Cost of Living Comparison Between Dongguan and Oskemen Cost of Living Comparison Between Dongguan and Oskemen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $762 in Dongguan versus $736 in Oskemen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,183 in Dongguan versus $1,188 in Oskemen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,605 in Dongguan versus $1,639 in Oskemen.

Living in Dongguan is roughly 4% more expensive than Oskemen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dongguan 43% lower, Oskemen 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.46 ¥16.65

$3.95 ₸1,937

-37.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.48 ¥138

$18.49 ₸9,061

10.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.35 ¥29.40

$3.43 ₸1,683

26.82%

Cappuccino

$2.71 ¥18.35

$2.00 ₸980

35.50%

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

$0.44 ¥3.01

$0.80 ₸390

-45.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.97

$0.52 ₸255

-44.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 ¥7.60

$1.34 ₸659

-16.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 ¥14.73

$1.45 ₸710

50.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ¥11.54

$1.09 ₸536

56.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ¥9.78

$0.43 ₸212

237.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.55

$1.14 ₸560

-14.91%

Eggs

$1.80 ¥12.18

$1.60 ₸782

12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.01 ¥88.0

$7.66 ₸3,752

69.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.93 ¥26.60

$4.37 ₸2,142

-10.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.39 ¥77.0

$6.81 ₸3,339

67.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 ¥12.35

$1.15 ₸564

59.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.85

$1.81 ₸889

-19.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.22

$2.38 ₸1,168

-23.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 ¥9.17

$2.57 ₸1,258

-47.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 ¥6.82

$0.61 ₸297

65.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.86

$0.47 ₸228

210.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.41

$0.30 ₸149

116.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ¥3.73

$0.73 ₸359

-24.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.09

$1.99 ₸975

41.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.55 ¥98.4

$4.65 ₸2,278

212.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥6.04

$1.33 ₸653

-33.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ¥12.55

$1.50 ₸734

24.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$0.21 ₸103

38.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 ¥143

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ¥8.63

$1.01 ₸497

26.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.34

$0.29 ₸142

20.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.43 ¥36.73

$2.12 ₸1,040

156.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.86

$0.46 ₸225

152.17%

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

$20.8K ¥140.5K

$28.1K ₸13.8M

-26.19%

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

$20.5K ¥138.5K

$27.0K ₸13.2M

-24.15%

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

$62.1 ¥420

$41.44 ₸20.3K

49.90%

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

$8.36 ¥56.5

$9.96 ₸4,881

-16.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.32 ¥83.3

$16.59 ₸8,130

-25.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ¥409

$23.36 ₸11.4K

158.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.24 ¥89.5

$17.33 ₸8,494

-23.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.87 ¥46.45

$4.38 ₸2,146

56.85%

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

$451 ¥3,050

$58.3 ₸28.6K

673.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.5K ¥138.9K

$2,510 ₸1.2M

718.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.57 ¥200

$119 ₸58.3K

-75.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.49 ¥166

$82.8 ₸40.6K

-70.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.9 ¥418

$98.0 ₸48.0K

-36.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.57 ¥254

$94.0 ₸46.0K

-60.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 ¥2,442

$331 ₸162.3K

9.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$216 ¥1,458

$221 ₸108.3K

-2.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$691 ¥4,674

$537 ₸263.3K

28.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$406 ¥2,745

$468 ₸229.2K

-13.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,711 ¥38.6K

$1,008 ₸494.2K

466.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,110 ¥21.0K

$778 ₸381.1K

299.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$836 ¥5,653

$751 ₸368.2K

11.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

-78.74%

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

Last update for Dongguan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Oskemen: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $361 in Dongguan and $331 in Oskemen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dongguan pays 11% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $20.00 in Dongguan vs $18.00 in Oskemen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $220 vs $162 per month, with Oskemen cheaper across the board.

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

Dongguan vs Oskemen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oskemen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Dongguan pays 11% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $361 in Dongguan versus $331 in Oskemen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $451 in Dongguan versus $58.3 in Oskemen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Oskemen – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $20.00 in Dongguan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Oskemen gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Oskemen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Dongguan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.