Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Dalian Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Dalian

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,108 in Shenzhen versus $901 in Dalian.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,752 in Shenzhen versus $1,441 in Dalian.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,397 in Shenzhen versus $1,981 in Dalian.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 23% more expensive than in Dalian, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 19% lower, Dalian 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.68 ¥24.65

$3.48 ¥23.31

5.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.95 ¥201

$25.63 ¥172

16.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 ¥34.35

$5.22 ¥34.97

-1.72%

Cappuccino

$3.26 ¥21.81

$3.33 ¥22.30

-2.10%

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

$0.58 ¥3.86

$0.49 ¥3.30

18.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.23 ¥1.53

52.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 ¥9.72

$1.00 ¥6.71

45.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ¥15.23

$1.52 ¥10.17

49.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥10.91

$1.63 ¥10.95

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 ¥12.47

$1.42 ¥9.50

30.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 ¥8.16

$0.95 ¥6.36

28.42%

Eggs

$1.72 ¥11.55

$1.66 ¥11.10

3.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.88 ¥147

$20.33 ¥136

7.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 ¥24.12

$3.36 ¥22.50

7.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.34 ¥96.0

$13.00 ¥87.1

10.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 ¥15.06

$1.28 ¥8.55

75.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.63

$1.12 ¥7.53

41.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.61

$1.95 ¥13.07

-3.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥9.90

$0.84 ¥5.65

76.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.23

$0.83 ¥5.56

48.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ¥9.90

$0.66 ¥4.40

124.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ¥3.88

$1.36 ¥9.11

-57.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.62

$0.64 ¥4.25

-15.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 ¥29.50

$3.83 ¥25.65

14.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.74 ¥85.3

$14.48 ¥97.0

-12.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 ¥6.59

$1.05 ¥7.03

-6.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 ¥12.15

$1.86 ¥12.46

-2.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 ¥4.19

$0.29 ¥1.92

117.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.30 ¥149

$29.39 ¥197

-24.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 ¥9.79

$1.52 ¥10.17

-3.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.51

$0.43 ¥2.87

-13.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.09 ¥47.50

$4.00 ¥26.79

77.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ¥8.77

$1.25 ¥8.38

4.80%

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

$19.4K ¥129.7K

-0.02%

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

$18.4K ¥123.2K

$17.8K ¥119.4K

3.22%

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

$62.1 ¥416

$63.8 ¥427

-2.56%

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

$10.07 ¥67.5

$9.39 ¥62.9

7.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.91 ¥99.9

$13.51 ¥90.5

10.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.67 ¥326

$40.85 ¥274

19.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.94 ¥113

$35.98 ¥241

-52.92%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ¥50.1

$6.52 ¥43.64

14.72%

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

$535 ¥3,581

$405 ¥2,713

31.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K ¥160.9K

$18.5K ¥123.6K

30.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.75 ¥333

$73.1 ¥489

-31.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.48 ¥264

$54.6 ¥366

-27.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 ¥467

$111 ¥743

-37.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 ¥586

$121 ¥813

-27.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 ¥5,037

$410 ¥2,746

83.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 ¥3,117

$239 ¥1,603

94.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,819 ¥12.2K

$710 ¥4,754

156.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$862 ¥5,774

$440 ¥2,945

96.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K ¥88.0K

$2,657 ¥17.8K

394.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,442 ¥43.2K

$1,598 ¥10.7K

303.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,732 ¥11.6K

$1,103 ¥7,385

57.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

3.89

-12.60%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: September 13, 2026

Last update for Dalian: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $752 in Shenzhen and $410 in Dalian. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 57% 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 $26.00 in Dalian for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $238 per month, with Dalian 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 Dalian: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shenzhen and Dalian differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($1,108 vs $901 including rent). Dalian is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 57% 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: $752 in Shenzhen versus $410 in Dalian. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $535 in Shenzhen versus $405 in Dalian. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Shenzhen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $901 in Dalian versus $1,108 in Shenzhen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dalian but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Dalian 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 Dalian gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.