Cost of Living Comparison Between Linyi and Shenzhen Cost of Living Comparison Between Linyi and Shenzhen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $609 in Linyi versus $1,006 in Shenzhen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,020 in Linyi versus $1,658 in Shenzhen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,430 in Linyi versus $2,311 in Shenzhen.

Living in Linyi costs roughly 39% less than in Shenzhen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Linyi 54% lower, Shenzhen 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.89 ¥26.63

$3.28 ¥22.48

18.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.27 ¥207

$28.26 ¥194

7.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 ¥43.61

$5.14 ¥35.19

23.93%

Cappuccino

$3.23 ¥22.14

$3.22 ¥22.06

0.31%

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

$0.57 ¥3.92

$0.52 ¥3.53

9.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.86

$0.28 ¥1.91

-3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ¥7.44

$1.28 ¥8.74

-14.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ¥14.48

$2.80 ¥19.21

-24.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ¥11.80

$1.75 ¥11.98

-1.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 ¥10.45

$1.95 ¥13.38

-21.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.41 ¥2.81

$1.24 ¥8.50

-66.94%

Eggs

$1.28 ¥8.73

$1.87 ¥12.78

-31.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.79 ¥87.6

$12.87 ¥88.2

-0.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ¥21.20

$3.97 ¥27.20

-21.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.32 ¥77.5

$13.75 ¥94.2

-17.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 ¥7.05

$1.86 ¥12.74

-44.62%

Banana (1kg)

$0.94 ¥6.45

$1.46 ¥10.03

-35.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.56

$1.75 ¥11.97

-53.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.51

$1.40 ¥9.61

-21.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.98

$1.06 ¥7.28

-31.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.39 ¥2.70

$1.41 ¥9.63

-72.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ¥4.15

$0.75 ¥5.17

-18.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ¥4.23

$0.56 ¥3.87

10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.06 ¥20.96

$3.44 ¥23.54

-11.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.04 ¥68.8

$14.25 ¥97.6

-29.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.94

$0.93 ¥6.38

-37.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 ¥8.77

$1.93 ¥13.24

-33.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.99

$0.44 ¥2.99

-34.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.77 ¥115

$22.51 ¥154

-25.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ¥9.40

$1.63 ¥11.13

-15.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.24

$0.38 ¥2.59

-13.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.48 ¥44.39

$6.81 ¥46.63

-4.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥7.48

$1.16 ¥7.96

-6.03%

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

$13.6K ¥93.5K

$23.4K ¥160.5K

-41.73%

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

$16.9K ¥116.1K

$20.1K ¥137.5K

-15.56%

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

$45.33 ¥311

$67.6 ¥463

-32.89%

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

$9.71 ¥66.5

$8.39 ¥57.4

15.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.63 ¥79.6

$13.11 ¥89.8

-11.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.30 ¥125

$49.79 ¥341

-63.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.98 ¥95.8

$17.43 ¥119

-19.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.21 ¥42.55

$7.09 ¥48.56

-12.41%

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

$197 ¥1,351

$464 ¥3,179

-57.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,342 ¥43.4K

$20.8K ¥142.3K

-69.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 ¥484

$49.32 ¥338

43.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.60 ¥169

$29.89 ¥205

-17.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.4 ¥530

$74.6 ¥511

3.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.9 ¥499

$79.7 ¥546

-8.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 ¥1,066

$726 ¥4,974

-78.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$91.9 ¥630

$410 ¥2,806

-77.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 ¥2,171

$1,673 ¥11.5K

-81.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$223 ¥1,526

$903 ¥6,185

-75.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K ¥89.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,037 ¥7,102

$6,063 ¥41.5K

-82.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$793 ¥5,429

$1,687 ¥11.6K

-53.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.87

4.04

-4.21%

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

Last update for Linyi: April 27, 2026

Last update for Shenzhen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $156 in Linyi and $726 in Shenzhen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 113% 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 Linyi vs $28.00 in Shenzhen. Groceries flip the comparison at $185 vs $234, with Linyi cheaper for home cooking.

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

Linyi vs Shenzhen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Linyi wins on cost – living expenses run 65% lower than in Shenzhen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Linyi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Shenzhen earns 113% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $156 in Linyi versus $726 in Shenzhen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $197 in Linyi versus $464 in Shenzhen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Shenzhen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $609 in Linyi versus $1,006 in Shenzhen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Linyi but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Linyi 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 Linyi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.