Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Jiaxing Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Jiaxing

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,037 per month in Shenzhen vs $657 in Jiaxing, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,659 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,095 in Jiaxing, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,280 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,533 in Jiaxing, rent included.

Shenzhen costs about 58% more than Jiaxing, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shenzhen and Jiaxing are more affordable than the global median – Shenzhen 23% lower, Jiaxing 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.18

$2.86 ¥19.35

9.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.51 ¥186

$20.78 ¥141

32.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ¥34.26

$4.86 ¥32.89

4.12%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥22.52

$3.20 ¥21.64

4.06%

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

$0.48 ¥3.25

$0.45 ¥3.03

6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.26 ¥1.77

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.29

$0.68 ¥4.63

79.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ¥19.14

$1.79 ¥12.10

58.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ¥11.72

$2.34 ¥15.85

-26.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.36

$1.94 ¥13.10

1.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.35

$0.53 ¥3.61

132.08%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.10

$1.53 ¥10.35

26.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 ¥86.3

$6.99 ¥47.31

82.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 ¥27.43

$2.74 ¥18.56

47.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ¥91.2

$9.02 ¥61.0

49.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.69

$1.62 ¥10.96

16.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.54

$1.27 ¥8.60

11.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.33

$1.18 ¥7.99

54.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.09

$1.14 ¥7.68

17.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.10

$0.59 ¥4.01

77.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.91

$0.96 ¥6.48

52.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.78

$0.80 ¥5.40

-11.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.83

$0.56 ¥3.82

1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ¥22.88

$3.57 ¥24.17

-5.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.92 ¥87.4

$11.03 ¥74.6

17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.39

$0.69 ¥4.64

36.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.65

$1.47 ¥9.98

27.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.72

$0.29 ¥1.97

37.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.76 ¥147

$15.41 ¥104

41.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ¥11.02

$1.13 ¥7.62

44.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.36

$0.38 ¥2.57

-7.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 ¥47.49

$6.76 ¥45.77

3.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.99

$1.12 ¥7.58

5.36%

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

$22.9K ¥154.9K

$16.8K ¥113.6K

36.41%

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

$20.7K ¥140.3K

$14.5K ¥98.2K

42.88%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$34.35 ¥233

90.19%

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

$8.20 ¥55.5

$11.13 ¥75.3

-26.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.05 ¥88.3

$4.76 ¥32.23

174.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 ¥340

$34.36 ¥233

46.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.39 ¥118

$7.14 ¥48.31

143.56%

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 ¥46.46

$5.44 ¥36.81

26.10%

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

$457 ¥3,092

$401 ¥2,715

13.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K ¥141.1K

$11.7K ¥79.0K

78.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.25 ¥333

$43.33 ¥293

13.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.67 ¥208

$32.67 ¥221

-6.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 ¥502

$69.0 ¥467

7.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 ¥543

$82.6 ¥559

-2.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ¥4,987

$267 ¥1,810

175.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥2,783

$169 ¥1,147

142.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 ¥11.4K

$711 ¥4,810

138.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 ¥6,112

$418 ¥2,830

116.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K ¥89.0K

$4,230 ¥28.6K

210.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,222 ¥42.1K

$1,959 ¥13.3K

217.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,665 ¥11.3K

$825 ¥5,586

101.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

3.87

4.39%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: May 31, 2026

Last update for Jiaxing: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $737 in Shenzhen versus $267 in Jiaxing. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 102% higher in Shenzhen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Shenzhen versus $21.00 in Jiaxing. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $181 – making Jiaxing the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Jiaxing: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shenzhen costs about 58% more than Jiaxing, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,556 per month in Shenzhen and $985 in Jiaxing. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jiaxing, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 41% less in Jiaxing. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $457 per month in Shenzhen and $401 in Jiaxing. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jiaxing, where all-in costs run around $657, than in Shenzhen at $1,037. In Jiaxing it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jiaxing – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Jiaxing. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shenzhen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.