Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Jiangmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Jiangmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,108 in Shenzhen versus $507 in Jiangmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,752 in Shenzhen versus $986 in Jiangmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,397 in Shenzhen versus $1,464 in Jiangmen.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 118% more expensive than in Jiangmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 19% lower, Jiangmen 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.68 ¥24.65

$3.27 ¥21.92

12.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.95 ¥201

$30.16 ¥202

-0.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 ¥34.35

$5.14 ¥34.46

-0.19%

Cappuccino

$3.26 ¥21.81

$2.26 ¥15.14

44.25%

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

$0.58 ¥3.86

$0.39 ¥2.64

48.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.29 ¥1.92

20.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 ¥9.72

$0.90 ¥6.05

61.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ¥15.23

$1.51 ¥10.13

50.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥10.91

$1.58 ¥10.58

3.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 ¥12.47

$1.66 ¥11.14

12.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 ¥8.16

$1.07 ¥7.17

14.02%

Eggs

$1.72 ¥11.55

$1.67 ¥11.17

2.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.88 ¥147

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 ¥24.12

$2.20 ¥14.71

63.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.34 ¥96.0

$13.19 ¥88.4

8.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 ¥15.06

$2.12 ¥14.17

6.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.63

$0.93 ¥6.20

70.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.61

$1.22 ¥8.16

54.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥9.90

$1.49 ¥9.99

-0.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.23

$0.69 ¥4.62

78.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ¥9.90

$0.93 ¥6.23

59.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ¥3.88

$0.29 ¥1.92

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.62

$0.55 ¥3.65

-1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 ¥29.50

$3.00 ¥20.11

46.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.74 ¥85.3

$12.37 ¥82.8

2.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 ¥6.59

$0.69 ¥4.60

42.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 ¥12.15

$1.84 ¥12.30

-1.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 ¥4.19

$0.47 ¥3.13

34.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.30 ¥149

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 ¥9.79

$1.48 ¥9.90

-1.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.51

$0.38 ¥2.53

-2.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.09 ¥47.50

$7.20 ¥48.20

-1.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ¥8.77

$1.32 ¥8.81

-0.76%

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

$19.4K ¥129.7K

$19.6K ¥131.3K

-1.22%

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

$18.4K ¥123.2K

$17.0K ¥114.1K

7.96%

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

$62.1 ¥416

$50.1 ¥336

23.97%

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

$10.07 ¥67.5

$8.62 ¥57.7

16.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.91 ¥99.9

$12.42 ¥83.2

20.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.67 ¥326

$29.73 ¥199

63.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.94 ¥113

$4.35 ¥29.11

289.43%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ¥50.1

$6.40 ¥42.87

16.88%

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

$535 ¥3,581

$243 ¥1,630

119.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K ¥160.9K

$7,590 ¥50.8K

216.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.75 ¥333

$29.93 ¥201

66.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.48 ¥264

$40.22 ¥269

-1.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 ¥467

$68.2 ¥457

2.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 ¥586

$44.33 ¥297

97.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 ¥5,037

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 ¥3,117

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,819 ¥12.2K

$444 ¥2,972

309.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$862 ¥5,774

$271 ¥1,814

218.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K ¥88.0K

$6,062 ¥40.6K

116.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,442 ¥43.2K

$1,227 ¥8,216

425.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,732 ¥11.6K

$603 ¥4,037

187.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

3.37

0.89%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: September 13, 2026

Last update for Jiangmen: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Shenzhen pays 187% 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 $30.00 in Jiangmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $258 vs $231, with Jiangmen 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 Jiangmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shenzhen and Jiangmen differ by about 118% in total monthly costs ($1,108 vs $507 including rent). Jiangmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 187% higher in Shenzhen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $535 in Shenzhen versus $243 in Jiangmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

At $507 in Jiangmen versus $1,108 in Shenzhen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Jiangmen but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Jiangmen 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 Jiangmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 118% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.