Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Changchun Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Changchun

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,139 in Shenzhen versus $817 in Changchun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,731 in Shenzhen versus $1,230 in Changchun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,322 in Shenzhen versus $1,644 in Changchun.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 39% more expensive than in Changchun, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 17% lower, Changchun 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 ¥26.92

$2.81 ¥18.82

43.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.93 ¥201

$21.92 ¥147

36.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 ¥35.38

$5.93 ¥39.75

-10.96%

Cappuccino

$3.36 ¥22.49

$2.37 ¥15.91

41.77%

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

$0.54 ¥3.64

$0.58 ¥3.86

-6.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.39

$0.31 ¥2.09

16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ¥9.77

$0.87 ¥5.82

67.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ¥15.09

$1.84 ¥12.35

22.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥10.92

$1.95 ¥13.04

-16.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥12.00

$1.27 ¥8.51

40.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.88

$1.35 ¥9.08

-12.59%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.32

$1.88 ¥12.61

-10.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.03 ¥148

$34.14 ¥229

-35.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 ¥24.23

$4.95 ¥33.19

-26.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 ¥94.9

$8.96 ¥60.1

58.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 ¥14.65

$1.70 ¥11.38

28.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ¥10.39

$1.10 ¥7.36

40.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ¥12.69

$1.75 ¥11.72

8.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥9.89

$1.37 ¥9.20

8.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.94

$0.70 ¥4.72

68.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.28

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.57 ¥3.79

-5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$1.15 ¥7.73

-49.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.54 ¥30.40

$3.68 ¥24.63

23.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 ¥84.8

$12.05 ¥80.7

4.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥6.08

$0.86 ¥5.74

5.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥12.38

$1.14 ¥7.66

62.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ¥4.12

$0.43 ¥2.90

41.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.16 ¥148

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ¥9.88

$1.18 ¥7.89

24.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 ¥2.68

$0.29 ¥1.92

37.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.25 ¥48.62

$2.99 ¥20.03

142.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.36

$1.26 ¥8.48

-0.79%

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

$19.1K ¥127.8K

$19.2K ¥128.8K

-0.81%

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

$18.1K ¥121.5K

$18.1K ¥121.0K

0.44%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$45.06 ¥302

36.62%

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

$9.91 ¥66.4

$4.33 ¥29.01

128.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.09 ¥101

$14.92 ¥100

1.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.53 ¥332

$37.18 ¥249

33.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.99 ¥114

$4.11 ¥27.54

313.38%

Cinema Ticket

$7.35 ¥49.27

$9.53 ¥63.9

-22.88%

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

$525 ¥3,516

$295 ¥1,977

77.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K ¥161.1K

$8,938 ¥59.9K

169.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.95 ¥335

$51.4 ¥344

-2.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 ¥270

$44.54 ¥298

-9.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 ¥464

$60.1 ¥403

15.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.2 ¥578

$69.9 ¥468

23.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$768 ¥5,144

$219 ¥1,471

249.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 ¥3,125

$249 ¥1,670

87.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 ¥12.2K

$578 ¥3,876

214.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 ¥5,732

$314 ¥2,106

172.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K ¥90.0K

$1,635 ¥11.0K

721.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,284 ¥42.1K

$976 ¥6,540

543.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,688 ¥11.3K

$965 ¥6,468

74.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

4.37

-22.20%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: August 31, 2026

Last update for Changchun: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $768 in Shenzhen and $219 in Changchun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 75% 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 Shenzhen vs $22.00 in Changchun. Groceries flip the comparison at $257 vs $277, with Shenzhen 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

Shenzhen vs Changchun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Changchun is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 75% higher in Shenzhen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $768 in Shenzhen versus $219 in Changchun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $525 in Shenzhen versus $295 in Changchun. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Changchun – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $30.00 in Shenzhen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $817 in Changchun versus $1,139 in Shenzhen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Changchun but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Changchun 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 Changchun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.