Cost of Living Comparison Between Jinan and Shenzhen Cost of Living Comparison Between Jinan and Shenzhen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $644 per month in Jinan vs $1,036 in Shenzhen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,044 per month in Jinan vs $1,671 in Shenzhen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,444 per month in Jinan vs $2,306 in Shenzhen, rent included.

Jinan is about 38% cheaper than Shenzhen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Jinan and Shenzhen are more affordable than the global median – Jinan 53% lower, Shenzhen 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.20 ¥14.79

$3.80 ¥25.57

-42.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.99 ¥162

$29.81 ¥201

-19.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 ¥33.66

$5.03 ¥33.90

-0.60%

Cappuccino

$2.30 ¥15.53

$3.08 ¥20.73

-25.32%

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

$0.43 ¥2.87

$0.51 ¥3.41

-15.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 ¥1.41

$0.33 ¥2.24

-36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.89 ¥6.02

$1.44 ¥9.73

-38.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥13.68

$1.75 ¥11.78

16.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 ¥11.95

$1.60 ¥10.76

10.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ¥9.83

$1.76 ¥11.83

-17.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.30

$1.12 ¥7.58

9.82%

Eggs

$1.18 ¥7.94

$1.69 ¥11.40

-30.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.68 ¥78.7

$18.98 ¥128

-38.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 ¥21.60

$3.44 ¥23.19

-6.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ¥73.5

$13.64 ¥91.9

-20.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 ¥13.91

$2.11 ¥14.22

-1.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 ¥7.31

$1.54 ¥10.41

-29.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 ¥12.53

$1.67 ¥11.24

11.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ¥9.37

$1.38 ¥9.32

0.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ¥4.62

$1.05 ¥7.10

-34.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 ¥5.05

$1.33 ¥8.96

-43.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 ¥3.57

$0.50 ¥3.36

6.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ¥4.43

$0.54 ¥3.67

22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.74 ¥25.18

$4.12 ¥27.77

-9.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.18 ¥68.6

$13.11 ¥88.3

-22.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥4.36

$0.91 ¥6.13

-28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ¥8.85

$1.84 ¥12.41

-28.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ¥2.10

$0.46 ¥3.10

-32.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.83 ¥59.5

$21.87 ¥147

-59.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 ¥11.82

$1.47 ¥9.90

19.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ¥2.18

$0.39 ¥2.62

-17.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 ¥30.24

$7.04 ¥47.44

-36.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥8.22

$1.26 ¥8.46

-3.17%

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

$19.1K ¥128.6K

$19.2K ¥129.1K

-0.35%

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

$15.1K ¥101.7K

$17.8K ¥120.1K

-15.30%

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

$72.9 ¥491

$56.3 ¥379

29.35%

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

$6.68 ¥45.00

$9.09 ¥61.3

-26.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$4.99 ¥33.60

$11.20 ¥75.4

-55.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.12 ¥210

$48.03 ¥324

-35.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.94 ¥60.2

$15.31 ¥103

-41.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ¥38.92

$7.48 ¥50.4

-22.73%

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

$216 ¥1,455

$474 ¥3,190

-54.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.1K ¥135.2K

$20.9K ¥140.6K

-3.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.14 ¥223

$42.07 ¥283

-21.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.82 ¥288

$36.47 ¥246

17.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.5 ¥468

$68.8 ¥463

1.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.7 ¥463

$88.1 ¥594

-22.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$232 ¥1,563

$677 ¥4,563

-65.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 ¥913

$434 ¥2,927

-68.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$560 ¥3,775

$1,792 ¥12.1K

-68.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 ¥2,278

$886 ¥5,971

-61.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,369 ¥16.0K

$12.8K ¥86.2K

-81.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,273 ¥8,573

$6,220 ¥41.9K

-79.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$960 ¥6,469

$1,712 ¥11.5K

-43.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.13

3.4

-7.94%

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

Last update for Jinan: August 3, 2026

Last update for Shenzhen: August 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $232 in Jinan versus $677 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 78% 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 Jinan versus $30.00 in Shenzhen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $242 – making Jinan 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

Jinan vs Shenzhen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shenzhen costs about 61% more than Jinan, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $965 per month in Jinan 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 Jinan, 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 Jinan and $30.00 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 $644 in Jinan and $1,036 in Shenzhen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jinan, where all-in costs run around $644, than in Shenzhen at $1,036. In Jinan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jinan – 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 Jinan. 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.