Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Baoji Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Baoji

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,140 in Shenzhen versus $710 in Baoji.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,759 in Shenzhen versus $1,103 in Baoji.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,378 in Shenzhen versus $1,497 in Baoji.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 61% more expensive than in Baoji, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 17% lower, Baoji 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.05 ¥27.11

$2.69 ¥18.04

50.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.95 ¥201

$11.84 ¥79.3

152.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 ¥34.27

$4.40 ¥29.46

16.36%

Cappuccino

$3.40 ¥22.78

$2.10 ¥14.08

61.90%

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

$0.54 ¥3.61

$0.29 ¥1.91

86.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ¥2.35

$0.27 ¥1.81

29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 ¥10.11

$1.52 ¥10.20

-0.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ¥14.69

$1.51 ¥10.14

45.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ¥10.54

$1.44 ¥9.64

9.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 ¥12.39

$1.69 ¥11.30

9.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 ¥8.12

$0.90 ¥6.06

34.44%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.34

$0.93 ¥6.24

81.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.16 ¥148

$11.67 ¥78.2

89.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.69 ¥24.69

$3.64 ¥24.38

1.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.25 ¥95.4

$10.36 ¥69.4

37.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ¥15.49

$1.66 ¥11.11

39.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ¥10.71

$1.10 ¥7.36

45.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.19

$1.25 ¥8.35

45.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.43

$1.32 ¥8.87

6.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 ¥7.86

$0.64 ¥4.29

82.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 ¥10.31

$0.72 ¥4.85

113.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ¥3.91

$0.54 ¥3.60

7.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.62

$0.54 ¥3.63

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.39 ¥29.43

$3.35 ¥22.47

31.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 ¥84.7

$8.43 ¥56.4

50.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.21

$0.73 ¥4.91

27.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ¥12.16

$1.62 ¥10.86

12.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 ¥4.18

$0.31 ¥2.08

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.17 ¥148

$18.00 ¥121

23.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ¥9.85

$1.28 ¥8.58

14.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.51

$0.31 ¥2.08

22.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.42 ¥49.69

$4.56 ¥30.51

62.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ¥8.50

$1.26 ¥8.45

0.79%

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

$19.7K ¥131.8K

$19.0K ¥127.4K

3.47%

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

$18.2K ¥122.1K

$17.8K ¥119.4K

2.27%

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

$61.2 ¥410

$62.1 ¥416

-1.55%

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

$10.07 ¥67.5

$6.10 ¥40.83

65.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.90 ¥99.8

$10.69 ¥71.6

39.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.64 ¥332

$40.77 ¥273

21.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.20 ¥115

$15.04 ¥101

14.36%

Cinema Ticket

$7.67 ¥51.4

$5.36 ¥35.88

43.10%

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

$524 ¥3,507

$685 ¥4,585

-23.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K ¥158.2K

$17.7K ¥118.3K

33.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.44 ¥331

$38.38 ¥257

28.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.23 ¥263

$37.32 ¥250

5.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.6 ¥459

$73.4 ¥492

-6.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.2 ¥597

$84.2 ¥564

5.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 ¥5,114

$289 ¥1,936

164.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 ¥3,168

$184 ¥1,235

156.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,851 ¥12.4K

$609 ¥4,078

203.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$863 ¥5,777

$376 ¥2,521

129.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.6K ¥90.8K

$3,235 ¥21.7K

319.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,418 ¥43.0K

$1,929 ¥12.9K

232.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,688 ¥11.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.37

3.35

0.60%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: September 6, 2026

Last update for Baoji: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $764 in Shenzhen and $289 in Baoji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $30.00 in Shenzhen vs $12.00 in Baoji for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $185 per month, with Baoji 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

Shenzhen vs Baoji: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baoji is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,709 in Shenzhen and $1,065 in Baoji to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $764 in Shenzhen versus $289 in Baoji. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Baoji runs roughly 23% less than in Shenzhen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $524 in Shenzhen versus $685 in Baoji. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $710 in Baoji versus $1,140 in Shenzhen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Baoji but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Baoji 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 Baoji gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.