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: $1,016 in Shenzhen versus $662 in Jiangmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,642 in Shenzhen versus $960 in Jiangmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,268 in Shenzhen versus $1,258 in Jiangmen.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 53% more expensive than Jiangmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 25% lower, Jiangmen 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.12 ¥21.34

$3.11 ¥21.26

0.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.87 ¥190

$16.61 ¥113

67.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.15 ¥35.17

$5.00 ¥34.15

3.00%

Cappuccino

$3.17 ¥21.67

$2.78 ¥18.98

14.03%

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

$0.52 ¥3.58

$0.48 ¥3.28

8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.06

$0.28 ¥1.89

7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 ¥8.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ¥19.26

$2.82 ¥19.25

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ¥12.47

$1.75 ¥11.95

4.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 ¥13.26

$1.51 ¥10.32

28.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥8.03

$0.90 ¥6.11

31.11%

Eggs

$1.87 ¥12.76

$1.65 ¥11.28

13.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.81 ¥87.5

$7.09 ¥48.41

80.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.86 ¥26.35

$3.15 ¥21.49

22.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.49 ¥92.2

$9.55 ¥65.2

41.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 ¥12.49

$1.87 ¥12.80

-2.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.68

$1.26 ¥8.62

12.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.82

$1.07 ¥7.31

61.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ¥9.50

$1.20 ¥8.18

15.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.25

$0.58 ¥3.93

82.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.70

$0.83 ¥5.70

71.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ¥4.71

$0.37 ¥2.53

86.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.12

$0.55 ¥3.73

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ¥23.07

$3.41 ¥23.28

-0.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.51 ¥99.1

$14.25 ¥97.4

1.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.32

$0.65 ¥4.42

43.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ¥12.67

$1.71 ¥11.69

8.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥3.01

$0.43 ¥2.96

2.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.43 ¥153

$16.95 ¥116

32.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 ¥11.20

$1.41 ¥9.63

16.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.37

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 ¥46.79

$6.92 ¥47.28

-1.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.74

$1.13 ¥7.71

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

$22.7K ¥155.3K

$22.8K ¥155.9K

-0.35%

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

$20.7K ¥141.2K

$20.3K ¥138.4K

2.01%

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

$67.5 ¥461

$37.70 ¥257

78.91%

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

$8.23 ¥56.2

$7.79 ¥53.2

5.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.77 ¥87.3

$11.44 ¥78.1

11.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.87 ¥341

$27.46 ¥188

81.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.30 ¥118

$4.13 ¥28.22

318.89%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 ¥48.69

$6.14 ¥41.95

16.12%

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

$454 ¥3,099

$223 ¥1,520

103.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.3K ¥138.5K

$9,624 ¥65.7K

110.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.09 ¥328

$21.03 ¥144

128.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.71 ¥210

$29.84 ¥204

2.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 ¥525

$74.7 ¥510

3.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 ¥537

$37.06 ¥253

112.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 ¥4,973

$281 ¥1,917

159.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 ¥2,747

$188 ¥1,284

113.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,674 ¥11.4K

$419 ¥2,861

299.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$927 ¥6,329

$247 ¥1,689

274.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.3K ¥90.7K

$3,160 ¥21.6K

320.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,100 ¥41.7K

$1,215 ¥8,296

402.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,640 ¥11.2K

$557 ¥3,807

194.29%

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Jiangmen: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $728 in Shenzhen and $281 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 in Shenzhen vs $17 in Jiangmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $182 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 53% in total monthly costs ($1,016 vs $662 including rent). Jiangmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Shenzhen pays 194% more on average, 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: $728 in Shenzhen versus $281 in Jiangmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,016 per month in Shenzhen versus $662 in Jiangmen – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jiangmen runs roughly 32% less than in Shenzhen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $662 in Jiangmen versus $1,016 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 53% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.