Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Chifeng Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Chifeng

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,000 per month in Shenzhen vs $702 in Chifeng, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,640 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,123 in Chifeng, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,281 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,545 in Chifeng, rent included.

Shenzhen costs about 43% more than Chifeng, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shenzhen and Chifeng are more affordable than the global median – Shenzhen 26% lower, Chifeng 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.29 ¥22.23

$2.85 ¥19.24

15.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.75 ¥188

$21.46 ¥145

29.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 ¥34.33

$4.75 ¥32.11

6.95%

Cappuccino

$3.28 ¥22.19

$3.04 ¥20.57

7.89%

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

$0.48 ¥3.23

$0.46 ¥3.14

4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.27 ¥1.82

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.26 ¥8.53

$0.94 ¥6.33

34.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ¥18.71

$2.15 ¥14.51

28.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ¥11.89

$1.80 ¥12.19

-2.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 ¥13.80

$1.62 ¥10.96

25.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.32

$0.97 ¥6.58

26.80%

Eggs

$1.91 ¥12.91

$1.53 ¥10.35

24.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.89 ¥87.2

$12.79 ¥86.5

0.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.02 ¥27.16

$3.13 ¥21.18

28.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.81 ¥93.4

$10.07 ¥68.1

37.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.70

$1.82 ¥12.32

3.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ¥9.96

$1.25 ¥8.47

17.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.69

$1.54 ¥10.40

12.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.55

$1.15 ¥7.75

22.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.43

$0.73 ¥4.96

50.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 ¥9.96

$0.94 ¥6.37

56.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 ¥5.09

$0.57 ¥3.84

31.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.10

$0.55 ¥3.73

10.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.53 ¥23.84

$3.10 ¥20.98

13.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.14 ¥88.9

$10.54 ¥71.3

24.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.26

$0.79 ¥5.33

17.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥12.86

$1.58 ¥10.68

20.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.70

$0.27 ¥1.82

48.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.52 ¥152

$16.81 ¥114

33.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 ¥11.45

$1.42 ¥9.59

19.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.51

$0.35 ¥2.40

5.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 ¥46.35

$6.80 ¥45.99

0.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.61

$1.17 ¥7.89

-3.42%

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

$22.8K ¥154.3K

$19.7K ¥132.9K

16.15%

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

$20.1K ¥135.6K

$17.0K ¥114.6K

18.30%

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

$67.3 ¥455

$45.69 ¥309

47.23%

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

$8.52 ¥57.6

$9.68 ¥65.5

-11.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.10 ¥88.6

$11.52 ¥77.9

13.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.62 ¥336

$41.75 ¥282

18.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.24 ¥117

$13.95 ¥94.4

23.58%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 ¥46.35

$5.83 ¥39.41

17.50%

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

$466 ¥3,149

$331 ¥2,235

40.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.6K ¥139.5K

$16.8K ¥113.8K

22.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.14 ¥332

$43.15 ¥292

13.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.85 ¥202

$30.64 ¥207

-2.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 ¥516

$72.3 ¥489

5.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 ¥541

$71.3 ¥482

12.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ¥4,988

$275 ¥1,858

168.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 ¥2,741

$196 ¥1,328

106.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,655 ¥11.2K

$594 ¥4,015

178.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$920 ¥6,220

$365 ¥2,469

151.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.9K ¥87.4K

$3,043 ¥20.6K

324.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,050 ¥40.9K

$1,994 ¥13.5K

203.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,660 ¥11.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

3.89

3.86%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: June 9, 2026

Last update for Chifeng: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Shenzhen versus $275 in Chifeng. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Shenzhen versus $21.00 in Chifeng. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $198 – making Chifeng 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

Shenzhen vs Chifeng: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shenzhen is pricier by about 43%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,500 per month in Shenzhen and $1,052 in Chifeng. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chifeng, 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 $28.00 in Shenzhen and $21.00 in Chifeng. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,000 in Shenzhen and $702 in Chifeng. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Chifeng, where all-in costs run around $702, than in Shenzhen at $1,000. In Chifeng it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chifeng – 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 Chifeng. 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.