Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Jiaozuo Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Jiaozuo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,037 in Shenzhen versus $680 in Jiaozuo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,659 in Shenzhen versus $1,085 in Jiaozuo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,280 in Shenzhen versus $1,490 in Jiaozuo.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 52% more expensive than Jiaozuo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 23% lower, Jiaozuo 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.17

$1.71 ¥11.59

83.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.51 ¥186

$20.95 ¥142

31.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ¥34.24

$5.68 ¥38.43

-10.92%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥22.51

$2.72 ¥18.40

22.43%

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

$0.48 ¥3.25

$0.39 ¥2.62

23.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.36 ¥2.41

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.28

$0.79 ¥5.37

54.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ¥19.13

$2.12 ¥14.34

33.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ¥11.72

$1.51 ¥10.22

14.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.35

$1.49 ¥10.07

32.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.35

$0.65 ¥4.39

89.23%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.10

$1.02 ¥6.91

90.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 ¥86.3

$12.96 ¥87.7

-1.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 ¥27.42

$2.26 ¥15.26

79.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ¥91.1

$7.55 ¥51.1

78.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.69

$1.73 ¥11.71

8.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.53

$1.26 ¥8.50

11.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.32

$0.58 ¥3.91

213.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.08

$0.53 ¥3.61

152.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.10

$0.67 ¥4.52

56.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.91

$0.40 ¥2.72

265.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.78

$0.35 ¥2.36

102.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.82

$1.01 ¥6.85

-43.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ¥22.87

$2.41 ¥16.31

40.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.92 ¥87.4

$9.55 ¥64.6

35.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.38

$0.66 ¥4.46

42.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.65

$2.90 ¥19.63

-35.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.72

$0.27 ¥1.80

48.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.76 ¥147

$17.02 ¥115

27.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ¥11.02

$1.79 ¥12.12

-8.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.36

$0.33 ¥2.23

6.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 ¥47.47

$6.54 ¥44.22

7.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.98

$0.86 ¥5.79

37.21%

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

$22.9K ¥154.9K

$19.6K ¥132.5K

16.88%

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

$20.7K ¥140.3K

$17.0K ¥115.2K

21.71%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$46.09 ¥312

41.74%

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

$8.20 ¥55.5

$11.68 ¥79.0

-29.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.05 ¥88.3

$11.61 ¥78.5

12.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 ¥340

$53.5 ¥362

-5.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.39 ¥118

$13.67 ¥92.5

27.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 ¥46.44

$3.62 ¥24.48

89.50%

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

$457 ¥3,091

$168 ¥1,139

171.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K ¥141.1K

$17.1K ¥115.7K

21.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.25 ¥333

$44.08 ¥298

11.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.67 ¥207

$30.48 ¥206

0.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 ¥502

$71.2 ¥482

4.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 ¥542

$73.9 ¥500

8.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ¥4,985

$274 ¥1,851

169.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥2,782

$189 ¥1,279

117.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 ¥11.4K

$603 ¥4,082

180.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 ¥6,110

$356 ¥2,408

153.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K ¥88.9K

$2,544 ¥17.2K

416.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,222 ¥42.1K

$1,967 ¥13.3K

216.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,665 ¥11.3K

$573 ¥3,874

190.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

5.01

-19.36%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: May 31, 2026

Last update for Jiaozuo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Shenzhen and $274 in Jiaozuo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 191% 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 $21.00 in Jiaozuo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $175 per month, with Jiaozuo 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 Jiaozuo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jiaozuo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 52% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Shenzhen pays 191% 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: $737 in Shenzhen versus $274 in Jiaozuo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $457 in Shenzhen versus $168 in Jiaozuo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Shenzhen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $680 in Jiaozuo versus $1,037 in Shenzhen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jiaozuo but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Jiaozuo 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 Jiaozuo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.