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: $999 in Shenzhen versus $697 in Jiaozuo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,664 in Shenzhen versus $1,083 in Jiaozuo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,329 in Shenzhen versus $1,469 in Jiaozuo.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 43% more expensive than in Jiaozuo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 25% lower, Jiaozuo 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.25 ¥21.98

$1.70 ¥11.48

91.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.48 ¥186

$20.62 ¥139

33.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 ¥32.95

$5.59 ¥37.82

-12.88%

Cappuccino

$3.26 ¥22.09

$2.62 ¥17.72

24.43%

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

$0.48 ¥3.22

$0.38 ¥2.59

26.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.87

$0.35 ¥2.40

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.25

$0.79 ¥5.33

54.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 ¥19.36

$2.15 ¥14.55

33.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ¥11.93

$1.57 ¥10.59

12.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 ¥13.20

$1.49 ¥10.07

30.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.32

$0.66 ¥4.44

86.36%

Eggs

$1.85 ¥12.52

$1.02 ¥6.93

81.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.78 ¥86.5

$12.98 ¥87.8

-1.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.00 ¥27.07

$2.33 ¥15.79

71.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.50 ¥91.3

$7.73 ¥52.3

74.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.09

$1.73 ¥11.68

3.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.61

$1.22 ¥8.24

16.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.70

$0.58 ¥3.92

198.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 ¥9.50

$0.54 ¥3.65

159.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.50

$0.73 ¥4.93

52.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 ¥9.48

$0.43 ¥2.92

225.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ¥4.76

$0.37 ¥2.53

89.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.90

$1.01 ¥6.85

-42.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 ¥24.07

$2.39 ¥16.15

48.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.46 ¥84.3

$9.88 ¥66.9

26.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥6.09

$0.64 ¥4.34

40.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ¥12.38

$2.92 ¥19.73

-37.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.73

$0.29 ¥1.99

37.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.85 ¥148

$16.73 ¥113

30.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 ¥11.58

$1.78 ¥12.02

-3.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.33 ¥2.21

15.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 ¥47.49

$6.56 ¥44.39

7.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.99

$0.85 ¥5.74

38.82%

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

$23.1K ¥156.2K

$19.2K ¥130.0K

20.19%

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

$20.7K ¥139.7K

$16.6K ¥112.5K

24.22%

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

$67.3 ¥456

$45.05 ¥305

49.46%

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

$8.26 ¥55.9

$11.72 ¥79.3

-29.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.86 ¥87.0

$11.58 ¥78.4

11.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.95 ¥338

$54.1 ¥366

-7.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.27 ¥117

$14.03 ¥94.9

23.09%

Cinema Ticket

$7.00 ¥47.39

$3.67 ¥24.86

90.74%

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

$460 ¥3,115

$164 ¥1,109

180.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.4K ¥138.2K

$16.9K ¥114.2K

20.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.14 ¥332

$44.01 ¥298

11.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.64 ¥207

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 ¥510

$71.5 ¥484

5.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 ¥533

$73.8 ¥499

6.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 ¥5,011

$280 ¥1,897

164.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥2,781

$188 ¥1,270

118.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 ¥11.6K

$603 ¥4,076

183.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 ¥6,158

$366 ¥2,479

148.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.5K ¥84.7K

$2,526 ¥17.1K

395.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,184 ¥41.8K

$1,915 ¥13.0K

222.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,743 ¥11.8K

$563 ¥3,806

209.88%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Jiaozuo: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Shenzhen and $280 in Jiaozuo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 210% 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: $27.00 in Shenzhen vs $21.00 in Jiaozuo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $229 vs $178 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 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 210% 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: $741 in Shenzhen versus $280 in Jiaozuo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $460 in Shenzhen versus $164 in Jiaozuo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Shenzhen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $697 in Jiaozuo versus $999 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 43% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.