.

Chengdu is about 2% cheaper than Shymkent, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chengdu and Shymkent are more affordable than the global median – Chengdu 44% lower, Shymkent 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.90 ¥19.46

$10.77 ₸4,907

-73.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.18 ¥135

$32.49 ₸14.8K

-37.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 ¥34.79

$6.63 ₸3,021

-21.87%

Cappuccino

$2.94 ¥19.70

$2.39 ₸1,091

23.01%

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

$0.48 ¥3.19

$1.02 ₸467

-52.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.53 ₸242

-47.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ¥9.78

$1.05 ₸480

39.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 ¥16.75

$1.33 ₸607

87.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ¥11.82

$1.46 ₸666

20.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 ¥11.00

$0.42 ₸193

290.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ¥6.32

$1.72 ₸783

-45.35%

Eggs

$1.54 ¥10.30

$1.63 ₸741

-5.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.19 ¥95.2

$10.25 ₸4,670

38.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.51 ¥23.54

$5.14 ₸2,343

-31.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.04 ¥74.1

$8.80 ₸4,009

25.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.21

$1.18 ₸538

54.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 ¥8.47

$2.09 ₸954

-39.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.11

$2.50 ₸1,139

-57.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 ¥8.39

$1.35 ₸614

-7.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ¥4.64

$0.53 ₸244

30.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.84

$0.40 ₸181

80.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ¥4.91

$0.86 ₸392

-15.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ¥3.93

$0.83 ₸380

-28.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.63 ¥24.33

$2.46 ₸1,121

47.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.47 ¥36.67

$4.36 ₸1,987

25.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.29

$1.04 ₸476

-24.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ¥10.27

$1.54 ₸703

-0.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.91

$0.13 ₸60.1

230.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.95 ¥167

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 ¥8.82

$0.83 ₸377

59.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ¥1.94

$0.37 ₸166

-21.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 ¥29.37

$9.78 ₸4,457

-55.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥8.22

$0.59 ₸267

108.47%

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

$19.4K ¥130.0K

$26.9K ₸12.2M

-27.96%

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

$17.4K ¥116.9K

$29.0K ₸13.2M

-40.00%

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

$41.04 ¥275

$46.53 ₸21.2K

-11.80%

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

$9.46 ¥63.4

$9.10 ₸4,145

3.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.83 ¥86.1

$14.64 ₸6,671

-12.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.45 ¥184

$38.70 ₸17.6K

-29.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.02 ¥74.0

$8.60 ₸3,920

28.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.02 ¥40.40

$5.40 ₸2,462

11.48%

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

$410 ¥2,751

$56.5 ₸25.7K

626.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ¥99.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.78 ¥193

$35.70 ₸16.3K

-19.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.21 ¥196

$33.12 ₸15.1K

-11.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.8 ¥408

$182 ₸82.9K

-66.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.7 ¥353

$52.1 ₸23.7K

1.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 ¥3,264

$333 ₸151.8K

46.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 ¥1,716

$202 ₸91.9K

26.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 ¥5,699

$693 ₸315.7K

22.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$545 ¥3,660

$550 ₸250.7K

-0.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,813 ¥25.6K

$1,075 ₸489.6K

254.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,909 ¥12.8K

$974 ₸443.6K

96.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,284 ¥8,613

$432 ₸196.9K

196.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

18.25

-81.48%

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

Last update for Chengdu: September 1, 2026

Last update for Shymkent: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $486 in Chengdu versus $333 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 197% higher in Chengdu, 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 $20.00 in Chengdu versus $32.00 in Shymkent. Groceries tell a different story – $196 in Chengdu vs $183 in Shymkent – so Shymkent 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

Chengdu vs Shymkent: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $763 in Chengdu, $776 in Shymkent – roughly 2% apart. Shymkent costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,145 per month in Chengdu and $1,165 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chengdu and $32.00 in Shymkent. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% 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 $763 in Chengdu and $776 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.