Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Datong Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Datong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,037 in Shenzhen versus $718 in Datong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,659 in Shenzhen versus $1,141 in Datong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,280 in Shenzhen versus $1,564 in Datong.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 44% more expensive than Datong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 23% lower, Datong 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.22

$2.84 ¥19.25

10.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.51 ¥187

$21.18 ¥144

29.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ¥34.33

$4.73 ¥32.08

6.98%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥22.57

$2.97 ¥20.13

12.12%

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

$0.48 ¥3.26

$0.46 ¥3.13

4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.90

$0.29 ¥1.98

-3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.30

$0.88 ¥5.96

38.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ¥19.18

$2.07 ¥14.01

36.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ¥11.74

$1.86 ¥12.60

-6.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.38

$1.54 ¥10.44

27.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.37

$0.89 ¥6.02

38.20%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.13

$1.53 ¥10.39

26.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 ¥86.5

$12.70 ¥86.1

0.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 ¥27.49

$3.10 ¥21.03

30.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ¥91.3

$10.35 ¥70.2

30.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.72

$1.86 ¥12.59

1.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.56

$1.26 ¥8.56

11.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.35

$1.48 ¥10.06

22.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.11

$1.10 ¥7.45

21.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.11

$0.70 ¥4.75

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.93

$0.95 ¥6.42

53.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.79

$0.61 ¥4.12

16.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.83

$0.51 ¥3.45

11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ¥22.93

$3.09 ¥20.94

9.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.92 ¥87.6

$10.74 ¥72.9

20.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.40

$0.76 ¥5.14

23.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.68

$1.61 ¥10.90

16.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.73

$0.29 ¥1.97

37.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.76 ¥148

$16.99 ¥115

28.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ¥11.05

$1.35 ¥9.18

20.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.36

$0.35 ¥2.38

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 ¥47.59

$6.54 ¥44.39

7.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥8.00

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

$22.9K ¥155.3K

$19.4K ¥131.4K

18.12%

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

$20.7K ¥140.6K

$16.9K ¥114.8K

22.54%

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

$65.3 ¥443

$45.90 ¥311

42.33%

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

$8.20 ¥55.6

$9.91 ¥67.2

-17.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.05 ¥88.5

$11.87 ¥80.5

9.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 ¥341

$41.85 ¥284

20.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.39 ¥118

$13.71 ¥93.0

26.84%

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 ¥46.56

$6.09 ¥41.27

12.64%

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

$457 ¥3,098

$328 ¥2,223

39.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K ¥141.4K

$16.9K ¥114.4K

23.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.25 ¥334

$44.31 ¥301

11.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.67 ¥208

$30.17 ¥205

1.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 ¥503

$72.2 ¥490

2.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 ¥544

$71.2 ¥483

12.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ¥4,997

$281 ¥1,907

162.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥2,789

$196 ¥1,332

109.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 ¥11.5K

$593 ¥4,025

185.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 ¥6,125

$359 ¥2,437

151.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K ¥89.1K

$3,073 ¥20.8K

327.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,222 ¥42.2K

$2,047 ¥13.9K

203.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,665 ¥11.3K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Datong: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Shenzhen and $281 in Datong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $28.00 in Shenzhen vs $21.00 in Datong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $198 per month, with Datong 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 Datong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Datong wins on cost – living expenses run 44% lower than in Shenzhen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Datong the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,556 in Shenzhen and $1,077 in Datong 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: $737 in Shenzhen versus $281 in Datong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $457 in Shenzhen versus $328 in Datong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Shenzhen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $718 in Datong versus $1,037 in Shenzhen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Datong but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Datong 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 Datong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.