Cost of Living Comparison Between Shantou and Tabriz Cost of Living Comparison Between Shantou and Tabriz

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $682 per month in Shantou vs $557 in Tabriz, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,079 per month in Shantou vs $917 in Tabriz, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,475 per month in Shantou vs $1,277 in Tabriz, rent included.

Shantou costs about 23% more than Tabriz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shantou and Tabriz are more affordable than the global median – Shantou 49% lower, Tabriz 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ¥13.80

$4.81 $4.81

-57.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.77 ¥113

$20.22 $20.22

-17.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.85 ¥32.80

$2.97 $2.97

63.30%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.79 $0.79

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 $1.28

Cappuccino

$3.25 ¥22.00

$1.16 $1.16

180.17%

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

$0.47 ¥3.20

$1.02 $1.02

-53.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.05

$0.99 $0.99

-69.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.85 ¥5.77

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 ¥17.72

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ¥11.10

$0.59 $0.59

177.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ¥9.50

$0.52 $0.52

171.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 ¥4.63

$1.92 $1.92

-64.58%

Eggs

$1.91 ¥12.93

$1.26 $1.26

51.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 ¥85.8

$3.38 $3.38

275.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 ¥25.27

$2.83 $2.83

32.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.23 ¥82.7

$9.61 $9.61

27.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.28

$0.95 $0.95

91.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ¥9.94

$1.43 $1.43

2.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.32

$1.23 $1.23

35.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.35

$0.57 $0.57

115.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.51

$0.51 $0.51

58.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 ¥6.64

$0.44 $0.44

122.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ¥4.31

$0.62 $0.62

3.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 ¥2.75

$0.25 $0.25

64.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.62 $0.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 $0.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 $1.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.52 ¥23.79

$2.21 $2.21

59.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.35 ¥83.5

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥5.58

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.63

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ¥2.48

$0.49 $0.49

-24.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.53 ¥152

$20.13 $20.13

11.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 ¥10.53

$0.29 $0.29

437.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.22

$0.19 $0.19

73.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.81 ¥46.03

$3.97 $3.97

71.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$0.70 $0.70

62.86%

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

$20.9K ¥141.0K

$71.9K $71.9K

-71.00%

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

$19.4K ¥130.9K

$56.2K $56.2K

-65.56%

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

$54.3 ¥367

$14.31 $14.31

279.73%

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

$8.22 ¥55.6

$2.13 $2.13

285.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.89 ¥87.1

$5.68 $5.68

126.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.13 ¥285

$14.70 $14.70

186.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.10 ¥95.4

$24.96 $24.96

-43.51%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 ¥48.09

$1.72 $1.72

313.37%

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

$450 ¥3,046

$66.5 $66.5

577.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K ¥139.9K

$681 $681

2936.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.52 ¥335

$16.59 $16.59

198.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.31 ¥205

$12.80 $12.80

136.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 ¥512

$174 $174

-56.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.5 ¥537

$49.42 $49.42

60.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 ¥1,901

$189 $189

49.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 ¥932

$193 $193

-28.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$550 ¥3,722

$874 $874

-37.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 ¥1,853

$403 $403

-32.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,174 ¥21.5K

$862 $862

268.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,799 ¥12.2K

$855 $855

110.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,043 ¥7,054

$230 $230

352.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

-81.64%

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

Last update for Shantou: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tabriz: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $281 in Shantou versus $189 in Tabriz. 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 353% higher in Shantou, 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 $17.00 in Shantou versus $20.00 in Tabriz. Groceries tell a different story – $209 in Shantou vs $106 in Tabriz – so Tabriz 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

Shantou vs Tabriz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $682 in Shantou, $557 in Tabriz – roughly 23% apart. Shantou costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,023 per month in Shantou and $835 in Tabriz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tabriz, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 98% more in Shantou, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Shantou and $20.00 in Tabriz. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $682 in Shantou and $557 in Tabriz, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Tabriz – 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 Tabriz. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shantou makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.