Cost of Living Comparison Between Jiangmen and Shenzhen Cost of Living Comparison Between Jiangmen and Shenzhen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $518 in Jiangmen versus $1,139 in Shenzhen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,000 in Jiangmen versus $1,731 in Shenzhen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,482 in Jiangmen versus $2,322 in Shenzhen.

Living in Jiangmen costs roughly 55% less than in Shenzhen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jiangmen 62% lower, Shenzhen 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.36 ¥22.55

$4.02 ¥26.95

-16.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.85 ¥200

$29.93 ¥201

-0.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 ¥33.88

$5.28 ¥35.42

-4.36%

Cappuccino

$2.17 ¥14.55

$3.36 ¥22.52

-35.42%

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

$0.43 ¥2.85

$0.54 ¥3.64

-20.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.10

$0.36 ¥2.39

-13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.92 ¥6.19

$1.46 ¥9.78

-36.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 ¥9.82

$2.25 ¥15.11

-35.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ¥10.54

$1.63 ¥10.93

-3.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 ¥11.32

$1.79 ¥12.02

-5.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ¥7.16

$1.18 ¥7.89

-9.32%

Eggs

$1.74 ¥11.70

$1.69 ¥11.34

2.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.28 ¥149

$22.03 ¥148

1.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.19 ¥14.70

$3.62 ¥24.26

-39.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ¥91.0

$14.16 ¥95.0

-4.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 ¥14.16

$2.19 ¥14.67

-3.65%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.08

$1.55 ¥10.40

-41.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.90

$1.89 ¥12.71

-37.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.49

$1.48 ¥9.90

-4.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 ¥4.58

$1.18 ¥7.95

-42.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 ¥6.32

$1.53 ¥10.30

-38.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 ¥2.10

$0.54 ¥3.63

-42.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.60

$0.58 ¥3.90

-6.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 ¥19.51

$4.54 ¥30.44

-35.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 ¥84.8

$12.65 ¥84.9

-0.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ¥4.68

$0.91 ¥6.09

-23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 ¥12.11

$1.85 ¥12.39

-2.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ¥3.16

$0.61 ¥4.13

-22.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.16 ¥149

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.40 ¥9.41

$1.47 ¥9.89

-4.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.52

$0.40 ¥2.69

-5.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.38 ¥49.51

$7.25 ¥48.68

1.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.39

$1.25 ¥8.37

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

$19.6K ¥131.8K

$19.1K ¥127.9K

3.01%

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

$16.5K ¥110.5K

$18.1K ¥121.7K

-9.18%

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

$49.97 ¥335

$61.6 ¥413

-18.83%

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

$8.39 ¥56.3

$9.91 ¥66.5

-15.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.25 ¥82.2

$15.09 ¥101

-18.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.91 ¥201

$49.53 ¥332

-39.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.56 ¥30.58

$16.99 ¥114

-73.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.23 ¥41.83

$7.35 ¥49.34

-15.24%

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

$242 ¥1,624

$525 ¥3,520

-53.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,536 ¥50.6K

$24.0K ¥161.3K

-68.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.45 ¥198

$49.95 ¥335

-41.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 ¥270

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.3 ¥458

$69.2 ¥464

-1.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.97 ¥295

$86.2 ¥578

-48.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$768 ¥5,150

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 ¥3,129

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 ¥3,002

$1,818 ¥12.2K

-75.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 ¥1,765

$855 ¥5,739

-69.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,007 ¥40.3K

$13.4K ¥90.1K

-55.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,247 ¥8,366

$6,284 ¥42.2K

-80.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$580 ¥3,893

$1,688 ¥11.3K

-65.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

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

Last update for Jiangmen: August 30, 2026

Last update for Shenzhen: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Shenzhen pays 191% 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: $30.00 in Jiangmen vs $30.00 in Shenzhen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $257 per month, with Jiangmen 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

Jiangmen vs Shenzhen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jiangmen and Shenzhen differ by about 120% in total monthly costs ($518 vs $1,139 including rent). Jiangmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 191% lower in Shenzhen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $242 in Jiangmen versus $525 in Shenzhen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Jiangmen – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $30.00 in Shenzhen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $518 in Jiangmen versus $1,139 in Shenzhen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Jiangmen but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Jiangmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Jiangmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 120% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.