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: $1,032 in Shenzhen versus $643 in Jiangmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,649 in Shenzhen versus $958 in Jiangmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,266 in Shenzhen versus $1,273 in Jiangmen.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 61% more expensive than in Jiangmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 23% lower, Jiangmen 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.13

$3.04 ¥20.56

2.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.60 ¥187

$16.98 ¥115

62.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 ¥32.92

$5.15 ¥34.80

-5.44%

Cappuccino

$3.32 ¥22.43

$2.76 ¥18.68

20.29%

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

$0.48 ¥3.27

$0.50 ¥3.38

-4.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.30 ¥2.03

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 ¥8.21

$1.28 ¥8.67

-5.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ¥18.73

$2.74 ¥18.54

1.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.81

$1.79 ¥12.13

-2.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.31

$1.52 ¥10.26

29.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.96

$0.96 ¥6.47

22.92%

Eggs

$1.92 ¥12.94

$1.64 ¥11.10

17.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.69 ¥85.8

$7.12 ¥48.10

78.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.93 ¥26.56

$3.19 ¥21.57

23.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 ¥90.4

$9.50 ¥64.2

40.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 ¥12.61

$1.90 ¥12.81

-1.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.89

$1.28 ¥8.65

14.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.27

$1.06 ¥7.13

71.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ¥9.42

$1.24 ¥8.37

12.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.39

$0.61 ¥4.16

78.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.59

$0.84 ¥5.65

69.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 ¥5.04

$0.36 ¥2.44

108.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.58 ¥3.93

-1.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ¥22.91

$3.51 ¥23.74

-3.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.61 ¥85.2

$12.21 ¥82.5

3.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.26

$0.61 ¥4.13

52.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥12.86

$1.63 ¥11.01

16.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.97

$0.41 ¥2.75

7.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.23 ¥150

$16.75 ¥113

32.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 ¥11.39

$1.41 ¥9.51

19.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.53

$0.34 ¥2.32

8.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 ¥45.58

$6.75 ¥45.61

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.70

$1.12 ¥7.59

1.79%

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

$22.7K ¥153.4K

$23.1K ¥156.0K

-1.63%

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

$20.7K ¥139.7K

$20.7K ¥139.8K

-0.06%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$38.27 ¥259

70.73%

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

$8.39 ¥56.7

$8.07 ¥54.5

3.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.08 ¥88.4

$11.37 ¥76.8

15.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 ¥344

$28.23 ¥191

80.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.60 ¥119

$4.07 ¥27.51

332.43%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 ¥47.82

$6.15 ¥41.54

15.12%

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

$467 ¥3,154

$226 ¥1,528

106.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K ¥139.8K

$9,894 ¥66.9K

109.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.53 ¥328

$21.06 ¥142

130.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.27 ¥205

$30.20 ¥204

0.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 ¥505

$74.3 ¥502

0.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.3 ¥536

$37.80 ¥255

109.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 ¥4,945

$278 ¥1,881

162.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 ¥2,773

$190 ¥1,282

116.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,699 ¥11.5K

$424 ¥2,867

300.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 ¥6,148

$251 ¥1,694

262.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.9K ¥87.3K

$5,952 ¥40.2K

116.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,000 ¥40.5K

$1,229 ¥8,302

388.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,720 ¥11.6K

$585 ¥3,953

193.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

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

Last update for Shenzhen: July 14, 2026

Last update for Jiangmen: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $732 in Shenzhen and $278 in Jiangmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 194% 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: $28.00 in Shenzhen vs $17.00 in Jiangmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $229 vs $180 per month, with Jiangmen 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 Jiangmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shenzhen and Jiangmen differ by about 61% in total monthly costs ($1,032 vs $643 including rent). Jiangmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 194% 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: $732 in Shenzhen versus $278 in Jiangmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,032 per month in Shenzhen versus $643 in Jiangmen – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jiangmen runs roughly 33% less than in Shenzhen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $643 in Jiangmen versus $1,032 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 61% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.